This article is about the strategies of Dutch cities for the historic urban core, based on empirical research done on the policy reports of twenty Dutch cities. In addition to the policy reports plans for spatial and functional interventions, initiated by the local government, were analyzed. The analysis were made in the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. The years just before the start of a possibly long lasting economic recession. Apart from some reflections on this subject at the end of this article no attention is paid to this in an analytical way.