CITY OF ROMULUS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
& MARKETING PLAN
Prepared by CIB Planning

AUGUST 2019
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The City of Romulus would like to acknowledge and thank the
following individuals for their support in preparation of this
Economic Development Strategy.

*Brian Bush, downtown business owner

Carol Maise, City Planner
*Cindy Beregsasy, WF Whalen employee
*Jazmine Danci, Director of Marketing & Economic Development
*John Danci, City of Romulus employee
Merrie Druyor, Downtown Development Authority Director
*Daniel McAnally, resident and Romulus Planning Commissioner
*Danielle Funderburg, resident and Romulus School Board Member
Marco Salomone, Detroit Aerotropolis Interim Executive Director
*Robert McCraight, Director of Public Services
*Melissa Crova, resident and downtown property owner
Roberto Scappaticci, Director of Public Works
Ted March, downtown property owner, entrepreneur and developer
Tim Keyes, Tax Increment Finance Authority Director
*Tina Talley, Romulus City Councilwoman

This Economic Development and Marketing Strategy has

been funded in part by a grant from the Michigan Economic
Development Corporation as part of the Redevelopment Ready
Communities Program.

*Denotes Romulus resident.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PLANNING PROCESS 5

SWOT ANALYSIS 14

ECONOMIC GOALS & OBJECTIVES CHART 16

IMPLEMENTATION 19

REDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES 20

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTION TABLE 22

ROMULUS DDA PROJECT LIST 26

TIFA PROJECT LIST 30

DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES 33

MARKETING STRATEGY OVERVIEW 36

APPROACH 39

STARTING WITH ROMULUS FIRST 40

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETING 43

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETING CHART 45

GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT 47

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IN ACTION 50

TALENT AND WORKFORCE 53

MARKETING PLAN SUMMARY CHART 57

APPENDIX A AND EXAMPLES 59

 OVERVIEW
As stated in the MEDC Redevelopment Ready Community Certification best
practices document, “To be vibrant and competitive, Michigan communities
must be ready for development. This involves planning for new investment and
reinvestment, identifying assets and opportunities, and focusing limited resources.”

Economic vitality demands a strong vision, thorough and consistent planning,

active leadership, viable resources, long-term collaboration from surrounding
communities and other organizations, and dedication to a community’s goals.
This type of work cannot be successfully completed in a bubble. As an RRC
technical assistance consultant, Community Image Builders worked with the City
of Romulus in 2019 to build an economic road map to assist with job creation,
marketing and branding along with redevelopment and investment strategies for
the community. This road map is a result of that work.

This plan identifies economic development goals and objectives and relevant
opportunities to assist the city with funding challenges and incentives for
redevelopment-related projects. It also outlines approaches and methods to
leverage the city’s location, as well as other remarkable attributes, as assets for
economic development, and identifies key messages for target audiences who
should hear the story of Romulus.
 PLANNING PROCESS
This economic development strategy for the City of Romulus is a collaborative
planning project between the MEDC’s Redevelopment Ready Communities
program and the City of Romulus. The result of this project will be an economic
roadmap to assist with job creation, marketing and branding along with
redevelopment and investment strategies for the community. These actions will
both strengthen and diversify the local economy. The roadmap will also help
guide the coordinated efforts between Wayne County and the City of Romulus to
work in a cooperative manner that will integrate aspects of the regional economic
development strategy with the local economic development effort.

When creating an economic development strategy, it is important to answer several questions.

1. Who are the largest employers in the community?

2. What drives the local economy?
3. What is the city’s role in the larger region?
4. What are the strengths of the community and how can they contribute to growth?
5. What could be potential challenges to growth?
6. What overall image is the city working to create?
7. What strategies can be implemented to execute the end vision?

As part of the planning process, a local steering committee has been assembled comprised of local
leaders, businesses and other key stakeholders with a direct interest in the economic success of the
City of Romulus. The steering committee will help guide the development of the overall strategy, as
well as provide critical input on the future economic vision for the city. Lastly, the steering committee
will assist with the identification of implementation projects throughout the community which can
be benchmarked and monitored for success.

This report could not have been completed without the guidance and assistance of the members of
the steering committee, the City of Romulus, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

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Economic Landscape
The City of Romulus is located in Wayne County. The current population of the City of Romulus is
23,479 according to 2017 US Census estimates with 66.2% of the current population within the work
age group between 16 and 65 years of age. Of that percentage, 63.2% are active in the labor force
with 36.8% not currently active in the labor force for any number of reasons. Currently, the US labor
participation rate is 63.2%, which Romulus mirrors. Historically, labor participation rate has been a
Figure one good indicator of the strength or weakness within a
local labor market. The higher the rate, the greater
the availability of quality employment opportunities.
Since the last recession, labor participation rates
have generally been in decline, locally, regionally and
nationally, but not because of reduced employment
opportunities. While this decline is evident in
Romulus, the city has seen far less of a reduction
in labor participation compared to the surrounding
Wayne County and even the State of Michigan. To better understand the decline in labor participation,
we need to look at the age distribution within the City of Romulus and surrounding communities.
Figure two
The 2017 age distribution for Romulus is a little
different than seen across Wayne County and the
State of Michigan. For one, the population is aging,
but not at an equal proportion to the county and state,
meaning the city still has a younger population for
employers to draw workforce from. Secondly, while
there is a large age cluster at 65+, the 10-49 age
group is the predominant age cluster within the city.
This shows that numerous residents within the city have families. Of the 8,585 total households
within the city, 66.4% are families, leading us to believe that families are choosing to reside in the City
of Romulus for a great quality of life along with a good school system. Given the large age bracket
between 10 and 49 years of age, it is anticipated that this trend will continue should conditions
remain consistent going forward.
Figure three: Age distribution

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Income, Employment and Education
The median household income of the City of Romulus is relatively strong compared to Wayne County
at $46,724. When you look deeper in to the income data, the median household income for families
is $55,702. Median non-family income is $30,313 which would generally be a single income, head of
household. This again reinforces the idea that the City of Romulus is a great community to raise a
family.

Figure four
There is a large percentage of the city (47.5%) earning from
$35,000 to $75,000, which according to PEW Research Center,
is statistically the middle-class of the United States. The second
highest income cluster within the city is from $75,000 to
$150,000 comprising 25.7% of total households. Given such a
high percentage of the community is middle class or above, it is
safe to assume that Romulus is a bedroom community for
large employment centers such as Wayne County, Oakland
County, Washtenaw County and other nearby areas. Romulus
also has a strong base of large employers including Wayne
County Metro Airport, General Motors, Amazon and many
others offering a higher base salary for workers.

Figure five Looking at the educational attainment of the City of

Romulus, a large percentage of the population has
completed high school and some level of higher
education. While Romulus falls behind the State of
Michigan with bachelor’s degree attainment, it has
not had an overwhelming negative effect on
incomes and employment opportunities for the
residents of the city when you consider the high
labor participation rate along with the median
income of the community.

Moving forward, when looking to grow the economy of any community, it is extremely important
to have a highly skilled and educated workforce. This has been identified as the highest priority for
employers when seeking to expand their operations. It has also been identified as a top priority by
the Governor for the State of Michigan. It will be imperative for the City of Romulus to work with both
the local educational institutions along with institutions of higher education to develop a high-skilled
workforce for the future. This will both ensure retention of existing base employers, as well as serve
to attract new base employers exploring the region for expansion opportunities.

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 The State of Michigan and many of its communities have been
emerging from one of the most extensive economic recessions
on record since the Great Depression. At its height, unemployment
topped 12% across the Metro Detroit Region. Locally,
unemployment wasn’t nearly as high as seen in Figure 6, but the
same pattern was present as identified regionally, across the
state and across the nation. Comparatively speaking, from a
workforce perspective, the City of Romulus fared better than the
Figure six
rest of Wayne County, but not as well as the State of Michigan
throughout the recession.

Figure seven
It is important to note, that while figure 7
identifies the industries of employed
workers in the City of Romulus, it is not
indicative of the industries found within
the City of Romulus. In fact, much of the
working population of Romulus commute
out of the city for daily work. The average
commute time for workers living in the
city of Romulus is 24.8 minutes, indicating
that many workers are traveling to larger
metro areas for employment including
Metro-Detroit or other communities within
a 30-minute drive where there are more
options for employment.

Downtown Development Authority

In 1981, the City Council of the City of
Romulus created a DDA officially titled
the Romulus Downtown Development Authority, appointed the initial members to a Board of Directors,
and designated the boundaries of the district within which the Authority was to exercise its powers. The
Romulus Downtown Development Authority was initially created to reverse the pattern of deterioration
in the downtown area and to plan for and implement certain public improvements that are considered
necessary for future economic growth.

The Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan are both required by Public Act 197 of 1975,
as amended. The Romulus DDA has adopted both as a single document. Both plans were prepared with
extensive involvement by the Board of the Downtown Development Authority, the Development Area
Citizens Council, the Romulus City Council, and City of Romulus staff.

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Furthermore, throughout the process of preparing these instruments, the general public, City officials,
the Development Area Citizens Council, and others were provided the opportunity to offer comment
and input.

It is the purpose of the Development Plan and the Tax Increment Financing Plan to establish the legal
basis for the capture and expenditure of tax increment revenues in accordance with Public Act 197
of 1975, as amended. The tax increment revenues are used for the financing of public improvements
identified as necessary to accomplish the objectives of the Romulus Downtown Development
Authority (DDA).

In compliance with Public Act 197 of 1975, as amended, the Romulus Downtown Development
Authority is the managing entity for development and financing activities within the established
district. The boundary of the district is illustrated in the next section of the plan. The City has on-
staff a full-time Director of the DDA. The DDA serves an essential role in supporting the economic
development of the city. As such, the DDA project list identified in the development plan has been
incorporated into this strategy as a high priority action item for the city. The list can be found later in
this plan under the “action items” table.

TIFA District
Pursuant to Act 450, Public Acts of Michigan, 1980 the Tax Increment Finance Authority (TIFA) of
the City of Romulus was incorporated on October 22, 1984 with the objective of stimulating and
encouraging economic development activities within the TIFA District. It was on this date that the
Authority District boundaries were established. The TIFA is overseen by a board comprised of thirteen
members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.

The Romulus TIFA adopted three original Development Areas as part of the Authority District
established in their Tax Financing and Development Plan on December 13, 1984. At that time, District
I TIFA was located in Wahrman Road on the southeast portion of the City of Romulus and covered
the area bounded by east and west property lines of land located along Wahrman Road from Eureka
to Pennsylvania Road. District II; Wick Road Development Area and proposed public improvements
were limited to the land bounded by Merriman and Venoy Roads, Smith and Wick .Roads, and
the rights-of-way across those roads. District III; Airlines Parking Development Area, was located
northeast of the I-94/Merriman Road interchange and covered Smith Road from Hudson Avenue to
Wickham Road, Hudson Avenue from Merriman Road to Smith Road, as well as five parcels and a
service road located between Wickham and Hudson Roads.

