Cool Cities Initiative began as an initiative started by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to spur growth and investment in Midwestern cities.[1][2] The Initiative was proposed in 2003 in response to the brain drain of students attending college in Michigan and then seeking employment out of the state.[3]
The Cool Cities Initiative was inspired by Dr. Richard Florida's 2002 book The Rise of the Creative Class.[4]
Funded Projects:
Cool Cities funded $1.9 million dollars in catalysts grants in Michigan [5]
The Stadium District, immediately south of Oldsmobile Park in Lansing, was redeveloped using a grant from the Cool Cities project.[6][7]