Municipal mega-project as a tool for effective use of the potential of the rural areas of a region

Introduction: in the conditions of introduction of the system of strategic administration of the municipal socio-economic systems, it is necessary to develop new approaches to the implementation of their growth strategies. Currently, in addition to the traditional tools designed to shape the program and project mechanism for implementing municipal policies, practical application of the tools of the project approach and project administration gain greater urgency. Materials and Methods: a set of regulations and strategic documents became the in-formation base for this study. The analytical framework was made up of official statistical materials, information and analytical materials of Russian organizations, consulting agencies for strategic planning, data of expert evaluations by specialists in the field of strategic planning, periodicals and electronic resources. Within the systemic approach, the following research methods were used: scientific abstraction, analogy, retrospective analysis, genetic and synergetic approaches, statistical methods, classification and structuring, strategic analysis and expert evaluation. Results: basing on the strategic analysis of the development of the Alekseevka Municipal District of the Samara Region, the concept of a mega-project was formed based on the idea of effective use of the potential of rural areas. The content of the mega-project is revealed in the framework of specific projects on the key fields of municipal development: society, environment, entrepreneurship, institution of local government. Discussion and Conclusions: mega-projects are necessary and effective complement to the program and project tools which reveal the nature and practical aspects of implementation of municipal strategies. The paper identifies the conditions of launching mega-projects at the municipal level of government. In the framework of the municipal strategy, a specific mega-project was proposed aimed at the development of the space of the original steppe culture acting as an economic driver of the rural area.