In 1986 the boundaries of Districts II, and III Development Areas were modified. District II was
expanded to allow the construction of roads and other public infrastructure west of Venoy Road.

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Under the 1986 plan, no immediate development was forecasted west of Venoy Road, limiting
the bonding potential and extent of the proposed improvements. District III was mainly modified
to accelerate the Michigan Department of Transportation planned improvements to the Wickham/
Merriman and the Smith/Merriman road interchanges. In addition the proposed plan would allow
for public facility and service improvements along Wickham, Smith, and Merriman Roads, as well
as, Hudson Avenue and the construction of a connector road (Flynn Drive) to allow for the private
development of an office building, two hotels and a restaurant.

In 1989, an amendment to the Tax Increment Financing and Development Plan for District II was
adopted to reflect changes in the proposed alignment of streets and utilities, and to provide a
mechanism to finance a portion of the constructions costs for the Vining Road interchange. This
amendment expanded the boundaries of the District II development area to the east and south
to facilitate needed road and utility improvements, to support design enhancement features such
as landscaping at key intersections, street lighting and underground electrical transmission line
installation, to provide an auxiliary public safety facility and police and fire service in the Development
Area, and to update cost estimates and projected revenue costs.

In 1991 an amendment to .the 1986 District III Tax Increment Financing and Development Plan
was submitted to City Council. This plan amendment was intended to finance the reconstruction
of Smith Road in conjunction with the City in order to stimulate private investment in and around
the Development Area. City council received the plan amendment dated June 5, 1991 held a public
hearing in August 1991 and subsequently tabled it. The plan was then revised and resubmitted to
City Council, a second public hearing was held in August 4, 1992, the plan amendment was approved
in August 10, 1992 and adopted in September 10, 1992.

In 1993, the Tax Increment Financing and Development Plan were amended to redefine District II
boundaries. District II, previously referred as the Wick Road Development Area originally (1986)
comprised a small area north of I-94, south of Ecorse, east of Venoy, and west of Wickham. These
boundaries were expanded in 1989 north to Ecorse, and east of Wahrman. In 1993 the boundaries
were expanded to encompass four project areas; Metro Center, Smith /Ecorse, Wick Road South,
and the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport project area. District I in the area of Wahrman
Road, and District III north of the Airlines parking lot site, remained as amended in the 1989 Tax
Increment Financing and Development Plan.

District I Development Area expired December 31, 2000. District III Development Area expired
February 10, 2001. Refer to Map 2: Historic TIFA District Boundary in Chapter 5.0 for a delineation
of the old TIFA Districts. Since its incorporation in 1984 the City of Romulus TIFA has embarked in
numerous economic and community development projects which are listed in Table 2.

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In 2004, the TIFA and the City Council approved an Amended and Restated Development Plan and Tax
Increment Financing Plan. The Development Area was expanded to include portions of the property
which had previously been included in District I and District III. The Amended and Restated Plan was
also intended to do the following: 1) to facilitate implementation of new projects throughout the
amended TIFA Development Area; 2) to provide the TIFA with additional financial flexibility for fund
administration and redistribution of revenues for development purposes throughout the amended
TIFA Development Area; 3) to restate the Development Plan and Tax Increment Financing Plan in one
document; 4) to extend the duration of the Plan through 2033.

The current Romulus TIFA Development Area is comprised of a contiguous development area
bisected by interstate I-94 into north and south.

Vining Road Development District

This Vining Road Development District Plan provides a framework for land uses and transportation
to have the flexibility to adapt to market conditions to the degree that such uses are compatible
with the overall vision. The plan emphasizes high quality site and building design to provide
compatibility with other planned uses. In summary, the Vining Road Development District Plan is in
place to:
• Provide opportunity for Regional Center uses in a more concentrated area north of the I-94
interchange and around the lake.
• Accommodate some of the current market demand for research and development and
advanced manufacturing uses in specific parts of the subarea to take advantage of the
proximity to the airport and access to markets via the I-94 interchange. Location of such
uses and site design standards are designated to help ensure compatibility with existing and
planned Regional Center uses in the area.
• Limit truck traffic volumes overall, and direct trucks to the I-94 interchange to avoid traveling
through nearby residential and commercial areas.
• Provide new employment opportunities, especially for the residents of Romulus.
• Provide an increased tax base to gain a return on the infrastructure investment made by the
state of Michigan, City of Romulus, and the Tax Increment Finance Authority.

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Land Use
The buildout of the Vining Road Development District should evolve to become an area that supports
a range of uses that may vary in type but are compatible with neighboring properties through
comprehensive design and site standards. These uses should also be limited to those that generate
relatively low truck volumes as high truck traffic can cause vehicle delays, increase crash severity, and
cause additional noise pollution that is not compatible with adjacent commercial and residential uses.

New standards in the zoning ordinance for this district emphasize useable open space with amenities,
greater architectural and building standards, more greenspace, larger landscape materials, wider non-
motorized paths, and special lake front requirements. The subarea land use plan supports the following
uses in addition to the Regional Center uses that are already permitted (research and development and
light industrial uses would require additional standards to limit building sizes, dock or overhead door
placement and screening, and enhance the overall appearance of the property with greater landscaping
and building design standards):

Regional Center:
Multi-family Residential, Commercial, Office, Hotels, Restaurants, Event Facilities, Recreation Facilities.

Mixed-Use Campus and Light Industrial Center Options (in part of the District):
• Regional Center Uses
• Planned office parks
• Specialized or customized photographic design services
• Manufacture, assembling, compounding, fabrication or packaging of products from previously
prepared material
• Research, development, experimental, or testing facilities
• Publishing and printing establishments

The primary difference between the Mixed-Use Campus and Light Industrial Center Overlay options
are the limitations on building sizes. The Mixed-Use Campus Overlay area should allow buildings up to
125,000 square feet in gross floor area for light industrial uses, while the Light Industrial Center area
would allow larger buildings up to 350,000 square feet in gross floor area.

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Vining Road Overlay Zoning District
The Vining Road Overlay district is a new
zoning district established to assist with the
redevelopment vision of the Vining Road Corridor.
This zoning tool will be the implementation policy
to achieve the results discussed above.

Detroit Region Aerotropolis Development

Corporation
The Detroit Region Aerotropolis Development
Corporation is a four-community (including the
City of Romulus), two-county public-private
economic development partnership driving
corporate expansion and new investment around
Detroit Metro and Willow Run Airports.

The Aerotropolis is the premiere location for

greenfield expansion in Southeast Michigan,
offering 6,000 acres of development-ready land centered in a world-class network of transportation
infrastructure.

With two world class airports, access to three major interstates, and five Class-A rail lines, the Detroit
Region Aerotropolis is a prime location for global companies to build, expand, or develop.

As a designated Next Michigan Development Corporation, the Detroit Region Aerotropolis is

empowered to approve a suite of economic development incentives to enable corporate investment.
• Industrial property tax exemptions
• Personal property tax exemptions
• Renaissance Zone designations
• Tax increment financing for public infrastructure improvements

Detroit Regional Partnership

The Detroit Regional Partnership can serve as a voice for economic development for large development
and expansion projects within the City of Romulus. The Detroit Regional Partnership is a regional economic
development nonprofit serving Southeast Michigan’s 11-county region.

Founded in 2019 by a group of business and philanthropic CEOs, the organization is laser-focused on
marketing the region to out-of-state and international companies to attract investments and jobs. The
Partnership offers no-cost site location assistance and other services to domestic and foreign companies
planning new or expanded facilities and is a single point-of-contact to companies as they explore and in-
vest in the Detroit region.

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SWOT ANALYSIS
On January 22, 2019, the City of Romulus Economic Development Steering Committee completed as
SWOT Analysis as a way of obtaining perceptions of the city’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats. The intent of the session was to gain insight, but more importantly, to establish a community
identity and how the city fits into the larger region.

Strengths
Businesses and residents alike share a high level of pride for the City of Romulus. A primary
strength repeated throughout the session was a high quality of life. The City has relatively low
vacancy rates for both businesses and housing, areas of the city are walkable with a small down-
town and an active DDA, the infrastructure throughout the community is in excellent condition,
and the city offers great access to larger markets both with the use of the I-94/I-275 corridor, but
also Wayne County Metro Airport allowing the City of Romulus to offer small community living
while being close enough to major employment markets that residents do not seem to mind small com-
mutes to work (30 minutes or less).

Weaknesses
There seems to be a perception issue with the City of Romulus. Residents feel that the city is safe and ac-
commodating, however, the perception outside of the city is negative and that it is not a safe place to live
or work. There has been some disjointing of the school systems and the schools overall are underfunded.

Another weakness within the city is the location of Metro Airport. The airport is extremely large and is
located in the geographical center of the city, which divides the city into multiple, disconnected sectors.
Because of this, there appears to be an overall lack of retail options for food, groceries and other consumer
goods. Further, there is a separation of downtown from the rest of the city.

Opportunities
Looking forward, there are number of opportunities that will be discussed in greater detail in the action
portion of this strategy. At a high level, there is ample opportunity for infill development throughout the
city. There are several city-owned sites near the downtown core that would be great development sites for
future mixed-use opportunities.

Additionally, there is ample land available for new construction, including new retail/commercial, residen-
tial and industrial.

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Challenges
The predominant challenge to the city is competition from surrounding areas. There is also potential
for a two-fold challenge from the airport, one being that the airport would expand, further disjoining
the city, but also that the airport could contract in trying economic times, creating the loss of valu-
able tax revenue.

Goals and Objectives

Goals are high level policy statements that drive future decisions around projects and investment
opportunities that can contribute to community growth.

Objectives are specific ideas, strategies, policy statements or projects that achieve goal results. The
objectives identified in this plan will assist the City of Romulus by providing measurable tasks that
revolve around increasing economic activity within the city. Further these objectives will support
other planning efforts in the city such as the Master Plan, the Romulus DDA Development Plan, the
Romulus TIFA plan, The Vining Road Corridor Strategy along with future capital improvement plans.
Integrating all the above planning efforts with a committed leadership will be the most important
driver of success for the community.

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 GOALS OBJECTIVES

1. To attract highly educated • Develop and retain a talented workforce so local

individuals to the City of and regional business can compete on a global
basis
Romulus
• Identify opportunities for initiatives jointly
created between the schools (Pre-K through
2. Increase job placement institutions of higher education) and the city to
opportunities amongst enhance economic opportunities for students
TALENT

residents • Create Romulus School of Trade in former

schools (via private funding)
3. Recruit and retain future • Develop a resource center for residents around
workforce talent. jobs and skills training.
• Engage with institutions of higher education to
provide learning opportunities for residents.
• Develop affordable/workforce housing
opportunities to attract new residents.
• Increase business to school opportunities such
as co-ops and internships for local students.
Develop, create, and maintain • Update entry-points and streetscapes in
an efficient infrastructure. corridors—not needed downtown but off the
expressway
• Identify opportunities for additional parking in
the downtown core as more parking is needed
in the future
INFRASTRUCTURE

• Add Fiber Optic throughout the city

• Develop and implement capital improvements
plan.
• Facilitate and develop non-motorized options
throughout city
• Develop public transportation—current smart
route is not reliable, and this is necessary
to connect current talent to future business
locations.
• Transportation economic development dollars.

