Mid-City Delusions

This Cincinnati Enquirer piece neatly sums up the delusions of mid-sized cities, which always think they are one or two big "development" projects away from salvation. (Why is it that they never think to come up with novel, cost-effective solutions to say, improving schools or lowering taxes and regulations?)

It's about Stephen Leeper, who in April will become the head of the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., a private development group that includes representatives from all the local power brokers in the Queen City, including Procter & Gamble, Chiquita, etc). (Don't be fooled by its being a private-sector group: One of its main goals is to getl public-sector money and breaks for private businesses).

Leeper is touted as a wonder boy who was responsible for a remarkable string of successes in Pittsburgh (along with Buffalo, the only major metro area that lost population between 1990 and 2000). Yet the article itself--breathlessly positive about the guy--points out that most of the projects didn't pan out. And a sidebar raises further questions about Pittsburgh's future.