Who creates the value of a place, and who gets to own it?

How culture, capital, public policy, ownership, and the built environment determine the economic future of cities. Globally informed. Data-driven. Independently published.

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By Krystopher Scott · Cultural Economist

Who Owns This?

The Land Bank Paradox: Detroit Owns 105,000 Parcels and Can't Build on Them

The city holds more vacant land than most municipalities contain in total. Ownership without capital is a different kind of poverty — and a different kind of opportunity.

Krystopher Scott · 14 min · Oct 8, 2026

The Economics of Place

London's Cultural Economy Is 1 in 6 Jobs. Its Funding Model Is Built for 1 in 60.

Oct 1, 2026

The Seven Capitals

What Seoul Measured That No American City Has Tried

Sep 24, 2026

Recent Issues

When the Farm Squeeze Reaches Main Street

Why struggling farms and expensive restaurant meals can exist at the same time, and how pressure on agricultural investment can become a problem for a city’s economy.

Nov 1, 2026

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7 min read

When Music Becomes Infrastructure: What the American Music Tourism Act Means for American Cities

Music draws visitors, supports businesses and gives cities their identity. Who captures that value depends on ownership, financing and public policy.

Oct 20, 2026

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6 min read

London’s Cultural Economy Is 1 in 6 Jobs. Its Funding Model Is Built for 1 in 60.

The creative industries contribute 1 in 6 jobs in London’s economy. The public funding model was designed when the sector was a fraction of that size. The gap between cultural employment and cultural investment is a measurement failure — not a policy choice.

Sep 24, 2026

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9 min read

What Seoul Measured That No American City Has Tried

Seoul built a neighborhood-level cultural infrastructure index, ran it every two years, and used it to make investment decisions. No American city publishes a comparable baseline.

Sep 3, 2026

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8 min read

Culture Is Infrastructure: Why We Need a New Economics of Place

The cultural forces that create urban value—and the question of who gets to capture it.

Mar 12, 2026

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6 min read