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 GOALS OBJECTIVES

Strengthen existing and • Strengthen relationships with regional

create new collaborative businesses to identify opportunities to support
their growth in the region
partnerships to operate
• Strengthen relationships with the local and
COLLABORATION

effectively as one voice for

regional chambers of commerce
regional economic success.
REGIONAL

• Work with partners (people involved in

promoting comm.) to promote and take
advantage of the city’s Opportunity Zones—
develop marketing tool around Opportunity
Zones
• Work with the Detroit Regional Partnership,
SEMCOG and the Detroit Region Aerotropolis to
attract new industry to the city
• Work with MEDC, county, airport authority.
Develop an ecosystem • Become Redevelopment Ready Certified to
for creating, attracting, access resources to support business growth
and redevelopment opportunities throughout
expanding, and retaining
the City of Romulus
businesses.
• Develop a marketing plan to highlight the
strengths of the local workforce
• Streamline city processes related to business
development and business growth
• Share an incentives policy to support utilizing
INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES

incentives for business development

• Develop a Redevelopment Ready Sites
brochure to assist with attracting new
speculative development for commercial and
industrial sites
• Support local small business development
with the creation of a small business and
entrepreneurial resource center.

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 GOALS OBJECTIVES

Develop an ecosystem • Market city-owned property for sale and provide

INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES

for creating, attracting, information about it on city website and social media
channels-it’s more attractive for developers to work with
expanding, and retaining
the city staff than with private realtors
businesses.
• Identify opportunities for government contracting for local
companies through the utilization of the Procurement
Technical Assistance Center
• Develop a business attraction marketing strategy… “why
Romulus”?
• Work to identify an “industry” brand identity for the city.

Develop, create, and • Attract new, unique and highly desirable businesses and
maintain an efficient attractions to bring outside visitors to shop, dine and
spend time and money in the city
infrastructure.
• Retain current residents and be proud of where they are—
shop local—themed events, etc.
• Identifying and promote unique areas of city—signage—
district fields
• Expand existing city events and create new events to
continue to attract new people to the City of Romulus
• Create a brand identity for downtown and the City of
Romulus that can unify city leadership and residents
around the overall vision for growth for the city
• Develop a targeted marketing program to attract
DESTINATION

investment into the city to redevelop existing sites or

develop new sites, and retain current businesses. Making
a case to investors in or out of city, what places do we
want built and what do we want to tell that to—including
an internal marketing piece for communication
• Small business assistance for marketing but also have
the city run a “shop local” campaign
• Work to attract new investment to city-owned sites near
downtown
• Implement the downtown vision outlined in the DDA’s
Development Plan
• Develop new housing near downtown
• Existing housing on downtown corridor?—part of corridor
improvement.

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 IMPLEMENTATION
This plan serves as the policy guide for moving Romulus forward, guiding decisions about
future physical and economic development. Transforming the plan’s goals into reality will
require a long-term commitment and political consensus. The plan is designed to be a road
map for action, incorporating strategies, specific projects, and programs that will achieve the
desired results. This chapter synthesizes the many plan recommendations and identifies the
actions and timing needed to transform the plan’s vision into reality.

Tenets of Successful Implementation

The input received through the master plan process provided a foundation to help achieve the city’s
vision, community support, commitment, and involvement must continue.

Commitment
Successful plan implementation will be directly related to a committed city leadership. While elected
and appointed officials will have a strong leadership role, many others - city department directors, staff,
and leaders from the community’s many institutions and organizations - will also be instrumental in
supporting the plan.

However, commitment reaches beyond just these individuals and includes the array of stakeholders.
Citizens, landowners, developers, and business owners interested in how Romulus develops must unite
toward the plan’s common vision.

Integrate with Project Design

City officials and departments must embrace the plan, applying its recommendations to help shape
annual budgets, work programs, and the design of capital improvements. For example, the City’s
engineering practices can support implementation through infrastructure improvements, streets, and
storm systems designed consistent with plan policies and recommendations. Each department, staff
person, and elected official should find it a benefit, if not an obligation, to reference the plan when making
decisions and setting priorities.

Guidance for Development Decisions

This plan is designed for routine use and should be consistently employed during any process affecting
the community’s future. Private investment decisions by developers, corporations, and land owners
should consider the plan’s direction as it is the guide for economic growth and stability of the community
and supports the goals and objectives of the overall master plan.

Evaluation and Monitoring

This plan has been developed with a degree of flexibility, allowing nimble responses to emerging

19
conditions, challenges, and opportunities. To help ensure the plan stays fresh and useful, periodic reviews
and amendments may be required. This will ensure plan goals, objectives, and recommendations reflect
changing community needs, expectations, and financial realities.

Redevelopment Strategies
How to Attract Developers?
Developers typically look for project locations where the potential for success is fairly certain and risks
limited. This means that they are attracted to communities with strong markets where the infrastructure is
in place, reasonably-priced, quality development sites are available, and the development review process
is quick. They also look for opportunities to enter a market right before it “takes off” and capture the heavy
demand and associated real estate price or rent increases.

Good developers are usually inundated with requests from municipalities and DDA’s to develop in their
community, citing the advantages they can offer. Yet only a small percentage of communities provide the
information necessary to interest developers. There is specific information they look for that will minimize
the amount of time it takes to make a go- no-go decision. For example, is there a market for the type
of development being sought by the community? What is the role of the community within the region
(i.e. bedroom community, employment destination, transportation hub, etc.)? Are reasonably priced sites
available for development or redevelopment? Is necessary infrastructure in place or will this be needed
and add to the cost of the project? How accessible is the development location and how large a market
area can they draw from?

These are all vital questions that can be partly answered by the community, making it easier to pique the
interest of a developer. Time is money and the less time developers have to commit to looking at a project/
community, the more likely they are to dig deeper and hopefully show interest in moving forward. Some of
this information might already be available while additional work is needed to gather the remaining data.
It is up to the City, DDA, business leaders, and civic associations to work together to assemble developer
information and then actively recruit developers and businesses.

Why Romulus?
Since developers look for strong or emerging markets, Romulus must prove that it fits into this classification
and may have just been overlooked. What are the positives with Romulus that have created unmet
demand for housing, commercial, office or industrial uses? This is information that must be gathered and
uncovered to create the “elevator speech” for developers: meaning why invest in Romulus as opposed to
all the other communities that contact you? Also, what has changed in recent years causing the private
sector to overlook the City as a place to develop? A one-page handout summarizing this key information
will be a good start. After that, a separate sheet can be created for each marketing item like housing, retail,
office, hospitality, etc.

20
Understand the Market
Developers may not take the time to fully understand the dynamics of the local market and especially
not unmet demand. The City can prepare a fact sheet for different market segments, working with
local real estate professionals and companies. For example, some compelling information might be
increased housing prices and vacancy rates; potential demand for certain types of housing using the
Target Market Analysis; voids in the retail market that could be served by local businesses, etc.

Developer Matchmaking
Once the above information is collected and organized, invite developers to come in and learn about
available sites and why they should consider Romulus for their next project. It would be best to invite
them individually and be concise, enthusiastic, and to the point with what you would like them to consider.
Be sure to share success stories from other companies and developments so they can see that others
have already tested the market. It is equally important to have as much information on hand regarding
property availability, price, rental rates, recent purchase prices, traffic volumes, etc. This will provide a
positive impression regarding the recruitment effort and limit the number of items that need follow-up.

DDA/City Property Acquisition

Property acquisition will be a necessary part of implementing the development projects contained herein,
particularly for site development and redevelopment. By purchasing property in an area identified for
new development, the DDA or the City will have an added tool to attract developers and build the desired
project. For example, to develop new housing, the DDA or City can acquire several of the vacant lots and
can contribute them to the project. This will provide an incentive to lower the cost, and minimize the risk,
for the developer. Should the first phase be successful, the developer will more than likely undertake
construction of additional units without any form of subsidy. The goal is to use tax increment financing
to attract developers by minimizing risk, leverage private investment and eventually eliminate the need
for financial assistance.

Gap Funding
Some projects may need financial assistance to kick-start the development. The City may, at its own
discretion, commit project-specific future tax increment capture back to private projects for a specified
period of time. The goal is to provide funding to close the “gap” that prevents the project from becoming
a reality due to financial feasibility. There are many additional incentives that can also be utilized to
support “gap” funding.

21
Action Table
For the City Economic Development Strategy to be an effective document for the next several years,
steps must be identified to guide community leaders towards implementation. This chapter summarizes
the goals and the recommendations described throughout the plan and serves as a quick reference for
the City Leadership and others to monitor progress or serve as a checklist for implementing the plan.

The following table identifies major steps and projects designed to maintain and improve the City of
Romulus. Implementation of these items will have a positive impact on the character and vitality of
the community. Many of the implementation recommendations presented herein will require the close
cooperation of many bodies. The final column in the table indicates the primary group(s) responsible for
implementation.

