After Amazon: Planning for Regional Growth

The dichotomy in economic outcomes around the country won't be solved by one-off competitions like the bidding process to land Amazon's second headquarters.

2 minute read

January 20, 2018, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Detroit

Andrew Jameson / Wikimedia Commons

After the process to site Amazon's second headquarters entered a dramatic new stage this week, the nation is left again to evaluate what the spectacle reveals of economic development strategy in the United States. According to Mark Muro and Amy Liu, "while the fall’s 'Amazon Idol' competition is garnering high ratings, the fact remains that it is a major distraction from the glaring need for the country to systematically think about a much larger development problem—the nation’s gaping regional prosperity divides."

Instead of "Amazon Idol," Muro and Liu propose a recommitment to regional growth. "At present, America possesses no strategy—let alone serious policies—for addressing the uneven allocation of growth across the nation’s 50 states and hundreds of metropolitan areas," according to Muro and Liu, who detail the landscape of economic development around the United States under the current political regime.

Muro and Liu identify a few useful existing precedents, both in theory and in practice, to "hack together some basic outlines of what policymakers, especially the federal government, might do to push back against the nation’s geographical distress."

Here's are two "watchwords" that organize their recommendations, with more details included in the source article: 1) "Make spatially balanced growth a priority" and 2) "Maintain (don’t cut) existing policies that enhance U.S. competitiveness—and support regional development."

[Editor's note: This article is from September 2017, but we share it this week due to its relevance to current events.]

Friday, September 22, 2017 in Brookings

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

7 hours ago - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

April 28 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

April 28 - The Sacramento Bee