LANSING (WWJ) - If you build it, they will come. According to a new study, that's not necessarily so.

The study, conducted by Michigan State University Sociologist Zachary Neal, contradicts popular wisdom that job growth attracts people to urban areas. Instead, Neal found the opposite to be true. He says that bringing the people in first – specifically, airline passengers traveling on business – leads to a fairly significant increase in jobs.

"Attracting business travelers to the host city for meetings and other business activities by offering an easily accessible airport and other amenities such as hotels and conference centers is one of the best ways to create new jobs," Neal said. "These business travelers bring with them new ideas and potential investment, which creates a positive climate for innovation and job growth."

For the study, Neal examined the number of business air-travel passengers in major U.S. cities during a 15-year period (1993-2008).

Photo credit: Michigan State University