Action Priority Responsibility

INFRASTRUCTURE
Create a streetscape/gateway Short Term (0 to 1 years) Mayor, City Council,
committee to review community Administration
entry areas to determine if updates
or improvements are needed to
city gateways

Complete a downtown parking Short Term (0 to 1 years) DDA, Planning Commission

analysis and identify/designate
areas for future parking needs as
necessary
Develop a plan to add fiber optic Mid Term (2 to 4 years) City Council, DPW
throughout the city and downtown
as needed
Finalize a citywide Capital Short Term (0 to 1 years) City Council, Planning
Improvements Plan and Commission, DPW, Finance
incorporate projects of high
economic importance
INFRASTRUCTURE
Create a non-motorized or Mid-Term (2 to 4 years) City Council, Planning
alternative transportation plan for Commission, Planning
the city to identify ways to expand Department, DDA, Economic
non-motorized or alternative Development Department
transportation options for
businesses and residents

22
Action Priority Responsibility
Utilize Transportation Economic Ongoing (5 plus years) City Council, Mayor, Economic
Development Dollars from the Development Department,
State of Michigan to improve DPW
roads around high priority
economic development projects
TALENT
Identify partnerships and make Ongoing (5 plus years) Romulus Schools, Economic
introductions with the private Development Department
sector and school leadership to
identify potential internship and
employment opportunities
Create a committee to research Short Term (0 to 1 years) Mayor, City Council, Economic
the potential for creating an Development Department
independent trades school within
the City of Romulus to provide
talent training opportunities for
skilled trades to support local
businesses
Create a local kiosk at city hall Short Term (0 to 1 years) Mayor, City Council, Economic
and other public facilities to Development Department, DDA
connect local residents to local
employment opportunities.
Develop a partnership with local
employers seeking to post local
opportunities
Create a workforce housing Mid Term (2 to 4 years) City Council, Planning
strategy to target workforce Commission, Planning
housing development and TIFA- Department, DDA, Economic
related actons and opportunities Development Department

23
Action Priority Responsibility
Work with the airport to identify Ongoing (5 plus years) Economic Development Department
workforce opportunities for
Romulus residents
INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES
Create a small business resource Short Term (0 to 1 years) Economic Development Department
center at the city to identify
service providers such as SBA,
PTAC, MISBDC, MEDC and others
that can assist small business
with growth and establishment.
Continue working with developers Ongoing (5 plus years) Administration, DDA, PC, & City
and property owners to develop Council
and redevelop downtown
buildings and sites into multi-
story, mixed-use developments.
Utilize incentives when necessary Ongoing (5 plus years) Administration, City Council &
to support local redevelopment developers
efforts.
Develop an incentive Short Term (0 to 1 years) Administration, City Council
implementation policy
Promote the improvement and Ongoing (5 plus years) Administration & DDA
restoration of facades in the
downtown area.
Encourage the re-occupancy of Ongoing (5 plus years) Administration & PC
vacant retail buildings throughout
the city while upgrading the
sites to meet current ordinance
standards.
Improve the use of social media Ongoing (5 plus years) Administration, DDA, Economic
to convey positive messages Development Department
and development opportunities
throughout the city.
Complete all phases of the Short-Term (0 to 1 years) Administration, City Council, DDA
marketing and branding strategy
to promote the city and potential
development opportunities.

24
Action Priority Responsibility

INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES
Develop a business retention Ongoing (5 plus years) Administration, Right Place
strategy to support local
businesses within the city.
Create specific target-market Short Term, Ongoing Mayor, Economic Development
materials to attract new Department, Planning
development to the Vining Road Department
Corridor, specifically industries
that fit within the new Vining Road
Overlay District.
Develop promotional materials for Ongoing (5 plus years) Economic Development
the Romulus Foreign Trade Zone Department
Enhance partnerships with the Ongoing (5 plus years) Mayor, Economic Development
MEDC, Detroit Aerotropolis and Department
the Detroit Regional Partnership to
assist with new business attraction
opportunities
Promote city owned sites for Short Term (0 to 1 years) Mayor, City Council, DDA,
redevelopment opportunities. Economic Development
Potentially leverage sales price Department
as an incentive to attract new
potential developers
DESTINATION
Create promotional materials for Short Term (0 to 1 years) Economic Development
unique areas of the city to welcome Department
new residents and businesses to
highlight existing businesses and
services throughout the city
Expand event and special occasion Short Term (0 to 1 years) DDA
opportunities within the downtown
to continue to drive traffic to the
city core
Become Redevelopment Ready Short Term (0 to 1 years) Mayor, City Council, Planning
Certified Department, Economic
Development Department

25
 Action Priority Responsibility

DESTINATION
Promote new housing development opportunities Mid Term, Ongoing Mayor, Planning Department, DDA, Economic
on infill sites in the downtown and other prominent Development Department
corridors of the city
Implement the marketing strategy to the “story of Ongoing Mayor, City Council, DDA, Economic Development
Romulus” to attract new visitors and events Department
Continue to enforce blight and improve the aesthetics Ongoing City Council, Planning Department, DDA
of key city corridors

ROMULUS DDA PROJECT LIST RESPONSIBLE PARTY FUNDING PROGRAM

Project/Program Description/Action Items Primary Second Timeline Conceptual Primary
Party Party Design Cost Funding
Organizational
Joint Planning Session Conduct annual strategic planning DDA / 2018‐19 $1,500.00 DDA
sessions with the City and City
DDA board to review the DDA Project List.
Public Relations Establish public communication by the DDA 2018‐19 $2,500.00 DDA
DDA through various
mediaopportunities.
Volunteer Development Build volunteer base and create volunteer DDA 2018‐22 $1,000.00 DDA
recognition
program for DDA music series and festivals
Continue to develop working relationships
with other City
Partnerships departments, Boards and Commissions, DDA / 2018‐22 $‐
anddowntown businesses. City

26
 Create a “Why Romulus?” informational guide
to relocating to and redeveloping in Downtown.
Provide an overview of the development process
and highlight key attributes ofthe location, airport,
Development Marketing and local employment anchors. Conduct focus DDA/City Chamber 2018‐22 $35,000.00 DDA
group meetings with employee groups at the
airport to identify retail market gaps.
Expand Store Hours Encourage downtown businesses to maintain DDA 2018‐19 $‐
business hours
that respond to customers’ needs.
Provide Unmatched Develop effective customer servicestrategies. DDA 2018‐19 $‐
CustomerService
Develop DDA Website Develop a DDA Website. Link to City’s website and DDA / City 2018‐19 $15,000.00 DDA
Romulus
Chamber of Commerce.
Continue sponsorship of the annual Pumpkin
Festival, Sounds in Downtown and other annual
downtown events and develop a strategy to
Special Events/Evaluate DDA / City 2018‐22 $62,500.00 DDA
monitor the effectiveness of downtown events and
CalendarEvents
evaluate on a regular basis.
Integrate Farmers market Work with Chamber and vendors to develop a more DDA/ 2018‐19 $‐
intodowntown stable Chamber
program.
Design
Design Assistance Facilitate design assistance for property owners DDA 2018‐21 $5,000.00 DDA
making
improvements to theirbuilding.
Establish a partnership with the Romulus Arts
Public Art Review Council to consider establishing a permanent DDA / RAC 2018‐22 $25,000.00 DDA/RAC
Public Arts Program.
 Manage the maintenance of the DDA district
Maintenance beautification projects including the newly planted DDA / City 2018‐22 $10,000.00 DDA
streetscape.
Update the DDA sign design study that makes
Wayfinding Plan and recommendations for placement of additional DDA / City 2018‐21 $10,000.00 DDA
Signage Updates signs to provide clear and concise direction and
information for users.
Encourage and facilitate Encourage outdoor cafes. Choose appropriate
sidewalk cafes and outdoor locations and provide design assistance on DDA/City 2018‐21 $2,000.00 DDA
seating clearance and furniture types.
Support the City’s efforts to install non‐motorized
facilities and relocate utilities underground during
road reconstruction
Right‐of‐Way Improvements projects. DDA/City 2018‐21 $2,000,000.00 City
DDA/City/
Historical
Implement an Historic Establish a historic marker program in the Com./ 2018‐19 $1,000.00 DDA/Hist.
Marker Program downtown. Society Comm.
Expand Downtown Incorporate playscapes into Historical Park. DDA/City/ 2018 $56,000.00 City/CDBG
Historical Park CDBG
Local Government
Evaluate the cost/benefit analysis of relocating the
Police to the Municipal Campus and redeveloping
thedowntown
Municipal Center location City
Update parking study from 2003 and examine
possible changes to the zoning ordinance to
reflect parking standards in the ITE, Institute of
Transportation Engineers, and Parking
Parking Study Generation Manual. DDA / City 2018 $3,500.00 DDA
 Maintain and join memberships in
organizations that provide
Memberships information and education on economic DDA / 2018 $1,000.00 DDA
and commercial district revitalization. City
Amend the DDA Plan Review the DDA plan every five years for DDA 2018‐19 $20,000.00 DDA /
updates to the Planning
project list.
Economic Restructuring

Establish and implement a business

retentionprogram. Integrate with
marketing and promotion strategies,
improve communication with property
owners, develop inventory of properties,
provide incentives for mixed use
development,
Business Retention and provide educational workshops for DDA 2018‐19 $1,000.00 DDA
business owners.
Establish and implement a business
recruitment program. Integrate with
Business Recruitment DDA Chamber 2018‐19 $1,000.00 DDA
marketing and promotion strategies.
Marketing and Promotion
Develop a marketing and promotion
program and business advertising plan.
Marketing and DDA / Chamber 2018‐19 $20,000.00 DDA
Continue to promote businesses on the
PromotionProgram City
DDA Facebook page, City Website and
Cable.
Continue to develop a coordinated
advertising campaign to
Business Advertising promote the downtown as a whole in DDA Chamber 2018‐22 Part of DDA
order to compete in retail market Marketing
budget
TIFA PROJECT LIST

PROJECT DESCRIPTION TOTAL PROJECT COST

Enhancement Improvements
Corridor Enhancement
Ecorse Road $350,000
Eureka Road $1,400,000
Wayne Road $350,000
Inkster Road $700,000
Middlebelt Road $1,200,000
Wick Road $1,500,000
Harrison Road $500,000
Wahrman Road $350,000
Smith Road $350,000
Gateway Treatment
Ecorse and Inkster $200,000
Eureka and Inkster $200,000
I-94 and Merriman $200,000
I-94 and Vining Road $200,000
Open Space Acquisition $3,000,000
Property Structure Acquisition $15,000,000
Creative Art and Design Projects $2,500,000
Technology Improvements $100,000
Transportation Improvements
Traffic Study $50,000
Road Improvement Projects
Smith Road (Merriman to Middlebelt) $3,600,000
Wahrman Road (Eureka to Pennsylvania) $3,600,000
Ecclestone Drive (Vining to Moore) $4,992,000
Moore Drive (Wayne to Ecclestone) $3,072,000
Wick Road (Inkster to Middlebelt) $6,528,000
Wick Road (Wickham to Wayne) $1,800,000

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION TOTAL PROJECT COST

Inkster Road (Eureka to Beverly) $14,244,000

Goddard Road (Inkster to Middlebelt) $4,548,000
Harrison Road (Wick to Northline) $11,424,000
Hildebrandt Road (Middlebelt to Harrison) $2,232,000
Ecorse Road (Merriman to Vining) $8,184,000
Ecorse Road (Inkster to Middlebelt) $4,620,000
Wayne Road (Wick to Smith) $2,184,000
Wayne Road/Wahrman Road Re-Alignemnt TBD
Inkster and I-94 Interchange TBD
Sidewalk Improvements
Sidewalks $1,300,000
Pathways $1,500,000
Transit
Enhanced bus stops $25,000
Park & ride opportunities $80,000
SEMCOG light rail TBD BY SEMCOG
Public Facility Improvements
Utility Studies
Water distribution system $60,000
Sewer system $60,000
Storm Water drainage $60,000
Water main $10,000,000
Sanitary sewer system $8,000,000
Storm water drainage $10,000,000
DPW facility improvements $2,000,000
Police Station $3,000,000
Fire Station $3,000,000
New park development $1,000,000
New indoor recreation facility $20,000,000
Conference/convention center $15,000,000
Animal Shelter $800,000

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION TOTAL PROJECT COST

Court $3,000,000
Stadium $20,000,000
Historic structure renovation $300,000
Administration and Planning
Marketing
Webpage $10,000
Promotional Materials $200,000
Events and festivals $300,000
Highway signage $300,000
Road banners $200,000
Corridor sub-area plans $150,000
Zoning Ordinance updates $60,000

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Incentives Available to Assist Development
The following programs are a sampling of incentives available to both local communities and developers
to assist with redevelopment projects.

