This month, we visit Bristol, Virginia, where leaders paid tribute to the town’s heritage by building the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a state-of-the art facility with an $11 million price tag, and Catherine Brillhart shares her thoughts in three questions for a mayor.
In St. Paul, mayor Kyle Fletcher discusses the town’s plans to transform an old apartment building into a boutique hotel, while Liz Povar of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership gives an expert tip on the need for a town’s leaders to create a memorable elevator speech.
Joining us for this month’s faculty interview is Barbara Ellen Smith, professor of sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, who discusses how economic diversification can result in greater democratization.