For the 2007 leadership trip to Knoxville, Tenn., 38 community leaders from the Springfield-Greene County area travelled south to find out how Knoxville has experienced success and growth in key areas of economic development, including:

• Business development, attraction and retention;
• University-business partnerships to spur research and innovation;
• Downtown development; and
• Making Knoxville an attractive place for young professionals

While in Knoxville, the delegation had the opportunity to tour the Oak Ridge Spallation Neutron Laboratory, learn about the collaboration between Blount County Economic Partnership and Pellissippi Research Center as well as spend time with Knoxville’s community leaders and young professionals at University of Tennessee-Knoxville’s famous Neyland Stadium.