Mr Crosby yesterday detailed the council's ideas to about 100 of the region's business and community leaders during the State of the City Breakfast at ASB Arena.
Guest speaker Ganesh Nana, executive director and chief economist at Business and Economic Research Ltd (BERL), said a strong economy was not about "dollars and cents", but was about connections, as he revealed that New Zealand had spent more than it had earned for the past 48 out of 50 years.
He said councils and the business sector must "stop arguing among themselves and learn how to work together" to ensure economic success for themselves, their regions and the nation.
He said for too long councils had been told to "stick to sewerage, rubbish and water" but that was not enough.
"Community and economic development are the same thing," he said. "However, a well resourced, attractive place will entice people, capital, skills and business which, in turn, will create a well-resourced, attractive place.
"You can't focus on one thing, or on the short term, you have to work on the connections in the community, on growing your strengths."
Dr Nana said it was vital that natural resources were protected and that New Zealanders retained control and management of them.
"It is important not to get lost in today's bottom line," he said. "Going forward I would urge you to make sure you protect tomorrow's bottom line too. It is not all about making a buck today. That will not create resilience."
Mr Crosby said the new council had spent a lot of time looking at where the city was now and where it wanted to be in the future.
"Whatever state a city is in, it can change," he said.
"Look at New York, it was a shambles in the 1970s and 80s and now it is one of the world's great cities.
"As far as I am concerned Tauranga stacks up, we are firmly up the ladder already, more further ahead than we were in, say 2003. But we should not be complacent."
The common theme that emerged from case studies in improving a city's performance no matter what their starting point was leadership, Mr Crosby said.
"Leadership in growing in a smart way, leadership in doing more for less or doing less with less and thirdly leadership in winning support for change and bringing the community with you."
Mr Crosby said the environment was "ripe for change".
"We have had great direction in the past but our environment is changing, we are growing and we have a transient community so it is time to establish a new identity."