The Bold Plan to Make Indiana America's Next Boom State | Chris Jensen, Scott Fadness & Andrew Greenwood, Central Indiana Regional Development Authority

On today's show I sat down with Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, and Bargersville Town Council President Andrew Greenwood about how their fast-growing central Indiana communities gained national attention and why they formed the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA) to collaborate across 32 municipalities representing about 40% of Indiana's GDP.

They discuss balancing competition and cooperation on issues like economic identity, arts and culture, public safety and gun crime coordination, infrastructure, and fiscal pressures including property tax reforms and rising costs.

Another major focus is data centers, with CIRDA convening utilities, developers, and local officials to establish facts, guardrails, and a regional plan. They also cover housing challenges, preserving community identity amid rapid growth, attracting talent nationally and globally, and advice for aspiring public servants to show up, learn, and pursue long-term vision.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- Why the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority was Formed
- The Balancing Act of Fast-Growing Communities 
- CIRDA's Role in Data Center Development

Thank you to our partners:
Hope Plumbing
Kirklin

Check out these great clips from the show:
00:00 Guests Introduction: Chris Jensen, Scott Fadness, Andrew Greenwood, CIRDA
01:24 Community Origins and Growth
03:54 Noblesville Pride and Highlights
05:09 Why Regional Collaboration Matters
07:28 Compete vs Cooperate
11:22 Inside a CIRDA Meeting
11:43 Data Centers Reality Check
18:19 Other Big Issues Ahead
20:25 Central Indiana Vision and Identity
31:52 Managing Rapid Growth Locally
35:37 What Residents Actually Want
38:01 Trails Parks Local Flavor
38:43 Supporting Local Entrepreneurs
41:15 Why Housing Is Hard
45:22 Towns Becoming Cities
47:03 Growth Without Losing Identity
49:55 Recruiting New Residents
53:50 Rapid Fire Indiana Love
01:00:40 Advice for Future Leaders
01:03:40 What's Next for Communities
01:06:39 Hidden Gems and Hoosiers
01:09:46 Closing Thanks
01:11:06 Long Game Conclusion

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