In January 2009 local community and business leaders began to refer to the Greater Tri-Cities area as the Great Lakes Bay Region with the hope that a cooperative regional focus could spur economic development in the area.

[5] Due to their close proximity, the governments of Bay County and the cities of Midland and Saginaw agreed to own and share a centrally located airport through a special municipal body.

The Michigan Sugar Company, which is a cooperative owned by 1,250 farmers, operates a factory and has its headquarters in Bay City.

General Motors operates Powertrain plants in Flint, Bay City, and Saginaw.

S.C. Johnson and Son has a manufacturing facility in Bay City making Ziploc products.

Local media outlets include: WNEM, CBS TV5 operates out of Saginaw and is licensed to Bay City.

Other highly rated stations in the Tri-Cities include WIOG, WCEN, WHNN, and WKCQ.