Economic development, not rhetoric, is determining which regions attract jobs, investment, and the industries shaping the U.S. economy.
By Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer – President & CEO of Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC
Economic growth does not appear where people hope for it. It shows up where communities do the work to build it.
Across the country, regions are competing not just with their neighbors but with global markets for investment, talent, and the industries that will define the next decade. Some are responding with focus and urgency. Others still treat economic development as optional and that gap is becoming clear.
Simply put, economic development is not about headlines or ribbon cuttings. It’s about whether a community has the discipline to create an environment where businesses expand, workers advance, and opportunity grows stronger over time.
Colorado Springs offers one example of that approach. In recent years, the region has become a center of gravity for industries that matter nationally; aerospace and defense, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and technology. These sectors are not short-term trends; they are central to long-term economic resilience and national security.
Since 2022, Colorado Springs has supported 38 business expansions, generating more than 6,000 jobs and over $2 billion in capital investment. More important than the numbers is what they represent. Companies do not make long-term bets on places that are standing still. They invest where there is alignment; where workforce pipelines are strong, infrastructure works, and there is a clear, shared direction.
Too often, economic development is treated as a series of transactions; one deal, one announcement at a time. In reality, it is cumulative. It reflects sustained coordination among business leaders, local governments, educators, and workforce partners who understand that growth must be built and maintained.
When that coordination is working, the results are visible. Small businesses expand because demand is rising. Workers find career paths, not just jobs. Communities gain the capacity to invest in schools, public safety, and essential infrastructure.
This matters beyond any single region. The United States is in the middle of a structural shift where supply chains are being reconfigured, technology is reshaping industries, and competition for talent is intensifying. In that environment, economic leadership will not come from a single policy or a single city. It will depend on how many communities get the fundamentals right.
Those fundamentals are straightforward. Workforce readiness, modern infrastructure, policy stability, and strategies grounded in real data are not optional. Without them, growth is difficult to start and even harder to sustain.
Colorado Springs has leaned into those basics, focusing on competitive industries, investing in enabling systems, and committing to long-term outcomes. Not every return is immediate, but that is the point. Sustainable growth is built on consistency, not short-term wins.
The national takeaway is clear: strong regional economies are not just local successes. They are national assets. They drive innovation, support critical industries, and strengthen economic resilience.
Economic development is no longer a background issue. It is where America’s competitive future will be decided. Communities that recognize that and act, will lead. Others will spend the next decade trying to catch up.