GARY | Rudy Clay, mayor of the City of the Century, proudly counts the Gary/Chicago International Airport as the engine that is propelling the turnaround of not only this once-bustling city but the region.

"We're tearing down a railroad track so we can land and pick up any size plane in the world," Clay said.

Moving the EJ&E railroad tracks is part of the airport expansion designed to meet the advance in transportation so key to the region's economic revitalization. In 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration pledged $57.8 million to the venture.

Clay said he will journey to China in May in hopes of securing Chinese investment in the airport to enhance the city's foreign trade zone.

"We want to be able to ship all over the world from Gary," he said.

The idea is not far-fetched.

A Chinese delegation visited the city in November. The delegation included Chinese business leaders who expressed interest in rebuilding this city on the lake, once a thriving center of the steel industry.

On discussing the city's formerly grand downtown, Clay waxed poetic on his vision for its revitalization.

Abandoned for 22 years, the lights on downtown's old Sheraton Hotel were turned on last year. Workers currently are removing asbestos.

Clay said the old downtown fixture is being regeared as a mixed living facility to serve as the centerpiece of what will be known as Gary City Center.

Two penthouses and eight condominiums will be located on the building's top floors. Retail stores will round out the bottom floors.

"And there will be a plaza right out front with a water fountain," Clay said.

For now, continuing to anchor the city's economy -- as they have for a decade -- are the city's two casino boats, Clay said.

He credited the boats with assisting with public safety efforts and pointed toward The Steel Yard, the city's $45 million municipal baseball stadium opened in 2002, as a top achievement for the city.

More recently, this January the city received a boost in learning Forbes Magazine ranked the Gary area 39th among the largest 100 U.S. metropolitan areas on its list of Best Cities for Jobs in 2008. That's up significantly from 89th in 2006 and 84th in 2007.

"My biggest wish for Gary for the future is that we have a city that is safer, cleaner, with more jobs, lower property taxes and a better school system," Clay said. "We are doing great things, but the best days are yet to come."

RACE Percent

White 10.2

Black 84.3

American Indian/

Alaskan native 0.2

Asian 0.1

Native Hawaiian/

Other Pacific Islander 0.1

Other race 1.3

Hispanic or Latino N/A

MEDIAN AGE 35.6

INCOME

Median household $27,552

Source: U.S. Census Bureau,

2006 American Community Survey

POPULATION 102,746

RACE Percent

White 11.9

Black 84.0

American Indian/

Alaskan Native 0.2

Asian 0.1

Native Hawaiian/

Other Pacific Islander 0.0

Other race 2.0

Hispanic or Latinao 4.9

MEDIAN AGE 33.6

INCOME

Median household $27,195

Source: 2000 U.S. Census]]>