Multi-million-dollar transformational development projects for downtown Michigan City sparked by investments to greatly improve passenger rail service across the Region are good reasons to celebrate.
The Economic Development Corp. Michigan City has guided numerous developments throughout the city the past 25 years and will celebrate those achievements July 25 with a Silver Anniversary Gala. The black-tie event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Stardust Event Center at the Blue Chip Hotel & Casino, 777 Blue Chip Drive.
The event will include awards recognizing companies and business leaders who have contributed to moving Michigan City forward.
Clarence Hulse, executive director of the EDCMC, said a special logo was created for the organization’s 25th anniversary. The logo incorporates the words prosperity, innovation, growth, synergy and investment.
“The five concepts are really at the core of what we do here at the EDCMC,” Hulse said. “While we may be the starting point for site selectors and startups, we move beyond initial conversations and contacts by offering assistance along the way.”
Hulse said innovation and synergy of private, nonprofit and government agencies are essential to maintaining growth and prosperity and bringing investment into the Region.
The EDCMC recognizes that partnerships are essential. Hulse said results are achieved by working together.
“We have had the opportunity to bring together people and agencies across the board to get things done,” he said. “Our groundwork for a long-term strategy is based on four tenets: workforce development and talent attraction, economic modernization, placemaking and aggressively telling the story.”
Hulse said the Double Track NWI project and recent downtown development announcements are signs Michigan City is moving in the right direction.
“The 11th Street Central mixed-use development includes a new train station for the South Shore Line, luxury residential apartments, commercial space and a parking garage,” Hulse said. “This is the single most impactful development in decades that we have the opportunity to use as a platform for even more growth.”
The Double Track project is expected to shave the commute time from Michigan City to Chicago from 1 hour 41 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, he said.
“With the expansion of Burn ‘em Brewing and additional residential and commercial developments planned, we are seeing additional quality of life elements that go hand-in-hand with everything we already have in place to create a community that we can all love and enjoy for years to come,” Hulse said.
