Tourism is a $5 billion industry in Rhode Island, and with ongoing budget woes (and high gas prices), you'd hope the state might be able to realize more revenue from this sector.

To some, the state has an excess of tourism-related agencies. They include:

The state division of Tourism, part of the RI EDC.

Five independent regional tourism councils, funded in part through the hotel tax, representing the Blackstone Valley, Newport County, Block Island, the East Bay, and South County.

The Providence/Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.

And municipal departments in Providence and Warwick that focus, to some extent, on tourism.

Defenders of this approach say it's best-suited for promoting RI's distinct regions, and that the state has gotten a big return from a relatively small promotional budget for tourism.

Regardless of who's right, as I write in my story this week, this approach doesn't seem likely to change any time soon.

7/24/2008 12:40:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

 

Wags used to say that some day there would be an occasion when there's not a casino story on the front of the ProJo. The topic du jour these day, of course, is immigration.

One colleague makes a good point. The subjects of yesterday's raids were reportedly maintenance workers at six local courthouses -- a situation showing the extent to which these individuals are performing low-level work in our midst, in public institutions.

Although the setting was different, It's somewhat reminiscent of how illegals were tending the yard at Mitt Romney's house.

Meanwhile, the immigration hot button has certainly helped to keep the focus off the economy here in Rhode Island, hasn't it?

7/16/2008 11:00:00 AM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

 

The gov's office released this optimistic statement earlier this week:

Governor’s Renewable Energy Plan Gains Momentum

Funding Approved for SAMP

Governor Donald L. Carcieri today announced that the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund Board of Trustees approved funding for the development of a Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) covering Rhode Island’s offshore waters, executed by a joint partnership between the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and the University of Rhode Island (URI). URI will provide data to the CRMC, who will execute the regulatory framework of the SAMP.

“The SAMP will expedite the permitting of an offshore wind farm capable of supplying 15% of Rhode Island’s electric energy usage, fulfilling my goal to reduce the State’s dependence on fossil fuels and foreign sources of oil and natural gas,” declared Governor Carcieri.

Yet this story, which tops today's Boston Globe Web site, seems a lot more significant:

Governor Deval Patrick signed a landmark energy bill yesterday that does away with long-standing obstacles to building renewable power projects in Massachusetts and making homes and businesses more energy efficient.

The Green Communities Act was hailed by environmentalists as among the most innovative efforts in the nation to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to encourage use of clean technologies that don't contribute to global warming.

The law will probably result in utilities' designing customized plans for homeowners and businesses to cut energy costs and providing rebates to pay for measures such as installing insulating windows and more efficient boilers. Homeowners and businesses will be able to rent solar panels from utilities to avoid expensive up-front costs, and the law makes it easier for homeowners who have installed wind turbines or solar panels to sell surplus energy.

Supporters said the new law could save hundreds of millions of dollars through energy efficiency, helping to hold down consumers' electric bills as energy prices are skyrocketing.

Back in RI, it remains a struggle to move forward, as I write in this week's Phoenix.

Back in March, Allco Renewable Energy of New York announced plans to build a solar farm in Johnston Coventry — the first large-scale renewable project in Rhode Island — raising the prospect of much-needed jobs and investment. As described, it would be the largest such venture east of the Mississippi, and the location, a former Superfund site, would generate at least $200,000 annually for the town.

Last Friday, though, Governor Donald L. Carcieri vetoed the related legislation, objecting to a three percent bonus — “unnecessary and unearned,” he calls it — that National Grid would receive for buying renewable energy. In his veto message, the governor also noted that the bill does not require projects funded by Ocean State ratepayers to be located in Rhode Island.

Carcieri also called a guaranteed set-aside for solar energy projects “perhaps the most troubling provision of this legislation . . . The requirement to mandate 5MW [megawatts] of solar energy could cost ratepayers tens of millions of dollars more than other sources of renewable energy, not even accounting for the three percent bonus to the local distribution company. The General Assembly should not impose such an onerous burden on the hundreds of thousands of Rhode Island ratepayers by including this provision in this piece of legislation.

Proponents of the bill — who were taken by surprise by the veto, considering how Andrew Dzykewicz, the governor’s energy adviser, had testified in favor of the measure — see the situation very differently.

Bill Fischer, a spokesman for Allco Renewable Energy, calls subsidies a necessary part of moving forward state-based efforts for renewable energy, and Rhode Island stands to be left behind, he says, in the region. Fischer points to efforts in Connecticut, where that state is offering $70 million in solar rebates over the next two years, and in Massachusetts, when Governor Deval Patrick recently announced the opening of a solar manufacturing plant in Westboro that is expected to create 375 jobs.

