If all else fails, how about a contest

Actually, this is a great idea. Jackson is sponsoring a competition for a master plan of 8 acres in its downtown - Cool City Design Competition. Not only does it get you some of the freshest ideas around from people who aren't tainted by bureaucracy yet, it also gives Jackson some great publicity. Now, if only the emphasis wasn't solely on design...

Michigan did something really similar; I couldn't tell if these were related. It's actually pretty cool.