Business Development Program – The MiBDP is an incentive program available from the Michigan
Strategic Fund, in cooperation with the MEDC. The program is designed to provide grants, loans or other
economic assistance to businesses for highly competitive projects in Michigan that create jobs and/or
provide investment.

PA 198 Industrial Facilities Exemption – Industrial property tax abatements provide incentives for
eligible businesses to make new investments in Michigan. These abatements encourage Michigan manu-
facturers to build new plants, expand existing plants, renovate aging plants, or add new machinery and
equipment. High technology operations are also available for the abatement. Depending on the scope and
type of project, real property taxes can be abated up to 50% for a period not to exceed 12 years for new
construction. Further, the 6-mil SET may be abated up to 100% with approval from the MEDC. In the case
of a rehabilitation, the current assessed value of the property prior to improvement is frozen. This results
in a 100% exemption from property tax on the value of the improvements.

Commercial Rehabilitation Abatement – Encourages the rehabilitation of commercial property by

abating the property taxes generated from new investment for a period up to 10 years. Commercial prop-
erty is qualified facility that includes a building or group of contiguous building of commercial property that
is 15 years or older, of which the primary purpose is the operation of a commercial business enterprise or
multi-family residential. The CRA freezes the taxable value of the building and exempts the new investment
from local taxes.

Community Revitalization Program - The Michigan Community Revitalization Program (MCRP) is

an incentive program available from the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF), in cooperation with the Michigan
Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), designed to promote community revitalization that will accel-
erate private investment in areas of historical disinvestment; contribute to Michigan’s reinvention as a vital,
job generating state; foster redevelopment of functionally obsolete or historic properties; reduce blight;
and protect the natural resources of this state. The program is designed to provide grants, loans, or other
economic assistance for eligible investment projects in Michigan.

New Market Tax Credits - Historically, low-income communities experience a lack of investment, as
evidenced by vacant commercial properties, outdated manufacturing facilities, and inadequate access to
education and healthcare service providers. The New Market Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program) aims to
break this cycle of disinvestment by attracting the private investment necessary to reinvigorate struggling
local economies.

33
The NMTC Program attracts private capital into low-income communities by permitting individual and
corporate investors to receive a tax credit against their federal income tax in exchange for making equity
investments in specialized financial intermediaries called Community Development Entities (CDEs). The
credit totals 39 percent of the original investment amount and is claimed over a period of seven years.

Brownfield - The Brownfield Program uses tax increment financing (TIF) to reimburse brownfield
related costs incurred while redeveloping contaminated, functionally obsolete, blighted or historic
properties. It is also responsible for managing the Single Business Tax and Michigan Business Tax
Brownfield Credit legacy programs (SBT/MBT Brownfield Credits).

The Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) with assistance from the Michigan Economic Development
Corporation (MEDC), administers the reimbursement of costs using state school taxes (School
Operating and State Education Tax) for nonenvironmental eligible activities that support redevelopment,
revitalization and reuse of eligible property. The MEDC also manages amendments to SBT/MBT
Brownfield Credit projects approved by MSF. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) administers the reimbursement of environmental response costs using state school taxes for
environmental activities, and local units of government sometimes use only local taxes to reimburse for
eligible activities (i.e., “local-only” plans).

Michigan Transportation Economic Development Fund - The mission of the Transportation

Economic Development Fund (TEDF) is to enhance the ability of the state to compete in an international
economy, to serve as a catalyst for economic growth of the state, and to improve the quality of life in
the state.

The funds are available to state, county, and city road agencies for immediate highway needs relating to
a variety of economic development issues.

Opportunity Zones - Opportunity Zones are a new concept recently enacted in the 2017 Tax Cuts
and Jobs Act. The program is designed to incentivize capital investments in low-income communities
nationwide that have been cut off from capital and experienced a lack of business growth. There are
three types of tax incentives that relate to the treatment of capital gains, each of the incentives are
connected to the longevity of an investor’s stake in a qualified Opportunity Fund that provides the most
upside to those who hold their investment for 10 years or more.

City Properties and Utilities – The City can negotiate both property costs and utility/development
fees for city owned property. The city would require a developer to submit a development proposal
which would be review internally for economic impacts. If the economic impacts are high for the city,
fees may be potentially reduced to support the project.

34
Façade Improvement Program – The Downtown Development Authority has a façade improvement
program which can provide assistance to downtown property owners that may be interested in upgrading
their buildings.

35
 MARKETING

REDEVELOPMENT READY
The City of Romulus is involved in the MEDC’s program known as Redevelopment Ready Communities
(RRC). This program requires communities to rise to high levels of performance in many areas of
community development. RRC is a voluntary certification program designed to promote effective
community redevelopment strategies through a set of best practices. The program provides a certification
for those communities that integrate transparency, predictability and efficiency into their daily development
practices. Official RRC certification recognizes that a community has a vision for the future and has
adopted practices to achieve local goals.

Among the RRC best practices is the need for a marketing and branding strategy that describes deliberate
steps to be taken to communicate strategic community messages to reach target audiences. The
marketing and branding strategy aims to define and leverage the local brand and communicate a positive
community identity. It helps articulate the business case for private investment by describing uniqueness,
worth and value. The development of this marketing plan focuses directly on RRC Best Practice number
5.2.1 (per updated RRC best practices, March 2019). The economic development strategy and the
marketing and branding strategy are designed to work in collaboration so that objectives identified within
the economic development strategy will have a connection to the marketing and branding strategy. RRC
certification requires evidence that a community has taken an introspective and thoughtful look at itself
from the standpoint of how it communicates local opportunity, desirability and appeal to internal and
external audiences.

MARKETING STRATEGY
Marketing strategically focuses on target audiences and uses a proactive approach to achieve results.
A marketing strategy outlines deliberate steps to promote a community and communicate its economic
assets and positive community attributes. It shows how the community intends to take control over
its perception and leaves less to chance. Rather than hoping that word gets out, or that somehow the
community will be discovered, a marketing strategy identifies steps to highlight opportunity and community
assets. Without a strategy, communities would be at a competitive disadvantage because:

36
• Other municipalities who understand the power of marketing are fine tuning efforts to draw
distinction between their community and others. This can further widen the gap in perceptions
about desirable communities.
• Positive attention to development opportunities, progress toward economic development goals, or
other image-enhancing tactics would be more happenstance than intentional and deliberate.
• The community would continue to be defined by past experiences and inaccurate stereotypes.

To provide more context to a marketing strategy, we can borrow from the expertise of marketing
professionals in the private sector, and consider a concept called the seven P’s of marketing. The seven
P’s of marketing include; product, price, place, packaging, promotion, physical evidence and people
with reference to the fact that all are important and interrelated. For our purpose, we will focus on six
P’s of marketing; all of the below minus “packaging.”

1. Product
The City of Romulus or a specific aspect of Romulus is the product. In some ways Romulus is similar
to other products, as we choose where to live and where to invest our time and money, and for how
long. Communities are more of a product today compared to what they once were, as we live in an
increasingly mobile society where residents can easily move and sometimes create their own job
opportunities and take them elsewhere.

2. Price
Price represents an expression of value. People are drawn to live and invest in places where they see
the value of community attributes and offerings. Offerings include educational opportunities, parks,
low crime rates, rising property values, sense of place, natural beauty, prospects for economic growth,
etc. Values can be expressed in terms of what now exists, and second, it can be connected to a sense
of optimism and confidence in the future as Romulus draws attention to plans and opportunity.

3. Place
When considering a product, place refers to the sale and distribution channels. In the community,
place has a double definition. The first concept of place is tied in with the concept of product—the built
environment, the infrastructure, the downtown. It evokes emotional attributes that form connections
with people at a deeper level. This concept of place is fundamental to lasting economic development
as attributes of a strong place can’t be outsourced, relocated or closed. The second concept really
refers to where we are hunting—where we are casting our nets to attract those new investments and
next businesses that will locate or relocate to Romulus.

37
4. Promotion
Promotion is the specific effort to target people and it should be guided by a strategy. While communities
are not typically engaged in direct selling, general advertisement or steps to create publicity, there are ways
to promote Romulus in a way that will help to achieve the goals outlined in the economic development
strategy.

5. Physical Evidence
Physical Evidence are the tangible components that communicate the product or service. In a community,
the physical evidence of becoming Redevelopment Ready Community Certified could be gateway signs,
directional signs and identification signs within the community, decals on municipal vehicles, the city’s
official website update, etc.

6. People
All of the human actors who play a part in the product or service delivery can influence the perception of
“the buyer.” This is typically described as customer service, but in a wider sense, this component could be
an interaction between residents or potential business owners with city staff and leadership, and between
residents and prospective residents, visitors, and tourists. Romulus’s people are the brand ambassadors.
We will come back to this concept later in this document.

The emphasis of this marketing plan is about rethinking how the City of Romulus can use its new economic
development and planning strategies to more deliberately express its identity, uniqueness and brand values.
It also draws attention to how Romulus can take steps to manage and develop its brand to add strength.

It is also worth noting that these goals are not intended to be met in a few weeks, a month, or even a year.
Commitment to the goals and objectives and intentionally communicating the key messages across all
community stakeholders is imperative to reap maximum rewards in the city’s development.

38
APPROACH

Throughout the facilitation process with the City of Romulus steering committee, the members identified
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and then outlined goals and objectives for community
redevelopment. Among the discussion, the steering committee identified some impediments to economic
growth and outlined their vision for the community. The steering committee provided feedback structured
around the following “buckets:”

• Business economy including current business and attracting future business

• Workforce including current workforce and attracting talent
• Place/location

Considering the fundamental steps to building a redevelopment ready community where business needs
talent, talent wants place, and place needs business, all three key components need to work in collaboration
and be unified for the plan to succeed. The strategy can’t ignore a key component (talent, place, business)
and expect to achieve good results.

To provide a visual concept to connect all the components of this plan, we will identify and outline the
pillars that support the framework. Each pillar stands on its own, but without the other pillars, it cannot
connect the foundation to the structure.

39
 BUSINESS TALENT PLACE

These icons will be used throughout the document for quick identification and to highlight the importance
of each element.

STARTING WITH ROMULUS FIRST—BUY-IN FROM RESIDENTS IS A MUST

During the SWOT analysis, it was stated by many members of the steering committee that
Romulus residents are their own worst enemy, meaning there is a lack of pride for their community.
When residents have a negative perception of their hometown, and don’t feel like they can truly defend
Romulus to non-residents, a negative reputation of the city will continue to spiral. The expectation to
develop a great place to live, work and play will not be met. Therefore, it is of highest priority that the
perception of Romulus evolves to be more positive so that those who represent the city—the residents—
can confidently share their hometown with outsiders in a prideful, positive way.