“This was well thought-out legislation that would have created renewable energy projects in Rhode Island and, more importantly, the beginnings of a green job sector,” Fischer says. “Developers do not want to go into states that are hostile toward renewable development or states that don’t have sufficient laws on their books embracing development. Carcieri’s veto set Rhode Island back.”

7/3/2008 3:48:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

Via the Geeks:

Photo Copyright 2008 Nathaniel R. Walker

Wednesday, June 16, 2008, 5:30 – 9pm
AS220, 115 Empire Street, Providence, RI
FREE (buy your own food and drink – it’s cheap)

Summer would seem to be upon us – so come slurp a cold one and scarf a spicy one while we talk tech.

June’s Geek Dinner will feature the return of BatchBlue – they’re back and even better than before! Since we last checked in with the Barrington-based startup (over a year ago), they’ve DEMOed in California, had some great press, discovered some Super Heroes and officially launched their first product, BatchBook, a contact organizer for small businesses. President Pamela O’Hara, President and User Experience Designer Adam Darowski will talk about how they are enjoying the ride and staying focused on customer feedback to drive the development efforts. BatchBlue launched their alpha version at Geeks a year ago and credits the local network for making the user-centric route they are taking work. And we hear they might share more free coffee and t-shirts with us, too.

Update: BatchBlue’s VP of Engineering Sean Ransom has just posted to the RI Nexus blog – Being Customer-Focused Means Actually Listening.

Please RSVP in the comments section of this post so that we can give the good folks at AS220 an estimated headcount. And while you’re at it, subscribe to Providence Geeks’ RSS feed (see sidebar) and/or join our very-low-volume email announcement list (for the announcement list, send an email to Jack Templin, jtemplin over at Gmail with your name and affiliation).

As always, for first-timers here are the details on the Geek Dinners:

• The event itself is FREE! Beverages and food are for sale at the adjoining bar and Taqueria Pacifica (delicious and cheap)
  
• It’s totally casual. Wear whatever, bring whoever, arrive and take off whenever… And don’t worry about eating or not – come famished or full – eating is optional, and frankly, the least of the festivities (that’s not say the food isn’t good—it’s actually great)
  
• Topics of conversation will vary as they will at any gathering of geeks, but many of us will be talking about AJAX, mash-ups, start-ups, new devices, innovative business models, interaction design, social computing, digital art, web services, etc. etc. etc.
  
• There is Wi-Fi so bring your connected device of choice.

6/18/2008 12:30:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

The ProJo's Lynn Arditi has done some great stories on the human impact of the foreclosure crisis in Rhode Island, and she had another one yesterday, a profile of a constable who does hard work, trying to make a living while forcing people from their homes.

One day he noticed a child’s crayon drawing taped to one of those refrigerators, and the reality startled him, like a slap.

“What am I doing to these people?” he thought.

Another morning, he showed up to evict residents of a dilapidated triple-decker in Providence’s West End and found the door open and tenants darting in and out, grabbing furniture and clothing. One tenant, Maria Beaufort, was trying to sooth her restless toddler while guarding furniture and other belongings in the back yard. She stared at the constable.

“Do you like your job?” she asked.

The question stopped him. “No,” he replied, flatly. “No, I don’t.”

* Bonus points if you got this reference.

6/16/2008 10:19:00 AM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

Making a spot-on case, the ProJo editorializes strongly in favor of the former:

Instead of doing all they can to develop the full potential of Providence as a working port, some public figures are, almost unbelievably, trying to undermine it. Mayor Cicilline, for one, has been advocating “mixed-use” zoning that would bring in marinas (not exactly a full-fledged year-round business in these parts), retail stores and condo developments. These would surely bring pressures to develop the rest of the port that way, and meanwhile place all sorts of limitations on working-port companies, very soon making it harder to retain their high-paying blue-collar jobs. Condo inhabitants would demand that “gritty” (but essential to our economy) companies be forced out. (Just what we need –– more condos. . . .)

Mayor Cicilline argues that such non-working-port developments could boost waterfront real-estate values. But there are plenty of places where developers, politically connected or not, could throw up condos in Rhode Island without putting them in close proximity to Providence’s working port — a crucial place for the region’s fuel and other shipments. The trade-off would be little short of a disaster for the region’s economy.

Service and retail jobs do not pay nearly what these existing port jobs do. According to the study, it would take 1,200 retail jobs to achieve the same level of household income as the jobs at the existing businesses. Rhode Island needs year-round manufacturing and distribution jobs, not more low-paying condo and restaurant jobs reminiscent of an impoverished Caribbean island.

