Debby Dale Mason's Blog

Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Arena Boost Nashville Economy

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 GMT

Nashville's cultural and entertainment offerings play a key role in the economic vitality of our city and region and help create an environment that attracts residents, workers and businesses.

The Nashville Predators and Bridgestone Arena generate a combined annual economic impact of approximately $410 million, according to a new report...

How Smarter Immigration Laws Would Boost the Economy

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:00:00 GMT

In March, Forbes magazine named Nashville one of the best cities in the U.S. for minority entrepreneurs. One of the most important factors contributing to this ranking is that the Nashville region has the fastest-growing immigrant population in the nation. Without a doubt, this influx of new residents -- and ...

Business Input Needed into Nashville’s Proposed Downtown Signage Code

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:38:33 GMT

The strength and growth of Nashville’s downtown core is important to the economic vitality of our county and region and is a key objective of the Chamber’s Partnership 2020 plan. Planning and zoning processes that support the growth of our downtown are essential. The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce has ...

A Regional Mindset Is the Catalyst for Middle Tennessee's Success

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:02:20 GMT

So much has changed in Middle Tennessee in the past two decades. In 1990, we had no Titans; no Predators; no Music City Star; no Hemlock; no GM facility; no Southwest hub; and no Nissan Leaf.

These developments -- among many others -- are due in part to a new ...

Join the Partnership for a New American Economy

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:00:00 GMT

Why We Welcome New Residents and Workers to Middle Tennessee

Nashville, along with other large cities, is recognizing more than ever the increasingly important role the immigrant workforce is playing in our economic growth. Forbes magazine recently published its ranking of the top 54 cities in the nation prospected to ...

Business Input Needed at Public Meetings on Nashville’s Flood Preparedness Plan

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:25:49 GMT

In response to last year's devastating flood, Nashville is taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that our community is properly prepared for future natural disasters. Over the next year, Metro Water Services is holding a series of public meetings to develop a “Unified Flood Preparedness Plan,” which ...

Metro Candidates Will Shape our Future Business Environment

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:00:00 GMT

The Chamber’s purpose is to facilitate community leadership to create economic prosperity; that is why we as a Chamber encourage every citizen to exercise his/her right to vote, as I mentioned in my previous blog, “Vote – It’s Our Business.”

We are less than a month away from ...

Immigration Reform is an Economic Imperative

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:00:00 GMT

The United States has long been a worldwide economic leader, home of the world’s best, most innovative companies. And a surprising number of these companies – including AT&T, U.S. Steel, General Electric, Procter & Gamble, IBM, Google, Intel, and Apple – were the brainchild of immigrants and their children. In ...

Why is Business Input Important for the Future of Transit in Nashville?

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:00:00 GMT

This week, the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) will continue to hold public forums and information sessions for the Broadway/West End Corridor Study, providing further opportunities for Nashville’s business community to have a voice in the city’s future mode of transit.

The Broadway/West End Corridor Study will explore potential ...

Vote – It’s Our Business

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:00:00 GMT

On August 4, Davidson County voters will go to the polls to elect a mayor, vice mayor, five councilmembers-at-large, and 35 district councilmembers. These leaders determine the government and community environments in which businesses operate and invest, workers live and prosper and visitors vacation. The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce ...

Thinking Regionally to Compete Globally

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:49:12 GMT

Yesterday's Power of 10 summit, co-hosted by Cumberland Region Tomorrow and the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, was a true testament to the strengths and opportunities of Middle Tennessee as a region.

Since the theme of the summit was "Our Region Grows Together," much of the conversation was focused on ...

Transit in the News – Focus on Brookings Report and the Broadway/West End Corridor Study

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Fri, 13 May 2011 08:53:36 GMT

In our role as a representative of the business community at large, the Nashville Area Chamber knows that local and regional congestion issues must be addressed for our city and region to enjoy continued economic growth. Over the years, we have been involved in efforts to create an accessible transit ...

Home-based Business Owners, Your Input is Needed

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Wed, 11 May 2011 09:00:00 GMT

Currently, every home studio owner who records other musicians and vocalists on site, every piano teacher who teaches students in a living room, every accountant who meets with clients in a kitchen, and every photographer with a home studio is breaking the law in Davidson County.

The existing version of ...

Leadership Study Mission – What Did We Learn?

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Tue, 10 May 2011 08:00:00 GMT

The Chamber’s 2011 Leadership Study Mission to Toronto provided an opportunity for 115 business and community leaders from the Nashville region to learn from a city that is recognized as one of -- if not the -- most livable in the world, and form strategic directions that can better position ...

Dispatch from Toronto: Thoughts on the First Day of the 2011 Leadership Study Mission

Debby Dale Mason - Community Action — Fri, 06 May 2011 10:23:00 GMT

On the first day of this year's Leadership Study Mission, business, political and community leaders from Toronto wowed us with the great things happening in their very international, very innovative and very livable city.

After landing at the airport, we started the day at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, one ...