So how do you change the narrative and build positive momentum? It will take time, patience, dedication
to your vision, collaboration, strong leadership, and consistent messaging internally and externally.
Shifting the reputation takes an all-in approach that starts with leadership, moves through influencers
and young minds all rowing in the same direction, employing a well-informed strategy that is in touch
with the realities while keeping a sharp focus on the vision for the future.

Why Romulus?
Based on feedback during the steering committee meetings, it sounds as if the true story of Romulus
is not being told. Romulus residents are faced with a need for more community pride. The true story
of Romulus can be told through the lens of data. The 10-49 age group is the predominant age cluster
within the city. This shows that numerous residents within the city have families. Of the 8,585 total
households within the city, 66.4% are families, leading us to believe that families are choosing to reside
in the City of Romulus for a great quality of life along with a good school system. Romulus maintains a
nice, safe, walkable downtown with good infrastructure. The demographics represent a very diverse mix
of culture and ethnicity and the residents are inclusive and welcoming—Romulus is a true and charming
“hometown” where you have access to a downtown with an urban vibe but can easily retreat to the rural
areas if you prefer a country lifestyle. Plus, metropolis areas like Ann Arbor, Detroit and Toledo are within
a 20-minute drive or less.

40
 Key Messages:
Romulus is the home of opportunity. We have the best of both worlds—we have an urban city
vibe, but we can retreat to our rural spaces quickly. Plus, our location is prime. Detroit Metro
Airport is right here, we’re at the crossroads of I-275 and I-94 where we can hop on the expressway and
be in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Canada in 25 minutes. We pride ourselves on our diversity in culture, land
and opportunity. Our schools are great, our taxes are less than our neighboring towns, our community
is close-knit and inclusive, and our neighborhoods are safe. We truly are a city full of wonderful people
and opportunities everywhere.

What’s the Internal Marketing Strategy?

So how does Romulus go about changing the conversation? Controlling the narrative? Marketing from
the inside out.

1. Keep your strengths front-of-mind

• Charming hometown
• Good schools
• Safe
• Diverse in land, people and industry
• Convenient location to other metropolis areas
• Accessibility to urban and rural lifestyles in one city
• Perfect location: freeways, rail, airports
• An area full of untapped potential
• Less expensive taxes than surrounding communities

2. Keep your message positive and consistent. Adopt a short description of your town and share it
with residents. The following positioning statement, or elevator speech, was generated as a starting
point for more local consideration and refinement, but it is grounded in what the steering committee
offered when asked to describe the best attributes of Romulus:

Romulus is the home of opportunity. We have the best of both worlds—we have a historical
downtown, and we can retreat to our rural spaces quickly. Plus, our location is prime. Detroit
Metro Airport is right here, we’re at the crossroads of I-275 and I-94 where we can hop on the
expressway and be in Ann Arbor, Detroit and Canada in 25 minutes. We pride ourselves on our
diversity in culture, land and opportunity. Our schools are great, our taxes are less than our
neighboring towns, our community is close-knit and inclusive, and our neighborhoods are safe.
We truly are a city full of wonderful people and opportunities everywhere. #Homeofopportunity

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3. Use the elevator speech in outbound messages in person, on the official city website, in social
media channels, and in print. Communicate this message during downtown events (on-screen
during movie nights in the park, printed post cards).

4. Reach out to residents who have been living here for 10+ years who appreciate Romulus and want
to see it improve and ask them to be a city ambassador. It can be an informal, volunteer-based
program where they are encouraged to share good news about the city within their network or
on social media. Build on the momentum as partnerships are created and as the downtown area
experiences physical improvement.

5. Consider producing a video that would communicate the positioning statement in action. Take video
clips during events, feature the town’s best assets, and interview residents. Promote it through social
media and public relations.

Why Romulus?
#Homeofopportunity
Romulus is the home of opportunity. We have the best
of both worlds—we have a historical downtown, and we
can retreat to our rural spaces quickly. Plus, our
location is prime. Detroit Metro Airport is right here,
we’re at the crossroads of I-275 and I-94 where we can
hop on the expressway and be in Ann Arbor, Detroit and
Canada in 25 minutes. We pride ourselves on our
diversity in culture, land and opportunity. Our schools
are great, our taxes are less than our neighboring
towns, our community is close-knit and inclusive, and
our neighborhoods are safe. We truly are a city full of
wonderful people and opportunities everywhere.

42
As the city steps through the Redevelopment Ready Communities Certification® process, and once
residents see the physical proof that the town is worth investing in as buildings are redeveloped,
community pride will start to find its way to the top. As the old saying goes, we must believe in
ourselves or no one else will.

Key Challenges
The following are key challenges that were uncovered during the SWOT analysis and from prior
experience that will hinder the effectiveness of this marketing plan if not adhered to:

• Accuracy: The city’s true image is not accurately portrayed; the external perception of the city is out
of sync with what the city and community see as reality.
• Consistency: Marketing messages need to be clear and consistent. It is the consistent, desired
experience that builds trust and trust is the foundation for loyalty.
• Frequency: Marketing outreach and promotion should adhere to a scheduled frequency to be
effective (i.e. press releases focused on economic development to media 2x a month).

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MARKETING

Target Market Segments for Economic Development
Identifying the marketing opportunities starts with first defining the target market segments
with differentiated needs. There are many diverse individuals and groups who may be considered
“customers” of the city, from residents to the City Council, community leaders, local businesses, and
potential businesses. To ensure adequate focus on moving the city closer to its economic development
vision of attracting new businesses, we identified 3 key audiences: location advisors/site selectors/
corporate executives, developers, and regional organizations.

1. Location Advisors/Site Selectors & Corporate Executives

Location advisors, also known as site selectors, are the executives within an organization or who
work on behalf of an organization who are responsible for deciding where to locate next. Other c-level
executives (CEOs, COOs, CFOs, etc.) would have significant influence in the decision as well. Case
studies on successful business clusters indicate that this group is at the core of the target segment.

2. Developers
Developers play a highly active role in economic development. Because of the unique location of
Romulus and access to the airport and rail systems, many transportation, logistics, shipping &
receiving companies have chosen to invest here. Continuing to partner with developers in those fields
will aid in attracting new businesses and maintaining industry growth.

43
3. Regional & Intermediary Organizations and Public-Private Partnerships
Regional and intermediary organizations and public-private partnerships serve as catalysts and neutral
meeting grounds to connect universities, the private sector, and the public sector. These organizations are
or will be key partners and can provide Romulus access to a network on a much larger scale. This group
includes the following organizations:

• Detroit Region Aerotropolis

• SBDC (Schoolcraft College Development Center; Jeffer Center)
• PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center)
• Wayne County Airport Authority
• Wayne County Economic Development Corporation
• Detroit Regional Chamber
• Detroit Regional Partnership
• SEMCOG
• SEMCA
• MEDC
• Let’s Detroit
• Going PRO in Michigan
• Pure Michigan Talent Connect
• Great Lakes Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (as a resource for businesses)

Plus other additional other organizations and associations involved in economic and workforce development.

Economic Development Target Market Messaging Chart

Each market segment has significantly different needs when it comes to new business and new development
in the City of Romulus. These differing segments can be best reached through a combination of “high
touch” person-to-person communications and targeted digital and print media. The table below provides
an overview of customized key messages that will help match the city’s value with the specific needs of
that individual segment.

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Segment Primary Interests Outreach Tools Suggested Message to
Segment

Location advisors/ • Reducing risk, • Meetings at industry • Romulus is the perfect

Site selectors credible and events location—air, rails,
& Corporate trustworthy sources • Website/online expressways
• Available and skilled media • Available land
Executives (with
workforce • Partnerships and • Fast approvals
site influence) • Accessibility and industry networks • Incentives available
location • Industry press • Skilled, hard-working talent
• Incentives and • Briefings/tours with 10k people in active
taxes labor force
• Predictable • Progressive city leadership
permitting process

Developers • Reducing risk • Engagement in • Untapped market potential

• Quality/style of community building • Desirable location
development vision • Fast approvals
• Return on • Trade media and • Incentives available
investment press • Progressive city leadership
• Quick tenant • Briefings/tours • You can play an integral role
placement • Website/online in making the city a great
• Predictable media place to live and do business
permitting process • Area business
• Zoning and land use reports

Regional & • Promoting • Brochures/Fact • Changes will offer major

Intermediary and expanding sheets economic opportunities for
Organizations, economic • Briefings local community
development in the • Engagement in • Together we can make
Public-Private
region community building Romulus a great place to do
Partnerships • Growing the vision business and development
(Aerotropolis, organization’s • Community projects
SEMCOG, SEMCA, reputation and educational forums • We are leveraging your
MEDC) credibility investment
• Networking

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Key Partners: Public-Private Partnerships
Our experience indicates that public-private-partnerships are essential to supporting execution of
this plan. Enlisting a variety of sectors to work together offers enormous potential to bring about
broader, more lasting change. According to Jane Wei-Skillern and Sonia Marciano, authors of “The
Networked Non-Profit,” Stanford Social Innovation Review, “by mobilizing resources outside of the city’s
immediate control, networked organizations achieve their missions far more efficiently, effectively,
and sustainably than they could have by working alone.”

One of the most important public-private partnerships for Romulus’s economic development is
the relationship with the Detroit Region Aerotropolis, a five-community, two-county public-private
partnership driving corporate expansion and new investment around Detroit Metropolitan and Willow
Run Airports. As a designated Next Michigan Development Corporation, the Detroit Region Aerotropolis
is empowered to approve a suite of economic development incentives to enable corporate investment.
What can Romulus do to continue to grow that relationship and promote the city’s new investment
opportunities? We will answer this question later in this document.

Why Romulus? Targeting Business and Economic Development

The SWOT analysis uncovered that some businesses have the ill-conceived notion that
the City of Romulus is not worth investing in, that it is over-regulated. The challenge and
opportunity lie in showing and telling the true economic story of the City of Romulus—
we are business friendly, we maintain a consistent treatment for applicants, we do not
operate under a perception of impropriety, and we have a streamlined process for quick
turn-arounds on development approvals.

In order to get that message out to the right people, let’s go deeper into those target audiences and
identify who we should be talking to and what we should be saying:

Primary Economic Development/Business Target Audiences:

1. Developers
2. Location Advisors/Site Selectors & Corporate Executives with site influence
3. Regional & Intermediary Organizations, Public-Private Partners
4. Supply-Chain and logistics corporations with a high need to be located close to air, rail, international
expressway routes

46
 Key Messages (Why Romulus?):

• Romulus is your new home of opportunity. It is the perfect location and the transportation hub of
Michigan with Detroit Metro Airport located within the city, immediate access to highways (I-94,
I-275), and a less than 30-minute drive to Ann Arbor, Canada, Detroit, Toledo.
• We are a town full of untapped potential with acres of development-ready land, incomparable
transportation accessibility, streamlined development processes, and a hard-working talent pool.
• Romulus businesses benefit from their great relationships in the community, with supportive
business associations and active residents. “Some communities have an adversarial attitude about
business, Romulus does not.”
• The development process in Romulus is streamlined and efficient, and incentives are available—
developers can get project approval from the city within 30-45 days.
• As of 2017, just under 10,000 individuals are active in the labor force, providing a large pool of talent
to promote to prospective employers.

