Gov. Eric Holcomb looks abroad for economic development
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With just over five months left in office, Gov. Eric Holcomb is looking to cement his economic development legacy by striking more international deals.
The big picture: Holcomb has been busy abroad during his final year in office, taking economic development trips to Belgium, France, Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico and Canada.
- He told reporters last night he expects there to be more trips, too.
- "Indiana cannot afford to downshift down my stretch," he said. "We want to make sure that we maximize our remaining days."
Driving the news: Holcomb left for Australia with First Lady Janet Holcomb and Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg July 20 and will return from Singapore tomorrow.
- Visits included talks with companies in manufacturing, defense, energy and life sciences industries.
- Holcomb said some of the visits stemmed from an investment summit he attended in Washington, D.C. earlier this year.
Follow the money: The trip was paid for through private donations to the Indiana Economic Development Foundation
What he's saying: Holcomb said that these overseas trips prove that Indiana is serious about forging international connections.
- "There is no substitute for showing up," he said. "A lot of people talk … Indiana walks. And we back it up and then we go back home and we start, again, working the deal."
- "Hopefully, ultimately, we're standing side-by-side in the state of Indiana and celebrating cutting the ribbon or doing the groundbreaking."
The intrigue: Asked about Indianapolis' ongoing efforts to lure Major League Soccer to town, Holcomb underscored the international draw that soccer has and said he is " very hopeful that local leadership can create the framework" to bring a team to town.
- The city's proposal to create a special taxing district to fund the building of a soccer-specific stadium must go to the State Budget Committee and Holcomb's State Budget Agency for approval.