51 - Economic Development and Developers in the News

Welcome to the 51st weekly edition of Economic Development and Developers in the News.

Today's issue contains economic development news from 34 economic development executives and organizations in 20 states.

Alabama

Big economic news for Macon County with the announcement of the Regional East Alabama Logistics Park, or R.E.A.L Park. “You can see it, you can dream it, you can feel it. The early clients that we’ve shown the site to have been very ecstatic about it and very excited about maybe being some of the first tenants here,” said Joe Turnham, executive director of the Macon County Economic Development Authority.

Arizona

Mohave County economic development is set to revise its website and update information. (Tami Ursenbach, Economic Development Director, Mohave County)

California

Stanislaus County is hoping to improve the quality of life for residents through initiatives, Stanislaus 2030 and Housing Stanislaus, which take a long-term approach to addressing its economic issues. Over half of the county’s population struggles to make ends meet, suggesting that much of the county’s job base doesn’t provide opportunities for residents to meet a basic level of self-sufficiency.

Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation celebrated Black History Month by honoring three local leaders and a Black-owned business competition for startups and small businesses. (Joseph Rouzan Executive Director)

Georgia

Gateway85 Gwinnett Community Improvement District is focused on security, curb appeal, road improvements, and economic redevelopment and revitalization of the area. (Emory Morsberger, Executive Director)

Sandy Springs has formally signed an agreement with the United States Small Business Administration to create a small business education program. The program will be branded as the “Know & Grow Series.” (Caroline Davis, Economic Development Manager, Sandy Springs)

One of the most mind-boggling things about economic development authorities in Georgia is just how many of them there are. (Kevin Shea, President, Georgia Economic Developers Association)

Illinois

Danville mayor, Rickey Williams, Jr.,  hopes new economic development will revitalize the struggling city.

John Greuling, recently retired president and CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development, reflects on his 20 years on the job.

Indiana

The town of Speedway has announced Tim Gropp is resigning as economic development director. Gropp, who was appointed to the role in 2017, is leaving to become town manager in fast-growing McCordsville in Hancock County. Prior to joining Speedway, Gropp served as assistant director of economic development for the city of Fishers. (Megan Baumgartner, Director of Economic Development, City of Fishers)

Iowa

The Blue Earth Economic Development Authority presented the EDA’s Business Spotlight Award for March to Thrivent Financial during their recent meeting. (Amy Schaefer, Economic Development Specialist)

Kansas

Salina Regional Airport announced that SkyWest, which operates the United Express service at the airport, is terminating its service at Salina and 28 other communities. The airport authority will work to find a replacement airline for the community. (Tim Rogers, Executive Director, Salina Airport Authority; Eric Brown, President & CEO, Salina Area Chamber of Commerce; Mitch Robinson, Executive Director, Salina Community Economic Development Organization)

Kentucky

The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce will host Eggs ‘N Issues: Transforming NKY through Economic Partnership. Northern Kentucky Tri-ED Economic Development launched Build + Elevate NKY – a new plan with four innovative initiatives funded through an investor campaign – that focuses on achieving the company’s vision of opportunity and prosperity for the Northern Kentucky Metro. (Brent Cooper, President & CEO, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Lee Crume, President & CEO, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED Economic Development)

Kentucky again tops South Central region for economic development projects per capita.

OneWest provided update on economic development projects in west Louisville. (Evon Smith, President & CEO, OneWest)

Louisiana

A manufacturing company is opening a plant in Jennings to produce industrial components for petrochemical, maritime, energy and other industries. The company, Greenberry Industrial, is converting a former shipyard fabrication facility into a manufacturing plant that will create 100 new jobs with an annual salary of $62,000 plus benefits. ((Tedra Cheatham, Executive Director, State Economic Competitiveness, Louisiana Economic Development)

Maine

The Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce’s request for a 136 percent increase in the town’s appropriation, from $27,500 in each of the past three years to $65,000 next year, has been rejected by the Select Board. The Chamber had proposed becoming the economic development arm of the town as well as serving its members and the business community at large.

Massachusetts

Tewks­bury’s Economic Devel­opment Committee met last week after a nearly one year hiatus. The committee, charged with improving Tewksbury’s identity in the Merri­mack Valley and Great­er Boston area, is made up of residents, business representatives, and elec­ted officials. (Alexandra Lowder, Community & Economic Development Planner for the Town of Tewksbury)

Michigan

The Escanaba City Council hosted a special meeting for the public to get a first-hand look at proposals from four developmental teams looking to use the old Delta County jail and former chamber commerce property as a blank canvass to paint their vision of the latest addition to Escanaba’s lakefront. (Ed Legault, Executive Director, Delta County Economic Development Alliance)

Missouri

The Missouri Department of Economic Development introduced a Request for Information that will assess the need for potential projects utilizing American Rescue Plan Act funding. The RFI is a brief, online form that will assist DED in crafting grant guidelines, help determine funding allocations, and support Missouri’s efforts to efficiently deploy ARPA funding. DED encourages all interested entities to complete the RFI by Friday, March 18. Full details are provided in the RFI form, including descriptions of prospective grant programs, such as Community Revitalization, Cell Towers, Local Tourism, Digital Literacy, Industrial Site Development, and Workforce Development programs. Form completion likely requires no more than 15 minutes, while a separate form should be submitted for each project type.

