Port authorities aren't generally known for buying up land or negotiating private investments. But, the port's new director Adam Wasserman says the port can go beyond the maritime business into what he calls the hinterland.
Adam Wasserman: So we've introduced this hinterland conversation, which is where industrial activity of moving goods around, manipulating goods or making things would occur because proximity to the port matters. And we think that will be the case increasingly in the future. We'd like to build the infrastructure on land and water to accommodate that.
A draft of the port's economic strategy includes both short-term and long-term plans to ramp up business investments such as the port's current role in redeveloping NASA Glenn. The plan also would support -- although Wasserman wouldn't say how -- creating $2 billion in private investments that would lead to about 50,000 high-paying jobs. Wasserman says plans to relocate the port are on hold until the board approves a strategic plan sometime this fall.
The public can comment on the plan at a public hearing Aug. 29th at Tri-C's Metro Campus. Tasha Flournoy, 90.3.