Siouxland Magazine - Volume 3 Issue 3

Give a Good Look to Siouxland
By Chris McGowan
Siouxland has a great deal to be proud of, and
the last few months have indeed served as a
platform for our community to highlight some
excellent news. That said, we also have some work to
do on our regional image, and it has never been more
critical than right now as we are welcoming first-time
visitors from all over the United States.
On the good news side, Site Selection magazine of
suburban Atlanta recently recognized our Metropolitan
Statistical Area (MSA) as first in the nation for economic
development in our population category. Additionally,
the Milken Institute just published their analysis
entitled, “Best-Performing Cities 2021; Foundations for
Growth and Recovery,” and the Siouxland MSA jumped
a remarkable 43 spots from 122 in 2020 to 79 in 2021
among Tier 3 sized cities.
Furthermore, in the last year or so, we have added the
Siouxland Expo Center, United Sports Academy, and
the Arena to our list of impressive local sports facilities.
These entities are bringing unprecedented numbers of
visitors from out of town for youth athletic competitions.
Coupled with the significant number of athletes,
coaches, and families traveling to the NAIA national
championships in women’s volleyball and basketball at
the Tyson Events Center, it quickly becomes apparent
that there are countless opportunities for our community to
make a strong first impression.
Of course, if we do not step up and make every effort
to showcase what makes Siouxland a truly exceptional
community, a less favorable impression could be planted
with our guests. For this reason, on April 6th, representatives
of both the public and private sectors came together to
discuss the importance of a long-term plan to address
litter control and clean-up in Siouxland. The response to
attend this initial meeting was so overwhelming; it had to
be relocated from the offices of the Siouxland Chamber of
Commerce to an alternative location.
This group actively engaged the entire tri-state area in
focusing on a region-wide plan to develop a strategy to
effectively remove litter in problematic areas, especially
those traversed most frequently by our new visitors and
their families. It was an excellent example of what we can do
when working together to achieve a common goal.
Many recognize that a “spring cleaning” is always in order
after winter. There are some very effective programs,
volunteers, and efforts already underway in our metro area.
Still, as we welcome new visitors, we need to develop and
maintain an effective litter mitigation plan to show the rest of
the world our true colors.
Chris McGowan, President, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.
Siouxland Magazine | Grow/29
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