The changing community/industry relationship in resource-oriented boom towns: a case study of the Overthrust Industrial Association

Abstract

A typical boom/bust cycle of community development has accompanied natural resource exploitation throughout the growth of the United States. These resource-oriented boom towns provide an opportunity for an evaluation of a changing community/industry relationship. The origins and evolution of the public and private sector relationship was examined in resource boom towns of the past. A case study was conducted of the Overthrust Industrial Association (OlA), based in Denver, Colorado. This case study provided insight into a potentially improved community/industry relationship occurring in the Overthrust Belt boom towns of Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho.

Compared to the public/private relationship in resource-oriented boom towns of the past, the relationship occurring in these Overthrust Belt boom towns demonstrated an improvement with well-planned communities resulting. The improvements in the community/industry relationship have occurred because of a public/private partnership approach to urban planning. This partnership approach was the outcome of a delicate balance between community and industry control. The implications of this part