Economic Summit

Development never happens overnight, it usually takes years to come to fruition.  Just look at the transformation at the Wonderland Station area that took more than eight years in the making from planning and federal and state grants to actual construction. Yet the project is progressing, but still is not done.

What brings this to mind is the recent Economic Summit held by Mayor Dan Rizzo and Director of Economic Development John Festa.  The logistics to stage this event took a dedicated team and more than four months of planning.  However, the effectiveness of this forum by all accounts appears to be over the top.  More than 150 participants representing development groups from across the region and nation attended the Summit.  What a story and construction in Revere they saw firsthand!

In addition to the concrete development at the Wonderland Station area, there is the Suffolk Downs proposal that is a leading contender for one of the Commonwealth’s Casino location for this area.  We have a City that looks clean and well kept, and we have an administration that states: “Revere is ready to work with anyone  interested in helping us realize our full potential.”

This type of attitude that presents a win/win situation for both Revere and potential developers has been successfully used in neighboring cities like Everett and Chelsea.  However, we have several advantages over our neighbors.. Revere offers large tracts of land that can be redeveloped such as in North Revere, and a public subway system that is in place with two recently renovated Blue Line train stations providing service to and from downtown Boston in 10 minutes.

From all accounts of this Summit, we are well on our way.  Congratulations to Mayor Dan Rizzo and Director of Economic Development John Festa for  their great efforts in making this event such a success.

However, before we get too carried away, we must remember the ancient Chinese proverb, “ A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” With this Summit, our journey has taken a giant step forward, yet the road ahead is long.