Getting the Message Out

Identifying the right channels to deliver a market awareness program plays a central role in building
interest and cultivating the support for the city’s brand and redevelopment strategy among key
stakeholders. Based on an audit of Romulus’s current communication channels, there is an immediate
opportunity in the key areas as described below.

Online tools and site design:

In 2017, the Development Counsellors International (DCI) published survey results from their “Winning
Strategies in Economic Development Marketing” survey, which is administered every three years, with
the first in 1996. The survey audience consists of executives at a random selection of U.S.-based
companies with direct site-selection responsibilities and is heavily weighted toward the following titles:
CEO, president, CFO and vice president. The distribution list was augmented with the addition of more
than 300 location advisors or consultants, a similarly influential group providing guidance and counsel
to corporate executives nationwide. DCI received 331 responses to their most recent survey in 2017.

DCI asked respondents to gauge the effectiveness of eight conventional marketing techniques used by
economic development groups. Since 1996, respondents have rated each technique (advertising, direct
mail, internet/website, media relations/publicity, hosting special events, planned visits to corporate
executives and telemarketing) on a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). The chart below shows the
percentage of respondents who rated each technique as a 4 or a 5.

47
 Having an internet/website presence is rated as
the most-effective marketing technique, followed
by planned visits to corporate executives. Media
relations/publicity and hosting special events
tied for third. Often, an economic development
organization’s website is the first introduction to a
location being considered for investment.

Sixty-five percent of respondents used the internet

during their last site-selection search, and 65 percent
reported a strong likelihood that they would visit
an economic development organizations’ website
during the next site search.

Winning Strategies asked respondents to rate those

features that are most important to the usefulness
of an economic development organization’s website.
Respondents could select up to five of the 14 offered
features most typically included in an economic development website. As has been the case since 2008,
incentive information (57 percent) is ranked as the most-useful feature of an economic development
organization’s website, followed by demographic information (48 percent), a searchable database of
available buildings and sites (44 percent) and workforce statistics (43 percent). Decision makers place
less weight on testimonials from local employers and video content, which were selected by 8 percent
and 3 percent of the respondents, respectively. The city’s current website does not deliver on any of
these except for mentioning that incentives are available. Researching other city government websites
can be a cost effective and efficient method to determine which tools and designs to Romulus should
adopt.

48
Recommendations for online tools:
• Build a “Romulus is Your New Home of Opportunity” economic development site either as a stand-
alone site or a page on the official city site with Romulus positioning statement, list of incentives
available, commercial/industrial sites and available land for sale, workforce demographics,
resources for job seekers, resources for employers, news, and images. Examples include http://
www.discoverflinttownship.com/, http://www.santarosaedo.com/.
• Once complete, tell your partners about it (i.e. Aerotropolis, MEDC, Chamber of Commerce) and
request they link to this new site/page from their sites.
• Provide news updates on completed projects and current projects that are approved for public
knowledge
• Draw attention to site via city’s Facebook page and through other established social media
accounts
• Write a press release about it and send it to local/national press
• Continue to create content and keep it fresh with news, images of events and redevelopment,
videos, etc.
• Reach out to MEDC and inform them of new site and explore linking options from their site. Ask to list
identified sites on the Redevelopment Ready Sites page (https://www.miplace.org/redevelopment-
ready-sites/)

Earned Media & Public Relations:

A proactive approach to generating positive media about Romulus is long overdue and is necessary to
counter the negative press that has accumulated over the years. By focusing on establishing relationships
with regional media, Romulus can generate favorable news exposure about its development potential,
increase coverage around new, progressive city programs or services, or tout the regional benefits to
potential businesses and residents that are considering relocating.

• Continue to host press conferences and write press releases about local events, development
successes, master plan finalization/adoption and other positive announcements. See media list
and contacts in Appendix A on page 54.
• Some examples include:
• https://www.michiganbusiness.org/press-releases/2019/05/community-
revitalization-projects-bring-new-investment-vibrancy-to-detroit-kalamazoo/
• https://www.michiganbusiness.org/press-releases/2019/05/cybersecurity-company-
to-establish-headquarters-in-grand-rapids-area-vda-labs-to-add-25-jobs-invest-$300k-
in-new-high-tech-lab-and-headquarters-with-msf-support/
• https://www.michigan.gov/ted/0,5863,7-336-78396_78398-497885--,00.html

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Events Supported by Regional Partnerships:
Bringing in the business community from outside of the immediate region is an effective way to
dispel negative stereotypes and show off Romulus’s strengths. Additionally, industry and networking
events can help Romulus deepen relationships, widen networks, and provide opportunities for media
exposure. Partnering with Aerotropolis and working with them to bring in location advisors that are
interested in the region would be mutually beneficial. The Westin at the airport or other airport hotels
with meeting spaces would be ideal venues to accomplish this goal.

Additionally, support from the MEDC’s Redevelopment Services Team (RSTeam) will aid in marketing
Romulus’s redevelopment ready sites. Romulus’s economic development team can work with the
RSTeam to build the community’s RRC Certified online map page once they reach certification. An
example of this is here: https://www.miplace.org/redevelopment-ready-sites/dearborn/

Events & Advertising

• As the Vining Road Development District plan is implemented and the city is well-positioned to
target a specific industry and host a FAM tour, use the best practices identified by a site selector:
https://aboutdci.com/2016/06/site-selector-shares-insight-best-practices-familiarization-
tours/
• Prior to the FAM tour, advertise on a billboard off of 94 or 275 with the key message “Romulus is
your new home of opportunity” listing the key messages found above.
• Printed and online “Why Romulus” economic development brochure with key messages and call to
action to visit website passed out at events.

Strategic Priorities in Action

Take Control & Manage Romulus’s Image
It is important to prepare for the challenges and barriers that the city will be up against as it begins to
develop its marketing. Bridging the gap between the city’s external reputation and its internal reality will
require a long-term commitment to controlling and managing the accuracy, consistency and frequency
of its marketing program.

Proposed Actions
1. Ensure accuracy, consistency, and frequency in all internal and external communication efforts:
• Centralize all internal marketing activities via City Hall/Economic Development team
• Include marketing objectives and strategies in city planning and documentation
• Develop a marketing communication process where messages and actions are vetted through
one responsible party

50
2. Increase awareness of Romulus’s position to develop credibility and trust:
• Create wish list of publications to target and gather key contacts within publication and develop
tailored pitches and distribute to targeted media. Start with the list in Appendix A.

3. Strengthen the local Chamber of Commerce:

• Seek to understand how other chambers of commerce in Michigan overcome challenges and
discover ways to collaborate (Flint & Genesee Chamber, Detroit Chamber)
• Launch a “Shop Local” campaign with area retail and restaurants events each season: “Spring
Fling,” “Romulus Summer Nights,” “Ladies Night Out,” “Small Business Saturday” (Saturday,
11/30/19) with showcase opportunities, discounts, raffles, etc.
• Measure and communicate how much goes back to community when you shop local—$.xx of
every $1.00 is put back into your community. Promoted on social media, earned local media,
direct mail and area signage
• Get local businesses more involved in the economic development strategy: City sponsorships for
business events, generate more collaboration
• Recruit successful Romulus businesses and develop as ambassadors for the business community
• Educate them on Romulus’s position and vision
• Target businesses across multiple industries and develop testimonials to publish on Romulus’s
website
• Continue to identify joint activities that can be promoted via the media

4. Facilitate more collaboration with small businesses who service each other:
• Use NAICS codes as a resource to identify business competition and gain additional knowledge
of local business competition
• Continue to host Romulus Business to Business series events, determine what’s working and
what’s not, partner with Wayne state, etc. so business owners can see the resources available to
them
• Continue to reach out and partner with Small Business Entrepreneurial Resource Center:
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can build business plans and access financing
with good rates and loans through SBA dollars
• Survey local businesses on a set basis to maintain feedback loop and lines of communication
open.
5. Create task forces comprised of current commission board and elected officials to focus on specific
initiatives, starting with communicating the city’s positioning statement:
• Regularly meet with current commission boards and elected officials and initiate conversation
around the city’s vision to gauge interest and collect feedback
• Identify areas of focus and prioritize actions

51
 • Potential task force initiatives: recruit businesses, host industry events, improve and develop
education programs.

Make Romulus Part of the Dialogue

Romulus is moving in the right direction as evidenced by the success of landing Amazon, GM and others.
In order to continue and grow that momentum, the economic development team needs to continue to
take an active role in the industry dialogues. Romulus also needs to strengthen its local business support
group; the local Chamber of Commerce.

Proposed Actions
1. Educate regional leaders and industry partners on the city’s positioning and messaging:
• Develop a regular email newsletter about economic development progress with a list of key contacts
• Host group briefings, 1-on-1 meetings, or tours of special sites and development areas
• Attend major industry conferences and set up meetings with targeted executives with support from
Aerotropolis.

2. Facilitate collaboration among partners to pool external expertise and resources:

• Host workshops, roundtables and mixers with developers, businesses, or neighboring cities
• Continue to provide updated site listings to contacts at Aerotropolis for inclusion in their online and
printed marketing materials.
• Upon interviewing Marco at Aerotropolis, he identified the biggest challenge that exists for them
and their target market (developers, location advisors/site selectors) is finding solutions to
infrastructure issues like wetland mitigation, roads, water/sewer/storm, and flood plain mitigation.
If Romulus can focus ED priorities on aid and incentives for infrastructure improvement, the city
will be in a more competitive position.

3. Explore ongoing targeted mass communication programs:

• Establish a public relations cadence whereby press conferences are held once RRC Certification
is complete, and releases are sent when websites are completed, sites are sold, and other related
important achievements are met.

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 Why Romulus? Our Talent and Workforce

As mentioned above, and is an important point to re-iterate, when looking to grow the economy
of any community, it is extremely important to have a highly skilled and educated workforce. The
economic landscape of Romulus as outlined above states that city still has a younger population for
employers to draw workforce from when compared with the rest of Wayne County and the State of
Michigan. The most predominant age cluster within the city is the 10-49 age group. Breaking the data
down even further, that means there are approximately 9,823 individuals in Romulus who are active in
the labor force based on 2017 US Census estimates.

Romulus is home to service workers in the transportation and communications arena and skilled
tradesmen who work in manufacturing, automotive, and other skilled trades. Individuals employed by
transportation establishments and transport services businesses make up 21.75% of the total number
of employed residents in Romulus with machinery and equipment manufacturing (12.03%), hotels and
lodging (5.99%) and auto repair/services (5.49%) being the other two largest employment categories by
establishments.