Rhode Island has severe budget problems. It needs an economy — with high-paying jobs — to help pay for government. Ports, by definition, stimulate economic activity in ways that condo developments never can. Unlike condos, however glitzy, ports boost trade and create large numbers of spin-off jobs for manufacturers, distributors and many other workers.

6/14/2008 12:21:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

Today marks the start of the City of Providence's charette for the future of the waterfront along Allens Avenue. Dan Barbarisi offers coverage here. For my previous report on the clashing visions for the area, click here.

The Providence Working Waterfront Alliance has released a study to coincide with the planning session. Here are some of the highlights:

Today, the Providence Working Waterfront Alliance released the results of an economic impact analysis conducted by waterfront economic planning specialists FXM Associates.

The study analyzed the economic impact of seven Allens Avenue area businesses; Promet Marine Services (marine repair), Sprague Energy (oil storage and materials handling), Providence Steamboat (tugboat services), Narragansett Improvement (asphalt plant), Walco Electric (automation engineering and industrial service), Philip Services Corp. (environmental services), and J. Goodison Company (marine repair).

Just these 7 water-dependent, water-enhanced, and industrial businesses were found to be responsible for:

$294,000,000 in annual business sales

372 workers (90% full time) with an average total compensation of approximately $60,000 per year

Direct, indirect, and induced effects combined = $324 million in total business output within the state, over 700 jobs, and nearly $30 million in household income

The FXM Associates study also estimated the amount of new residential and retail development that would be needed to achieve the same level of employment and income now generated by existing Allens Avenue businesses. According to the study:

It would take over 1,400 new households (condos or apartments) to generate enough spending to create the 370 direct jobs now attributable to existing businesses.

To achieve an equivalent level of household income for Rhode Island residents to that now generated by existing Allens Avenue businesses would require nearly 1,200 retail jobs.

At roughly 700 square feet of retail space per employee on average, there would need to be over 800,000 square feet of new retail/restaurant uses to approximate the household income now directly provided by existing Allens Avenue businesses.

These new retail uses would need to be supported by about 4,900 new residents to Rhode Island so as not to simply divert spending away from existing local establishments.

6/9/2008 9:35:00 AM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

 

Ever since Bill Gates became a skrillionaire, the social status of geeks everywhere has been on the ascent.

Not coincidentally, Providence Geek Jack Templin wants the local geek community to increase its already impressive representation in PBN's 40 under 40 sweepstakes:

By my count, last year's list featured 5 terrific leaders from the ITDM community, or 12.5% of the total slots. (And 4 of the 5 are women - who says ITDM is dominated by men?!)

• Michelle Girasole , Precision Web Marketing
• Gina Lisa Dispirito , GladWorks
• Raphael Okelola , Roplab IT Solution
• Mary Sadlier , (add)ventures
• Sue Tremblay , Creative Circle Advertising Solutions

5 of 40, or 12.5% of the total slots. That's pretty darn good, but we all know just how many "young" stars our community boasts. Folks who not only kick arse in their work, but who also give back to the larger community in big ways.

So, here's my proposal, challenge... whatever you want to call it. This year, let's go for 10 of the 40 slots, a full 25%. That's _a lot_, but I think we have a shot at it. And regardless, by trying we'll only further raise the profiles of ourselves, our organizations, and our comunity. It's a tough moment for the RI economy, and the ITDM sector represents one of the silver linings. Rhode Islanders want to hear our stories - let's share them.

So how do we do it? Apply! The application is here (Word file). I just completed it - painless, and it doesn't take long at all. The deadline is June 13th!

6/6/2008 4:10:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

I'm a bit late in getting to this, but here's another sign of some of the positive efforts being made even as Rhode Island continues to face serious economic challenges, via PR maven Andy Cutler:

June 1, 2008 (Providence, RI)—On Tuesday, June 3, Dr. Barbara Alving, director of the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), will join Rhode Island’s research community, policy makers and business leaders at Rhode Island’s second annual Collaborative Research Symposium, entitled Emerging Biomedical and Life Sciences Research in Rhode Island.

The annual event was launched by the Rhode Island Science and Technology Council (STAC) in 2007 to support the launch of the Rhode Island Research Alliance, a STAC-led program to promote collaboration across the state’s research institutions, attract additional federal R&D investment into the state and accelerate Rhode Island’s effort to create a knowledge-based innovation economy.

STAC will also debut a new statewide collaborative research website at the symposium. The site will now serve as a one-stop-shop where researchers, entrepreneurs and community leaders can learn about R&D in Rhode Island, register for events, apply for programs and access a searchable database of research equipment and shared facilities. .....

