Weak capital markets will require Metro to offer a wider variety of incentives, experts said. Recommendations for the public sector include: assembling sites for development, assisting developers with financing structures and offering incentives, loans and grants to developers willing to build in the urban core.

The vast majority of that figure — $86.6 million — represents so-called “direct spending,” dollars spent by conventioneers and exhibitors. “Consider the debt service of $40 million per year. … Every dollar spent will create $2 in revenue," Dean said. "These new dollars go directly into the local economy."

Although MCC and NMTC are conceptually and financially distinct, the mayor today suggested not so coyly that their fortunes are now intertwined. Commenting on the delay in proposing a convention hotel, Dean said that MCC and NMTC together will generate the revenue needed to support a hotel. Riebeling added that information about the medical mart could help stimulate private investor interest in a hotel.

Ward has an understanding of the current economy that is unmatched in this field of candidates. To put it bluntly, the 21st Century economy is a complex beast, and we're presently going through a reset. It's important that we have political leaders that understand what' s going on and can see beyond the old paradigms. Yes, this is similar to some of the risks municipalities were taking with derivatives. Three of our opponents (Herron, McMillan, and Ramsey) voted to allow municipalities to purchase these, and I'm not sure any of them understood what they were voting for. Ward understand the complexities of contemporary financial transactions. Throughout the campaign, we'll use our online communications to address various issues. Some of them might not seem campaign related, but, to borrow from Mayor Dean, it's all connected.

The federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created under the President Bill Clinton administration. The Department of Justice program gives federal dollars to local governments to hire more cops. In the case of the Metro Police Department, it would mean 120 additional officers over an 18 to 24 month span. The grant pays the officers’ salaries and benefits for the first three years, then puts Metro on the hook after that. “I would ask you to go ahead and apply,” Dean told Serpas. “Obviously that is a process that begins us by making the application, we’ll see where that goes. I think right now we need to make the decision and I’m asking you to go ahead and apply.”

Not very well known, if it all, in most Democratic circles, Cammack's announcement didn't seem to ruffle the feathers of any other potential candidates. That should change with this bit of inside baseball news. The powerhouse political firm of Murphy Putnam Media has joined up with Cammack's campaign, according to the Cammack team. Haven't heard of them? They did a few other political campaigns you may remember like Gov. Phil Bredesen, Mayor Karl Dean, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and a fellow named Barack Obama media. In other words, this news shouldn't be taken lightly by any Democratic gubernatorial aspirants.