In Las Vegas, the concept of awarding significant cash prizes for innovative and effective economic development solutions makes sense. The city recently launched its Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) Challenge to do just that: tap the global design, architecture, land planning, and economic development community for the best economic development ideas.
Federally funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, SC2 is an international prize competition awarded in 2012 to three U.S. cities: Las Vegas; Greensboro, N.C.; and Hartford, Conn.
In Las Vegas, the competition can award up to $900,000 in prizes for transformational economic development plans to help revitalize four targeted areas within the city: Cashman Center, the Las Vegas Medical District, business parks and existing Redevelopment projects.
"Participating in the Strong Cities, Strong Communities Challenge is exciting for our city,” said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman. “Las Vegas is known for its big, larger-than-life personality, so seeking big, out-of-the-box ideas is right in sync with our culture. We consider it a privilege to tap into the best and brightest minds globally and look forward to receiving some exciting, dynamic and innovative plans that will help specific areas of our city thrive and grow.”
The city is reaching far and wide to solicit the most qualified multidisciplinary teams in the fields of land planning, urban design, and other related fields to participate in this SC2 Challenge. The list of potential candidates includes leading professional firms as well as student teams from universities locally, regionally, and globally.
Winning plans must match Las Vegas’s needs, offer a feasible roadmap toward implementation, and represent innovative perspectives on economic development. The competition is divided into two phases.
During phase one, multidisciplinary teams submit economic vision proposals to the city for one of the four target areas. The top three proposals, as scored by members of an independent evaluation panel, will be submitted to the Las Vegas City Council to approve the receipt of cash prizes of $60,000 (1st place), $30,000 (2nd place), and $10,000 (3rd place), respectively. They and any other selected finalists will advance to phase two.
In phase two, finalists’ ideas will be expanded into comprehensive economic development plans for formal presentation and review by an esteemed panel of independent judges. Winners may receive cash prizes totaling up to $800,000 with a grand prize of $500,000.
Deadline to register for the Las Vegas SC2 Challenge is July 24. Phase one winners will be announced in November 2014, and phase two winners will be selected in May 2015.
Related Stories
Building Technology | Jun 1, 2021
Orro Announces Google Nest Integration for the Orro Switch
Orro, creators of the professional-grade top-of-the-line Orro Smart Living System, today announced the integration of Nest products to Orro. As a certified partner in Google’s Device Access program, this latest Orro integration allows homeowners to have seamless control and access to Nest thermostats and doorbells from any Orro Switch throughout the home – creating a single unified smart home system with advanced, intelligent ambient control.
High-rise Construction | May 27, 2021
The anti-high rise: Seattle's The Net by NBBJ
In this exclusive video interview for HorizonTV, Ryan Mullenix, Design Partner with NBBJ, talks with BD+C's John Caulfield about a new building in Seattle called The Net that promotes wellness and connectivity.
Digital Twin | May 24, 2021
Digital twin’s value propositions for the built environment, explained
Ernst & Young’s white paper makes its cases for the technology’s myriad benefits.
Senior Living Design | May 19, 2021
Senior living design: Post-COVID trends and innovations
Two senior living design experts discuss the latest trends and innovations in the senior living building sector.
Multifamily Housing | May 18, 2021
Multifamily housing sector sees near record proposal activity in early 2021
The multifamily sector led all housing submarkets, and was third among all 58 submarkets tracked by PSMJ in the first quarter of 2021.
Wood | May 14, 2021
What's next for mass timber design?
An architect who has worked on some of the nation's largest and most significant mass timber construction projects shares his thoughts on the latest design trends and innovations in mass timber.
Architects | May 10, 2021
Industry icon Art Gensler dead at 85
He was credited with creating a model for the modern, growth-oriented professional services organization.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 30, 2021
Registration and waiting: Weak points and an enduring strength
Changing how patients register and wait for appointments will enhance the healthcare industry’s ability to respond to crises.
University Buildings | Apr 29, 2021
The Weekly Show, April 29, 2021: COVID-19's impact on campus planning, and bird management strategies
This week on The Weekly show, BD+C Senior Editor John Caulfield interviews a duo of industry experts on 1) how campus planning has changed during the pandemic and 2) managing bird infestations on construction sites and completed buildings.
Architects | Apr 22, 2021
SmithGroup enters partnership to support architecture programs at three Historically Black universities
The firm is providing instructors and mentors as part of a broader effort to expand the industry’s diversity.