Why not pick an old Rust Belt town, plane it smooth, and start over? If you boost density substantially, you might only need a portion of the current land area

Why not pick an old Rust Belt town, plane it smooth, and start over? If you boost density substantially, you might only need a portion of the current land area (simplifying the acquisition and clearing process). Maybe you can even use the existing population base to help bootstrap the economy. I could see making some sort of offer for people to sign over their land (with decrepit buildings and worn-out infrastructure) for highly subsidized or free units in the newly built city.