There is a new excitement, enthusiasm and "synergy" among Hamilton's business community as the city prepares to tell the world it is open for business.

"There is an excitement in the city," said Doug Duke, executive officer of the Hamilton Halton Home Builders Association. "The community is looking at a team approach for economic development. There is a synergy started."

Richard Koroscil, president and chief executive officer for Hamilton International Airport, who kick-started the organization of the successful Hamilton Summit in May, likes the plans and efforts the city and chamber have introduced to keep the positive momentum from the summit going.

"There is good progress starting to happen," he said. "The community is really together. This is exactly what I envisioned after the summit."

Mr. Koroscil and about 80 other business people, city officials and politicians gathered at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce this week as they applauded the community's new economic direction.

A direct result from the Hamilton Summit is the creation of a draft Common Framework on Economic Development for Hamilton. The three-page framework, created by members of the Jobs Prosperity Collaborative (JPC) proposes to focus on seven key areas to improve the city, including a revised Hamilton image campaign; boost the city's customer service; improve the city's quality of life; develop a new commercial and industrial land strategy; and focus on Hamilton becoming a centre of innovation. The overall vision of the community, that was agreed to by politicians, city staff and the business community is to "be the best city in Canada to raise a child, promote innovation, engage citizens and provide diverse economic opportunities."

"It's Hamilton's time, that's why I'm here," said Tim Dobbie, director of the Jobs Prosperity Collaborative.

Mr. Dobbie, a Hamilton native who spent over 20 years working for Burlington, said the city is on the cusp of bursting its economic shell. It has a great geographic location, improved transportation access through the Hamilton International Airport, the Hamilton Port and the Red Hill Creek Expressway and available and relatively cheap land that is already enticing business people to the city.

"There are things every citizen can do to improve the community," he said.

Mr. Dobbie said the JPC will meet in September to finalize the framework. He doesn't expect the document to change much.What also has got the business community chattering is the partnership that has been forged among the JPC, the city of Hamilton and the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce to improve the city's economic direction.

MaryLynn West-Moyes, president of Mohawk College, and co-chair of the Hamilton Economic Summit, said the days of allowing the city of Hamilton to implement economic development projects, then have the business community sit back and "take pot shots" is over.

"We are going to take risks and not attack our failures," she said.

Turning to the business people and city officials in the room, she warned them "You have the toughest job (from the summit). To keep the momentum going."

But it's the city's changing economic development department that has most of Hamilton's business people smiling.

"Our future depends upon how collaborative we are," said Mayor Fred Eisenberger.

The city's proposed economic development strategy, he said, "does include risk taking.

"We are working together, cutting the red tape and speeding up our development process," said Mr. Eisenberger.

This year councillors injected $1.5 million into the department. It has meant hiring additional staff, introducing new business retention and outreach programs and restructuring the city's department, said Neil Everson, executive director of Economic Development for the city.

Mr. Eisenberger, for instance, talked about the city's new Hamilton Ambassador Program, to be launched in September, that will lay the foundation for improving the city's image. The ambassadors will be contacting key members of business to sell them on the finer points of the city.

"I sense a palpable enthusiasm in this community," said Mr. Eisenberger. "We are at the action stage. We have to get the engines fired."

Ron Foxcroft, owner of Fluke Transport and inventor of the Fox 40 whistle, who was a co-chair of the summit, admitted he was a vocal critic of the city's economic development department.

"I am not anymore," he said.

He recently relocated his transportation company to a brownfield at Ottawa Street, and he also had to move his Fox 40 International business to Stoney Creek. But he couldn't have done it without the help of city economic development officials, who demonstrated a new commitment to customer service.

"I love the economic development plan," he said.

But that isn't enough, he said. Just like he has had to re-invent how he does business because of the constant financial pressures squeezing his company, Hamilton also can't do the same thing it did 10 years ago.

"Your building codes and planning bylaws suck," he said. "Bring it into the 21st century. We had to re-invent how to do business. There is nothing wrong, its just that for us we had a shorter deadline."

Hamilton's first priority is to improve its image, an idea that had many supporters in the room.

"We need to re-brand our image," he said. "(Hamilton) is not seen as the best. We need to market to remove the negative image. We need to market to our strengths."

Mr. Duke agreed that image building should be looked upon as an investment into the community rather than a cost.

"You do get back what you put into it," he said.