Ottawa County considers reclassification as Grand Rapids metro area to attract businesses, jobs

With an eye to attracting large businesses and new jobs, Ottawa County officials may ask the federal government to reclassify the county as part of the Grand Rapids metro area. Proponents say that the higher population numbers of the combined areas could place the region's labor market in the global spotlight.

According to excerpts from the story:

Ottawa County officials are debating whether they should petition the U.S. Census Bureau to move the county back into the metro Grand Rapids statistical area, a change they say could attract potential employers interested in regions with larger populations.

With the 2010 Census quickly approaching, the county planning commission voted 5-1 recently to ask the county board to support the idea of rejoining the Grand Rapids-Wyoming Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The commission said the change would more accurately reflect the “size of the area’s labor market, strength of its supplier base, depth of its service sector and the purchasing power of its residents.”

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