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| Long Beach, California californiatraveldreams.com |
I recently came across a very fascinating opinion piece by Eric Gray in the Long Beach Post titled "Why the City of Long Beach Should Reinstate it Economic Development Department." It caught my attention because I did my undergraduate work at California State University, Long Beach so I've maintained an interest ever since. Long Beach is one of those Southern California cities that's part laid-back beach community and part urban core. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Long Beach is currently the thirty-sixth largest city in America with an estimated population of 462,257 people. It is larger, population wise, then Atlanta, Georgia (443,775) and Miami, Florida (413,892). Yet for its size, Long Beach has at high unemployment of 11.2%. This is troubling to Mr. Gray because he believes that establishing an Economic Development Department could help ease unemployment, spur job growth, and revitalize neighborhood while simultaneously creating investment for the the city through sales tax revenues and increased economic activity. Further, Mr. Gray asserts that this department could start off with a small but effective staff and grow as needed leveraging the current Economic Development, which is currently inactive.
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| The Pike ultimaterollercoaster.com |
* Identify high growth industries that the city could benefit from such as technology, creative fields, green economy, and healthcare.
* Implement effective strategies and incentive in order to recruit organizations of all sized to relocate to Long Beach.
* Serve as a liaison between City Government and the Business Improvement Districts and Business Community organizations.
* Create strong non-political partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce with the goal of creating a more business friendly city on common ground.
* Establish a Music Economic Development Division to foster the local music scene. May I also suggest an fine arts component.
* Search for ways to continue activating the waterfront with new recreational activities that residents could enjoy.
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| CSU, Long Beach my alma mater college.niche.com |
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| Downtown Long Beach commons.wikipedia.org |
EG: When did you serve as Economic Development Bureau Manager?
Robert Swayze: I started February 2005 and Left in August 2011
EG: Why do you think an Economic Development Department benefits a city?
RS: We've undergone an enormous economic restructuring over the past 25 years...In 1990 there were over 813,400 manufacturing jobs in Los Angeles County [where Long Beach is located]; now, there are less than 355,000. Job formation in an information-and technology-driven economy has changed...We operate in a rapidly changing world. In this environment, economic development is crucial development is crucial for any jurisdiction. It will never be a city's core function-the core function of municipal governments have a "public" as part of their name...a health economy is crucial to the well being of any city. In today''s very competitive environment, cities need to invest in economic development.
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| The Queen Mary with the Spruce Goose hanger bwoflongbeach.com |
RS: The duties evolved. When I started with Long Beach, the Economic Development Bureau was part of the Community Development Department, which included redevelopment and neighborhood services...Originally, we were responsible for business assistance, enterprise zone, business attraction and retention, marketing, commercial and industrial lending and special projects. We added cultural...in 2008. The portfolio narrowed as Community Development was restructured and staffing for the Economic Development Bureau was reduced...
EG: What accomplishments to you achieve while on staff?
RS: The major ones? C-17 Red Team, reauthorization of the Enterprise Zone, retaining our auto dealers, attracting new retail, encouraging new business improvement districts and pushing arts and culture as an economic driver....
EG: What projects were you working on at the time of departure that you would have liked to see completed?
RS: I would say two projects I started working from my first day in Long Beach: better connecting LBCC (Long Beach Community College) and CSULB to the city and growing technology development. Long Beach has terrific assets-but some have never been fully leverage. CSULB and LBCC are enormous assets...Every year more than 8,000 students graduate from CSULB-that's an enormous advantage in today's economy that values education and technical ability. So better linkages between these institutions and the city was always a goal...
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| Aquarium of The Pacific Judy Coates Perez judycoatesperez.com |
EG: Why did you leave Long Beach?
RS: I was recruited by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation to join them as Senior Vice President for Economic Development...I had worked on many projects with the LAEDC since 1991, so it was a very familiar organization to me.
EG: What has your career since working at the City of Long Beach?
RS: I served as Senior Vice President for Economic for the LAEDC in 2010 and 2011. In 2012 a number of colleagues with whom I had worked for years on various economic development and redevelopment projects decided to form a firm that would offer in-depth experience and expertise in all areas of economic development to jurisdictions, agencies and private sector firms...We formed Economic Development Results, LLC...
EG: What advice could give the City of Long Beach?
RS: : Long Beach is a great, great city...It has a tremendous portfolio of assets...One of the two biggest ports in the nation! Everyone's favorite airport! Three museums, symphony, opera, a ballet-and a nationally recognized aquarium!...Perhaps it's difficult to be the beta in a region-but to me, that was an opportunity...
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| Surfing the beach amoeba.com |
Long Beach is one of those underrated cities in the United States and California. It's a lovely city with many great things going for it. If done right, Long Beach can emerge as a series rival to Los Angeles. Perhaps, other cities can take note and study what Long Beach is doing and apply it to their municipalities. The future does look good for the famous for the Queen Mary. What happens next remains to be seen.
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