Louisville and Lexington must cooperate to be competitive in today’s marketplace
In the week leading up to University of Kentucky’s Final Four victory over the University of Louisville earlier this year, a fight between a fan of the Cats and the Cards at a Georgetown dialysis clinic made national news, bringing to light what many in the region already knew: "When you grow up in Lexington, it is an article of faith that you’re not supposed to like Louisville."
That, according to Bill Lear, managing director of the Lexington and Louisville law firm Stoll Keenon Ogden, has no place outside of arenas and stadiums.
“We’re part of the same region, and we’re going to get a lot more done if we act like it than if we let old petty rivalries — even if they’re in the DNA — get in the way,” he added.
Ted Smith, Louisville’s director of economic growth and innovation, echoed Lear’s thoughts. “The days of playing small-ball, zero-sum economic development are coming to an end. Having two business leaders opting to public service sends a message to the business community that common sense, not political nostalgia, guide our actions and the path forward,” Smith said about the Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement (BEAM) championed by the two cities’ mayors, themselves both former CEOs.
Fortunately for the future of the cities’ relationship, Smith, who has a track record as an entrepreneur himself, said he’s not seen the rivalry distract from business.
“I have never seen [it] come into play in any way other than in good-natured ribbing. All of the boards I serve on have both alum groups on them, so there is plenty of blue right here in Louisville,” he said.
In fact it was at the 2010 matchup between the Cats and the Cards when then mayors-elect Jim Gray and Greg Fischer hatched the plan for the cities to find a way to work together. But, Gray said, having an element of competition has made for better success, in his experience.
“I grew up in a family business with five brothers. Six of us all together — most of us working in the business, and we never kidded ourselves thinking there wasn’t competition involved,” Gray said about his experience with his family’s construction company, which grew into an international presence.
“That’s just the nature of a family; there’s competition, but there’s also cooperation and collaboration. If you’re competing, you’re also working together,” he said.
Nowhere is that more true, according to Lear, than in North Carolina, another state where basketball rivalries run hot.
“As fierce as the UK-UofL rivalry is, it can’t be any more fierce than the UNC- Duke rivalry. And frankly, the UNC-NC State rivalry is darn near as virulent. What’s one of the most important economic development engines that’s been developed — at least in the Southeast — in the last 50 years? The Research Triangle, which is — drum roll — UNC, Duke and NC State,” Lear said about the 7,000-acre research park that, as of this year, is the home of 170 companies and 39,000 employees.
“We’re not competing [with each other] anymore. We’re in a global marketplace, and if you’re sitting in Singapore and you’re looking over here, there’s no difference between Lexington and Louisville, or Cincinnati for that matter. We’re part of the region, so in the eyes of the world … little differences like 80 miles are nothing,” Lear said.
In that spirit, Fischer has directed grant money that Lexington sought but Louisville was awarded toward the joint BEAM project. There’s even a desk in Gray’s office that is used by some of Fischer’s staff to work on the project.
Louisville’s Smith agrees.
“When prospective relocating businesses look around the country, our combined relevance helps us both make the short list,” he said.
Attitudes like that will be needed moving into the future, Lear said.
“Unfriendly, negative rivalries don’t help anybody,” Lear said, but he also knows there are people who will hold fast to their ties. “There are people in this town that’ll get mad hearing me say that. “
And to them, he says: “Get over it. Honestly, get over it.”
“We’re part of the same state, and if you look at the lengths that have been developed, especially in the last 20 years, every major bank has significant operations in both places. An awful lot of the utilities have operations in both places. Every major law firm has operations in both places. Every major hospital chain is there,” Lear said. “If you think you’ve got to dislike everybody in Louisville, then you’re talking about some of your employees and colleagues, and that just doesn’t fit.”