event highlighting Black tech entrepreneurs and creators, has become a marquee celebration in Cincinnati. “We’re incredibly proud of the pipeline of Black tech talent here,” the Mayor says, noting that this growing sector significantly impacts the city’s entrepreneurial landscape. STRATEGIC GROWTH IN KEY SECTORS Mayor Pureval identifies healthcare, technology, consumer products, and insurance as cornerstones of Cincinnati’s economic landscape, but he also highlights a rapidly growing opportunity in logistics. “Transportation and logistics are expanding quickly,” he explains. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport hosts the largest DHL hub in North America, and the city’s strategic location enables companies to reach 60% of the U.S. population within a six-hour drive. Additionally, Cincinnati is investing in a $4 billion bridge along I-75, a key artery for the national economy, carrying 3% of the U.S. GDP each year. Beyond logistics, Cincinnati’s proximity to Intel’s new semiconductor plant in central Ohio is creating ripple effects throughout the region’s economy. “We’re preparing to attract supply chain investments by redeveloping brownfield sites along the I-75 corridor,” Mayor Pureval says. Working with The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority and major employers, the city is transforming abandoned industrial property into shovel-ready sites to support the anticipated influx of tech and manufacturing opportunities. The city’s recent incentives in the healthcare sector are already yielding significant returns. Carter points to Medpace, a contract research organization recently expanding with city support. “The city extended a generous incentive package to Medpace as they build a new tower in the Madisonville neighborhood,” she explains.This expansion adds high-paying jobs to the local economy and reinforces Cincinnati’s position as a medical research and development leader. Similarly, she highlights Emerge Manufacturing, an African American-owned and women-owned business located on the former Cincinnati Gardens site; City-backed incentives were key in spurring the transformation of the historic but long-vacant site into a modern manufacturing hub for medical protective equipment. As Cincinnati ramps up its economic development, workforce readiness remains a priority. Carter notes that workforce initiatives align with corporate and community partners, from local universities to major employers.“For projects like Emerge Manufacturing, the owner has committed to hiring locally,” she says, emphasizing the City’s focus on creating jobs in historically underserved neighborhoods and Crowds of all ages gather to watch a light art exhib 101 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 12 CINCINNATI, OH
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