Companies that create digital games are often at the cutting edge of information technology and new applications. Gamers tend to make some of the best digital designers and programmers with hyper-developed spatial and analytical skills.

Gaming companies are filled with diverse, youthful creative top notch talent. They bring in billions per year. The gaming industry is growing by leaps and bounds, even in a down market, and perhaps more than any other sector stands to benefit immediately from a centrally located, blazing fast network.

MBIT recommends enabling and encouraging the development of gaming technology businesses. Game developers will be attracted to the availability of reasonably priced high-speed fiber, the presence of creative talent in the community, and community commitment to provide business support services.

Action Steps:

• Consider the location and growth of gaming technology businesses as a local economic development strategy.
• Work with area educational institutions to ensure that high school and college curriculum supports building a workforce with information technology skills to develop games for the commercial marketplace.
• Facilitate industry gaming partnerships in health care and biosciences that lead to improvements in public health and economic development.
• Work with the convention and visitors bureaus to attract gaming conventions and encourage convention center and hotel operations to o”er competitive rates for high speed connections at the meetings.

Benefits and Outcomes

• Growth of a creative and talented workforce
• New business development
• Added convention business