New York

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand paid a visit to the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills at Hudson Valley Community College to announce her bipartisan, bicameral Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act of 2022. Joining Gillibrand for the announcement were Troy Mayor Patrick Madden, Hudson Valley Community College President Dr. Roger Ramsammy, and the Center for Economic Growth Chief Economic Development Officer Katie Newcombe. Much like Gillibrand’s Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program, the new program functions by virtue of incentivizing private-public partnerships by empowering the Secretary of Commerce to designate consortiums as “Manufacturing Communities,” which would be eligible for federal financial and technical assistance designed to expand and support domestic manufacturing.

After two years of the pandemic battering New York City, Mayor Eric Adams is hoping to steer his city toward an economic revival by luring tourists back, beautifying the streets and embracing New York’s looming legal pot industry. Adams, a Democrat who was elected last year on a pro-business, anti-crime message, unveiled an economic development plan Thursday that he said would usher in a “New New York.”

Community Bank recently donated $500 to the Westfield Development Corporation to help support economic development in the Westfield area. (Don McCord, Westfield Development Corporation executive director)

North Dakota

The Williston and Williams County economic numbers for January have been released, and numbers appear to be trending upwards for 2022. The Economy at a Glance report is compiled by Williston Economic Development, with data coming from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Office of the State Tax Commissioner and Job Service of North Dakota. (Shawn Wenko, executive Director of WED)

Ohio

Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce hosted officials from its communities on March 8 to discuss the “State of the Cities.” Their verdict: economic development is on the rise in Willoughby Hills. (Karen Tercek, President/CEO)

Texas

The city of El Paso has named Elizabeth Triggs director of its Economic and International Development Department. Triggs has been the interim director since September and replaces Jessica Herrera, who stepped down to take a position with CBRE in the private sector. “During the short time that Elizabeth has served as interim director, she has undoubtedly shown her ability, skill and knowledge to lead the department,” said David Coronado, managing director of both the International Bridges and Economic Development and International Affairs departments. “She has strengthened the city’s approach and efforts in the areas of economic development and binational affairs.

The rapid growth of commuter towns is fueling commercial real estate development far from the core of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Communities that once seemed distant and sparse have become relatively close and increasingly populated. (Joey Grisham, Anna’s economic development director)

Economic and community development representatives from across the nation participated in the Texas Community Development Institute Feb. 28 through March 3. Among those completing year one of the three-year program was Annel Guadalupe, City of Huntsville’s Main Street & Economic Development Manager.

The Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership recently held its 24th annual Elected Officials Reception at The Westin at The Woodlands on Thursday, March 10, 2022. For over two decades, the EDP has hosted a reception honoring elected officials at the local, county, state, and federal levels. Over 150 partners and guests attended to show their appreciation to those who serve our community and region in the various roles. (Gil Staley, CEO)

Washington

Fires. Floods. Heat waves. Jobs? Despite dire downsides, human-caused climate change is giving the local economy a boost. It could become a boom in Snohomish County. (Dan Eernissee, Everett’s economic development director)

The Port of Olympia celebrated 100 years of partnerships and economic development: “Today, Ports are the only public agencies whose primary purpose is economic development,” says Port of Olympia Senior Manager of Communications, Marketing and Government Affairs Jennie Foglia-Jones. “The Thurston County Chamber actively led the campaign to form the Port of Olympia district 100 years ago and the Chamber’s foresight continues to prove fruitful for the community. With strong partners like the Thurston County Chamber and Thurston Economic Development Council, the Port of Olympia is able to fulfill its mission to be an economic engine for Thurston County.” (David Schaffert, president and CEO of the Thurston County Chamber; Executive Director of the Thurston Economic Development Council Michael Cade)

West Virginia

A $3 million grant to install a gas line on John Nash Boulevard in Bluefield has “finally crossed the finish line.” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, who championed the grant, said it is part of a $241 million congressionally directed spending in West Virginia through the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations omnibus package. The Mercer County Economic Development Authority took the lead in submitting the request for the gas line, with the City of Bluefield on board as well. (John D. O'Neal IV, executive director)

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