The Symposium is co-sponsored by the Rhode Island Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), the Rhode Island Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA), the Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) and the Rhode Island Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE).
The one-day conference will offer participants a comprehensive overview of the research and development efforts in Rhode Island’s expanding life sciences sector. Speakers and panelists will discuss ways that Rhode Island scientists can fully leverage shared tools, resources and talent to create an environment where collaborative research is more common. Participants will also learn about national trends in research funding and how collaboration across institutions has become central to many federal funding programs.

The event will also feature a poster session from local scientists showcasing projects happening across the state's research community.

6/4/2008 3:55:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |  

I take a long view at this question with my cover story in this week's Phoenix:

Once upon a time, there was a very smart man, Ira Magaziner, who devised a 1000-page plan — dubbed the Greenhouse Compact — to reinvent Rhode Island’s flagging economy by using $750 million in public investment to seed the high-tech businesses and high-wage jobs of the future. Yet despite broad support across business and labor, voters resoundingly rejected the plan because of concerns about prototypical Ocean State insider dealing.

That was in 1984.

Magaziner went on to work in the Clinton White House and to become a prosperous consultant. Yet 24 years later, the need to reinvent Rhode Island’s economic infrastructure — which remains anemic compared with most of its neighbors in New England — is more urgent than ever.

With a crushing $434 million deficit looming for the next fiscal year, the situation is exacerbated by how Rhode Island is just one of nine US states in a recession.

To name a few key indicators, the state is shedding jobs and residents; infrastructure is crumbling (weight restrictions have been placed on a few bridges, including one on Interstate 95 in Pawtucket); and corruption remains a concern (as seen by the ongoing trial in US District Court of two former officials with drug-store giant CVS, one of the few large corporations headquartered here). ....

Where are we headed? 

It’s enough to make one wonder, as Jimmy Breslin titled his book about the 1962 New York Mets — one of the worst teams in baseball history — “Can’t anybody here play this game?” (Even by this historic standard of incompetence, Rhode Island compares poorly; the Mets unexpectedly became world champions seven years later, in 1969 — in less than a third of the time that has elapsed since voters rejected the Greenhouse Compact.)

So, will the state continue on its current path, taking the proverbial two steps forward and three steps back?

It depends. Although the impending deficit means that things will get worse before they get better, the view of the future divides into two camps.

The optimists think the state’s short-term woes obscure positive changes that are setting the stage for a brighter future. Like the Greenhouse Compact before it, the EDC’s Economic Growth Plan 2008 targets the creation of more high-wage jobs and a strategic repositioning of the local economy.

Skeptics, however, think the state continues to nibble around the edges of real change, and that Rhode Island’s longtime status as the economic sick man of New England will persist without more dramatic action.

5/22/2008 10:05:00 AM by Not For Nothing | Comments [5] |  

From your friendly neighborhood geeks:

Wednesday, May 15, 2008, 5:30 – 9pm
AS220, 115 Empire Street, Providence, RI

FREE (buy your own food and drink – it’s cheap)

Next week’s Geek Dinner will feature a presentation by the Founder and CTO of The Search Agency and Providence Geek regular, Carl Dunham. Carl and team are enjoying a great spring having just announced a major investment by JMI Equity (JMI knows something about picking winners in the online advertising space, having invested in a few including a little outfit called DoubleClick). From the press release:

[The Search Agency] provides SEM and SEO to online advertisers through a suite of paid search and organic search tools, including its AdMax platform. The company’s unique approach to online marketing is based on combining proprietary technology with a robust service offering, and has resulted in annual growth rates exceeding 100% and market leading client retention rates.

The Search Agency is split between coasts, with Carl leading its East Greenwich-based research & development team – a team slated to double from 15 to 30 in the coming months.

 

Update: Carl has just authored a post for the RI Nexus weblog – The Search Agency: A Cross-Country Odyssey.

Update: We’ve got a bonus treat at this month’s Geek Dinner. Local RepRap hacker Bruce Wattendorf will be setting up his RepStrap at AS220 just before (between 4:30 and 5:00) the Geek Dinner begins. Come early to check it out and get a taste of the future of personal fabrication!

Please RSVP in the comments section of this post so that we can give the good folks at AS220 an estimated headcount. And while you’re at it, subscribe to Providence Geeks’ RSS feed (see sidebar) and/or join our very-low-volume email announcement list (for the announcement list, send an email to Jack Templin, jtemplin over at Gmail with your name and affiliation).

5/21/2008 2:08:00 PM by Not For Nothing | Comments [0] |