Wichita has to fundamentally change its approach to growth, or the stagnation that has plagued the city for decades will continue, a Wichita-raised and Harvard-trained economic analyst said Monday.
While other cities across the Midwest have grown significantly over the past decade in a thriving economy, Wichita has actually declined, James Chung said Monday during a presentation that drew gasps at times from an overflow crowd at the new Advanced Learning Library.
“The market is saying very clearly that the Wichita way is not working,” Chung said after his final report on the city’s strengths, problems and potential. The city has to invest more — and find ways to say ‘yes’ much more often — if it wants a brighter future, he said.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)