Downtown Revitalization Success in Tupelo, Mississippi
Many communities in the United States have downtown business districts in need of revitalization. One example of a highly successful revitalization effort is Tupelo, Mississippi. Until the 1960s, America’s downtown business districts were the heart of their communities. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, downtown business districts faced stiff competition from malls and shopping centers. Downtown business districts faced further challenges during the late 1990s with the rise of the internet and online retailers such as Amazon.
After completing this assignment, students will be able to:
1. Identify the common social and economic challenges faced by downtown business districts in small cities in the United States over the last few decades.
2. Apply best practices, including the role of special events as an example of development from within, to achieve downtown revitalization in other cities.
3. Categorize the successful tactics, approaches, and efforts used to foster downtown revitalization in small American cities.
4. Identify the impact of community-based revitalization initiatives on downtown revitalization efforts in small American cities.
downtown revitalization, economic development, small business