Our area has a robust history of collaborative efforts to support economic development. A few milestones over past 30 years include the following. ​

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• In 1995, the partnership between the City of Manhattan and the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce began. An Economic Development Sales Tax passed, with over 90% of revenue supporting jobs projects at companies such as Krusteaz, Farrar Corporation, Manko Window Systems Inc., Florence Corporation, Abbott Workholding and Ultra Electronics. 

• In 2002, Advantage Manhattan private sector investment began, and the Riley County Economic Development Sales Tax passed helping fund projects like NBAF, CivicPlus and Meadowlark. Sales tax renewals were passed in 2012 and 2020.

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The investment of economic development sales tax funds brought substantial revenues that continue to benefit us today (see details at right). The Big Red 1 returned to Fort Riley in 2006, and K-State student enrollment hit an all-time high in 2014. Downtown Redevelopment progressed, and our region saw nearly $6 billion of public investment. 

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A change in philosophy occurred as our area emphasized quality of place and shifted revenues to large projects: North Campus, K-State Athletics, Aggieville, airport enhancements and the Conference Center. These projects undoubtedly improved our community, but attention to job creation activities waned. 

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Then we faced the perfect storm: Fort Riley lost a brigade, with 3,500 soldiers leaving, and K-State enrollment dropped substantially because of changing demographics. The COVID pandemic came. All of these things brought lasting and far-reaching market shifts. While we still had small business successes to report, including jobs and investment announced at Hydrograph, Deibel Laboratories, Canopy, Bev-Hub, Cimarron Trailers, Manko Window Systems Inc., Parker and RDT, job and population growth have stagnated. 

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Today we have some amazing strengths as well as some challenges. 

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It's time for a new approach.