Economic Development Organizations in North and Central Florida

Abstract

Economic development organizations (EDOs) have become ubiquitous throughout the United States and elsewhere. The Dutch bluntly call it “City-marketing” (Borchert, 1987), and it is an established part of the activities of communities around the world (Crompton, 1985; Roberts and Noon, 1987; Morrison, 1983). Local economic development organizations numbered approximately 15,000 in the United States in 1981 (Levy, 1981). The number has certainly increased significantly during the 1980's. Nearly all EDOs have been formed since 1945; over half, since 1975 (Humphrey et al. 1988). Initial increases related to regional competition ("Sunbelt" versus "Snowbelt") have given way to widespread economic development efforts at the local level.