After achieving the goals it set for 2025, The Right Place is eyeing a new slate of initiatives for the next three years.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Right Place, the local economic development agency, unveiled its three-year plan for growth in Greater Grand Rapids.
It was formulated with the help of over 550 stakeholders across the area, with the goal of keeping the region competitive with other mid-sized markets across the country.
In front of a standing-room-only crowd of more than 400 people, Randy Thelan, the organization’s president and CEO, celebrated West Michigan’s economic achievements, outlined new growth opportunities, and stressed the need for educational partnerships with industry.
“The economy doesn’t sit still,” said Thelan. “There’s new markets, there’s new opportunities, and they want to make sure we’re pursuing those aggressively.”
After achieving the goals it set for 2025, The Right Place is eyeing a new slate of initiatives for the next three years.
It listed the following goals as benchmarks to hit by the end of 2028 in order to measure the plan’s impact:
4,500 jobs created and retained$30 an hour average wage$700 million in capital investment$200 million in community development investment100 industry education partnerships
“We have to make sure we are welcoming the new waves of investment,” said Thelan. “How do we continue to refine and get better and better and better, because the competition is not stopping.”
Thelan noted that a key reason for the region’s continued success is its ability to attract and retain young people. Kent County, as well as West Michigan as a whole, leads the state in positive growth among the 25-to-34 age bracket.
He pointed to strong job pipelines, with local universities boasting strong post-graduation placement numbers among the area’s diversified economy.
He also highlighted growth areas like advanced manufacturing, health sciences, and technology and innovation — with a focus on artificial intelligence.
The Right Place is helping developers scout potential sites for data centers across West Michigan.
“When you think about the economy going forward, data centers and AI are going to be a part of it,” said Thelan. “We have to ask ourselves, do we want to be part of gaining some of the benefits that come with it?”
Various proposals have faced vocal opposition from a number of communities, including Solon Township, Gaines Charter Township and Lowell Township.
Residents have expressed a litany of concerns, from fears of excessive electric and water usage to noise and light pollution. Thelan says those are all addressable, and pointed to the potential economic opportunity.
“There’s [a] tremendous tax base, and even though people say there might not be jobs, there’s actually pretty good jobs attached to this, about 200 per facility,” he said. “Which in Lowell, that would be one of the top private employers in town, paying wages of $125,000 a piece.”
The construction of data centers is just one of the many ways the local economy could look a lot different, three years from now.
“[We are] finding ways to continue to make this place special and unique, not mimic or copy other markets, but really make it uniquely West Michigan,” said Thelan.