The event will include Business Investment Awards that will recognize companies and leaders who have been an integral part of moving Michigan City forward. Tickets are available for the black-tie event: www.edcmc.com/edcmc-silver-anniversary-gala-investment-awards/.Sponsorship opportunities are also available by contacting the EDCMC team at 219-873-1211 or admin@edcmc.com.

EDCMC Executive Director Clarence Hulse said when working on a special logo for the anniversary key themes popped up: prosperity, innovation, growth, synergy and investment.

“The five concepts are really at the core of what we do here at the EDCMC. While we may be the starting point for site selectors and startups, we move beyond initial conversations and contacts by offering assistance along the way,” Hulse said. “Innovation and synergy of private, nonprofit and government agencies are essential to maintaining growth and prosperity and bringing investment into our region.”

The EDCMC has continued to build on being a resource for not only businesses, but also workforce development entities and community organizations.

“We understand that results are driven by partnerships and working together. We have had the opportunity to bring together people and agencies across the board to get things done,” Hulse said. “Our groundwork for a long-term strategy is based on four tenets: workforce development and talent attraction, economic modernization, placemaking and aggressively telling the story.”

Hulse points to the Double Track NWI project and recent downtown plans as signs of how Michigan City is moving in the right direction.

“The 11^th Street Central mixed-use development includes a new train station for the South Shore Line, luxury residential apartments, commercial space and a parking garage,” Hulse said. “This is the single most impactful development in decades that we have the opportunity to use as a platform for even more growth. The Double Track project is expected to shave the commute time from here to Chicago from 1 hour 41 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes to attract residents and businesses here.

“With the expansion of Burn ‘em Brewing and additional residential and commercial developments planned, we are seeing additional quality of life elements that go hand-in-hand with everything we already have in place to create a community that we can all love and enjoy for years to come.”    

“25 years of dedication to creating jobs, attracting new businesses, supporting our entrepreneurs …. It’s been 25 years of making an immeasurable impact on our communities through leading events, exploring answers to challenges and building a spirited and lively place for all who live here,” added Linda Simmons, EDCMC board chair and director of marketing at Visit Michigan City LaPorte. “The EDCMC is honored to have the opportunity to be a component of all things Michigan City as our community sees continued momentum and prosperity at an amazing level.”