Dispatches from the Road: Washington

David Campbell Post in Uncategorized

On my way back to the hotel this afternoon, I stopped off and watched Star Trek in the local theatre here.  I tend to go by myself to movies of which I am sure my wife would never wish to go.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that in Stardate 2248, the U.S. aerospace industry is based in Iowa.

To all you naysayers – the Richard Floridas and the John Ibbitsons who believe that economic development can only happen in big cities, hear me out – they are building the Star Ships in Iowa.

I know, I know.  It’a bit pathetic.  Using an economic development example from a science fiction series but I’ll take whatever I can get.

PS – It is equally pathetic that I am thinking about economic development while watching a movie.  I’ll likely end up in therapy someday.

7 thoughts on “Dispatches from the Road: Washington”

  1. And it is a bit pathetic that a 40-something-year-old is still watching Star Trek and getting excited about it 😛

  2. Haha. That’s funny. Great movie too, but not for typical Trekies like myself. lol

  3. What is most impressive is WHY the ‘industry’ is in Iowa. Back when Star Trek had a resurgence in the eighties, Riverside Iowa thought ‘what the hell’-and they petitioned Universal Studios to let the town claim that it was the birthplace of James T. Kirk. It is pretty stupid, but economic development is all about customers, no matter what losers they are. Universal agreed, and the town put up a big statue of Kirk and the Starship Enterprise. Most importantly, it created an industry to service the thousands of ‘trekkies’ who quickly made it their Mecca, much the same way as Green Gables.

    That ‘made’ it a tourist destination, and numerous small industries sprung up doing manufacturing and servicing of these dorks-but typically dorks with a higher education and spending money. Most importantly, even when they DIDN”T have money, they spent it on Star Trek crap.

    That doesn’t mean a town is set for life, but it IS a real story about how initiative can go a LONG way. When is the last time you heard of a NB town make ANY kind of effort at ANY industry?

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