Romulus needs to reach prospective businesses with key messages about the talent pool that resides
in Romulus. Below outline the target audiences and key messages that should be communicated:

Target audiences of prospective businesses receiving key messages about existing talent pool:
1. Business owners
• Corporate
• Non-profit
2. Site selectors/location advisors
3. Entrepreneurs considering local business locations
4. Corporate business HR actively involved in workforce development
5. Staffing firms who work in service and manufacturing industries

Key messages:

1. Your talent pool is in Romulus. Approximately 10,000 people who live in Romulus comprise the
active labor force. 21.5% of the total population (23,479) who are 25 years old and over have an
associates, bachelors, graduate or professional degree. 40% of the population 25 years old and over
have a high school or equivalent degree, and 27% have some college experience but have yet to
complete to degree status.
2. Since the last recession, Romulus has seen far less of a reduction in labor participation compared

53
 to the surrounding Wayne County and even the State of Michigan.
3. Romulus has a large number of “up-and-coming” workers. Based on the 2017 U.S. Census estimates,
the largest age cluster in the city is the 10-49 age group, providing a large pool of future talent for
prospective employers.
4. “We are ready to work.” It was stated during a steering committee meeting that Romulus has several
youth and non-college bound individuals as well as underemployed/under-paid individuals looking for
work. Prospective employers and employment agencies/staffing firms should be made aware of this.
5. Hire Local. A healthy number of Romulus residents are highly-educated and ambitious, and the current
unemployment rate is 4.1%, compared to the state of Michigan, which is 4.5%.
• Break down barriers to entry for local potential entrepreneurs. Talk to people who have expressed
an interest in opening retail, dining establishments and uncover challenges. Work with SBDC to host
outreach events in the city. “Mine the gold that you have.”

Education, Training and Development

During the SWOT analysis, a good deal of time was spent discussing the skilled trade workforce gap that
exists nationwide and in Romulus. A major challenge that exists is the lack of skilled tradesman, and
especially a lack of training programs to develop vocational skills for people in the 10-49 age group; the
largest age cluster in the city. In fact, the Detroit Chamber of Commerce states that business’s number one
challenge is attracting and retaining talent.

Romulus needs to target local and regional educational and skilled trade programs to not only attract more
programming, but to put a spotlight on the opportunity our active labor force affords.

Target audiences to develop and train local talent in skilled/specialized trades and vocational training:

1. Secondary (high-school) educators

2. Secondary administrators and counselors
3. Post-secondary educators and counselors
4. Regional partners
5. Wayne community college staff and administrators

54
1. Secondary (high-school) educators
2. Secondary administrators and counselors
3. Post-secondary educators and counselors
4. Regional partners
5. Wayne community college staff and administrators
• Locations: Romulus high schools

Key messages:

• Not everyone is college-bound; not everyone interested in four additional years of school with loads
of student loan debt.
• Romulus is full of untapped potential. The city is home to both an existing and up-and-coming talent
pool interested in skilled trades.
• When compared to surrounding communities, Romulus has a higher population of up and coming
individuals in the talent pool. Let’s keep the focus on giving our youth tools and skills for a successful
career.
• Specialized and skilled trades offer a fulfilling career and good benefits
• Resource: https://www.mitalent.org/education-and-training
• Here’s an example of why vocational training is key: the employment of plumbers and pipefitters
is expected to grow 16% from 2016 to 2026, which is much faster than the average for all
occupations. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Regional Collaboration
Helen Keller is credited with saying “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” This
quote encapsulates the importance of working with organizations who have similar missions in
order to achieve greater results. When it comes to workforce development among the population of
Romulus, the only way to make significant change is to develop and nurture regional partnerships
who focus on not only training local talent to fill local jobs, but to also help retain that talent. At this
time in Michigan’s history, there are over 545,000 open jobs across the state including those in high-
paying, highly-rewarding careers such as IT, healthcare, manufacturing, computer science and other
professional trades fields.* For that reason, we are seeing many new organizations and campaigns
throughout the state with a mission to develop the skills talent that is needed to fill those positions.
*Source: GoingPRO in Michigan

Proposed Actions:
• Strengthen and continue to foster relationships with regional workforce development organizations
like the Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN) GoingPRO in Michigan, Let’s Detroit, Advance Michigan
• Provide local workforce data and “Why Romulus” talent pool information to contacts within those
organizations.
• Offer to have Romulus co-host events those organizations are in the process of planning

55
 • Send relevant press releases to contacts within those organizations (See Appendix A)
• Include links to resources for job seekers and employers on the Romulus economic development
website, including information on associations listed above.
• Discuss the opportunity to host a “signing day” on National Signing Day (May 8) with high-school
graduates who are going into the trades with the local schools to promote the opportunities that exist
outside of a four-year college degree. More info: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/high-
school-seniors-nationwide-commit-to-the-skilled-trades-on-national-signing-day-300845869.
html

Prospective Workforce
Reaching out to the prospective workforce with positive messages about opportunities is also a critical
step in connecting the supply with the demand. Youth, non-college students looking for work and
underemployed individuals have an opportunity to sell themselves to existing and prospective employers
with the key messages below:

Prospective workforce target audiences:

1. Youth and non-college students looking for work

2. Underemployed or under-paid individuals
• Locations: Schools, workforce development associations, employment resource organizations

Key messages:

• We are a community of skilled electricians, manufacturing and automotive workers, transportation

service members, defense suppliers, tradespeople, educators, health care and service members.
• We are a proud community of blue-collar, hard-working, dedicated people who know how to get the job
done right.
• There are almost 10,000 of us in the active labor market! Romulus is home to many people in the active
labor force and we are ready to work.

Proposed Actions
Romulus has a strong base of large employers including Wayne County Metro Airport, General Motors,
Amazon and many others offering in higher base salary for workers, and those who are underemployed or
soon-to-be employed need to be made aware of opportunities in the area. Connecting the job seekers with
the employers will work to fill employment gaps.

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1. Connect job seekers and underemployed with the resources that exist to serve that population
• Resources: MichiganWorks!, SEMCA, Pure Michigan Talent Connect, GoingPRO in Michigan, Let’s
Detroit, Advance Michigan
2. Continue to populate the economic development site with updated information about the agencies that
exist to connect employers to job seekers and vice versa.
3. Reach out to staffing and employment firms to find out what resources they need to help local talent
find opportunities.
4. Continue to foster partnerships with schools and companies that provide co-op work/study opportunities
• Strengthen and promote the relationship that Wayne County Community College has with Romulus
High School. The Romulus Early College Program is a hybrid high school and college program that
allows students to earn a Romulus High School Diploma and a Wayne County Community College
Associate’s degree in an accelerated program.

As the economic development strategy and marketing strategy starts to transform from a plan on paper to
actual implementation through the guidance of your partnerships with Regional Organizations, CIB Planning
and other shareholders, the community will begin to see positive growth. It is important to celebrate the
wins and communicate those achievements through the marketing channels you put into place. The seeds
of community pride will start to bear fruit and Romulus residents and local business owners will be your
best ambassadors.

Below is a summary chart tying the marketing actions to the economic development actions and indicates
which marketing items connect and support industry activities, talent, destination and infrastructure.

Marketing Plan Summary Chart

Marketing items Economic Development Actions

Industry Activities Talent Infrastructure Destination

City ambassador X X X
program
“Why Romulus” video X X X X
“Home of Opportunity” X X X
economic development
website
Public relations (media X X X X
events, press releases)

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Marketing items Economic Development Actions
Industry Activities Talent Infrastructure Destination
FAM tours X X X
(Familiarization) of
available sites with
billboard (if budget
allows)
Printed and online “Why X X X
Romulus” economic
development brochure
“Shop Local” events to X X X
promote local business
Business task force X X X X
(to open lines of
communication)
Frequent X X
communications &
links with workforce
development
organizations
Workforce development X X
awareness events, i.e.
Schools to host “Signing
Day” for seniors

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 APPENDIX A

Content marketing and earned media/PR sources:

• Mlive: detnews@mlive.com
• Detroit news: https://www.facebook.com/pg/DetroitNews/posts/?ref=page_internal
• Crains Detroit: Kristin Bull: kbull@crain.com (https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20180628/
news/664846/mixed-use-developer-sought-for-city-owned-property-near-michigan, https://
mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/spectrum-inks-5-million-two-property-deal-
with-third-coast-development)
• Siteselection.com magazine and website (mark.arend@siteselection.com)
• Let’s Detroit: info@letsdetroit.com
• Metromode
• Advance Michigan: David Palmer: david.palmer@winintelligence.org
• Michigan Radio: Vincent Duffy: vduffy@umich.edu

Specialized economic development site examples: Santa Rosa, Flint Township

• http://www.santarosaedo.com/
• http://www.discoverflinttownship.com/

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 Strengths Weaknesses

• Proximity to airports – good for business • Perception of the city

growth • Residents view vs. outsider views
• Transportaion – Immediate access to • School system/Education
highways – Traffic not too congested • Underfunded
• I-94 • Disjointed due to mergers/charters
• I-275 • % unskilled labor
• Rail • Airport location (center of the city)
• Location to larger markets • Trains
• Ann Arbor • CSX shutting off transit routes
• Detroit • Lack of retail (city wide)
• Toledo • No grocery stores
• Southeast Michigan • Food desert
• Canada • No hardware
• # of people coming to Metro Airport • Lack of disposable income/consumer
• More than Disney spend
• Existing Downtown • Retail leakage
• Tight knit Community • Lack of restaurants
• Small town feel • No one knows about downtown
• Not a lot of blight • Lack of foot traffic
• New infrastructure • Lack of population density
• High infrastructure capacity • Walkability of area
• Water/sewer • Accessibility city wide
• Land available for development • Vacant commercial buildings downtown
• Housing • Absent property owners
• Industry • Low industrial building stock
• Proactive staff/City administration • Environmental issues on some sites
• Low tax rate
• Good climate between city and industry
• Low crime rate
• Great existing partnerships (business, region,
education…)
• Large name businesses (Amazon, Delta…)
• Areas for all income levels

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 Opportunities Challenges

• Housing for all income levels • Economic instability/Recession

• Housing for airport workers/airline crews • City policies – not supporting or
• Land for Development supportive of the overall vision
• Affordable land values • Politics (local, state, national)
• Increased residential density • Funding – fiscal ability to implement
• Two lakes • Competition from surrounding
• Supplier Park communities
• Industrial spec building • Potential for Airport expansion/
• Downtown and Vining Road Corridors contraction
• Willing to negotiate/utilize incentives when • Airport instability – mgmt. structure
available
• Opportunity Zones
• Mutual aid (strengthen)
• RRC
• Grand Funding
• Gap Funding
• DDA

Screen shots of economic development websites:

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