According to the article’s author, Goldie Chan, Grand Rapids being in the Midwest means it “won’t brag about itself,” but it also doesn’t need to.
The article highlights five points that make it the perfect size, including the organization of community leaders, embracing new industries for growth, and playing to its strengths.
Chan notes Grand Action 2.0’s guidance in the construction of the Acrisure Amphitheater, noting that it will be even bigger than Chicago’s Pritzker Pavilion, as well as the forthcoming 8,500-seat soccer stadium.
The article also points out that Grand Rapids appears in more top lists than any of its size.
Chan says, “Some cities grow especially because of one industry [but] Grand Rapids has the benefit of being one of the most diverse portfolios in the country.”
Of note, Chan points out one of the city’s core strengths is the community’s willingness to have “the hard conversations,” in which diverse groups come together to explore and implement long-term solutions to ensure the safety of all its residents as well as its unhoused population.
The article concludes that “the right-size city is the new aspiration,” and Grand Rapids sets the standard.
You can read the article online at here.
