Economic Development and Developers in the News #106

Good morning and welcome to the 106th weekly edition of Economic Development and Developers in the News.

Today's issue contains news from 107 economic development executives and organizations in 26 states and Canada.

If this is your first time reading: Welcome!

The Econ Dev Show is a podcast and weekday email newsletter of actionable strategies, fresh news, insights, and ideas from the economic development community and your host, Dane Carlson.  On Wednesdays, we share news from the economic development community.

As always, if you want to submit something for next week, or if you spot an error, please email me.

Arizona

The South Mountain Loop 202 Freeway in Phoenix has reportedly boosted the local economy since its opening in 2019. Community & Economic Development Director Chris Mackay said the freeway created the "South Mountain Technology Corridor," which is expected to generate up to 80,000 jobs.

California

Tehachapi's commercial development has stalled due to market conditions, interest rates, and increased costs of materials and labor, according to Corey Costelloe, assistant city manager and economic development director for the city of Tehachapi. He reported this information to members of the Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council.

Canada

Laura Thompson, senior manager of business development for the City of Orillia, has received the first-ever Economic Development Award for her major contributions to the community's business growth.

Cobourg's economic development department recently released its inaugural economic development annual report. The report highlights the 2022 success stories in Cobourg's business community and aims to attract future investors. Daniel Van Kampen, Cobourg's manager of economic development, credited the report to the hard work of the town's economic development and Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre team.

Strexer Harrop Consulting Group presented an economic development strategy report to County councillors on April 12, focusing on issues like difficulty in finding workers, standardized municipal policies, and support for businesses. The report, created for Director of Economic Development Scott Ovell, also addressed business hours, living wages, and greener economies. Ovell and Director of Tourism Tracie Bertrand discussed next steps to achieve goals, focusing on housing availability and employer support in the green economy.

Colorado

Erin Fosdick has been appointed as the new president and CEO of the Longmont Economic Development Partnership. Fosdick, who previously worked for 17 years on Longmont's planning team, takes over from interim leader Stephanie Pitts-Noggle.