ABSTRACT
Smaller cities and regions also suffer from the revitalization efforts undertaken by nearby central cities seeking to revitalize their own downtown areas. In addition, the growth of suburban and exurban cities at the edge of larger metropolitan areas means that there are areas of development seeking to offer some of the same town center or downtown experiences that smaller cities might also try to offer. For example, at the same time that Fort Wayne was focused on its downtown development activities, Indianapolis, located 125 miles to the southwest, was advancing its own initiatives. Other cities in the greater metropolitan Indianapolis area, Carmel and Noblesville, were also emphasizing new town centers. These suburban or exurban cities are located 115 and 105 miles from Fort Wayne. If that competition was not sufficient, Muncie and Anderson, Indiana, 79 and 85 miles south of Fort Wayne, were also trying to revitalize their core communities. Reading, Pennsylvania, once a prototypical smaller city offering opportunities for quality jobs and a small downtown city experience for its residents, is located 63 miles from Philadelphia, 81 miles from Baltimore, and 56 miles from Wilmington, Delaware. Each of those cities is engaged in extensive revitalization efforts. Reading has to also compete with suburban cities such as King of Prussia and West Chester, as well as other smaller cities, such as Hershey and Lancaster. Within this dynamic environment of urban change and competition from larger and similar sized cities, can a smaller city establish a niche for itself through a focus on sports, culture, and entertainment amenities in a revitalized downtown? This chapter looks at some of the efforts in two smaller cities and the outcomes within two very competitive environments where several cities are engaged in revitalization efforts to attract residents and businesses.
