OFFICE OF ECONOMIC INITIATIVES CELEBRATES NATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK
The City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives joins the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and our regional economic development partners in celebrating Economic Development Week, May 9-13.
Economic Development Week was created in 2016 by IEDC, the largest international professional trade association for economic developers, and aims to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, and improve the quality of life in communities everywhere.
“Economic development is a team sport,” said Barbra Coffee, director of Economic Initiatives for the City of Tucson. “This is a great opportunity for us to recognize and thank our partners in economic and workforce development across the region, the state and the country who help us attract and retain jobs in this community.”
The Office of Economic Initiatives has collaborated with private sector firms to create 335 new jobs and bring more than $38 million in capital investment to Tucson in the first quarter of 2022. A few highlights include:
- Skywest Airlines will construct a new 200,000 square foot maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO) facility at Tucson International Airport (TUS).
- Walgreens Boots Alliance / Village MD, will open eight new “Village Medical at Walgreens” coordinated primary care and pharmacy practices in Tucson in 2022, creating 285 full-time jobs and employing 140 STEM professionals.
- Lincoln Property Company, Inc., will make a significant capital investment to develop up to one million square feet of speculative buildings with the intent to meet current market demand for industrial uses in proximity to Tucson International Airport.
The City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives also works with local and regional organizations to attract and retain high-quality jobs, facilitate growth, and stimulate entrepreneurship. Recent collaborations include supporting Startup Tucson on the Remote Tucson program, partnering with Pima Community College on the Thrive in the 05 initiative, and launching with Moonshot, Sonoran Stitch Factory and Pascua Yaqui the industrial sewing accelerator, AZ Stitch Lab. In addition, the City is the lead entity in the region’s collaboration on the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge Phase I grant award to promote the work of the Southern Arizona Coalition for Climate Adaptation and Resilience.
About the International Economic Development Council:
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a nonprofit membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Economic developers promote economic well-being and quality of life for their communities, by creating, retaining and expanding jobs that facilitate growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC’s members are engaged in the full range of economic development experience. Given the breadth of economic development work, our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a variety of other institutions. IEDC’s members create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Visit iedconline.org/.
About the City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives:
The City of Tucson Office of Economic Initiatives coordinates the City’s economic development programs for the purpose of attracting jobs and investment to the City of Tucson. It also offers local small business and entrepreneurial assistance and encourages workforce development in order to foster a long term sustainable and diverse local economy. For more information or to contact the Office of Economic Initiatives, visit ConnectTucson.com.
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