As economic development practice in South Africa shifts from local to Regional Economic Development (RED), stakeholders involved in projects have become more diverse and operate across different sectors and areas of jurisdiction. The complexity of stakeholder relations in this broader context needs to be given further consideration if RED is to be practised successfully. This article engages with the implementation of RED by unpacking the governance mechanisms of the Durban Aerotropolis through a qualitative analysis of stakeholder visions for the project and the structures through which collaborative planning for this large-scale intervention has occurred. The governance mechanisms discussed in this article illustrate how RED interventions bring about cross-border relations between stakeholders that have moved beyond jurisdictional, sectoral and functional boundaries to bring together actors and organisations with a shared vision fo