Wine –
available, the campaign offers a meaningful menu of funding alternatives and financial partnerships.
A New Economic Engine for the Region
To learn more about how you can help, please contact the Yavapai College Foundation.
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• Paul Kirchgraber, Prescott campus, (928) 717-7773
ashington State serves as a benchmark for the substantial economic impact made possible by wine industry growth. Today, in Washington, the wine industry attracts over 2 million annual visitors and has a total economic impact on the state of over $3 billion. This is Arizona’s potential!
• Linda Buchanan, Verde Valley campus, (928) 634-6530
Wine represents a new core industry in Arizona, most notably in the Verde Valley region of Yavapai County. In 2009/2010, just three years after the first commercial winery began operating in the region, there were 17 vineyards, 13 wineries and 10 tasting rooms and the total of all economic activity in Arizona related to Verde Valley wine was estimated to be $25 million. Since that time the industry has experienced phenomenal growth. In 2009 there were 78 acres in production. A little over a year later, the acreage had grown to approximately 150 acres. The expectation is that the acreage will again double in less than two years. Further, as vineyards and wineries increase, so will other ancillary businesses involved in packaging, marketing, storing, selling and shipping wine. In addition, significant economic impact will occur as a result of increases in wine-related tourism. It is clear that the wine industry has the potential to create diverse business opportunities that will generate new jobs providing numerous opportunities for local employment to Verde Valley residents. As the wine industry grows, the region’s economy will be impacted by increased wine-related tourism. The verdant Verde Valley sits between historic Prescott and artistic Sedona, two locations that already draw many visitors. A strong wine industry will build upon this natural advantage. An estimated $15 million in additional economic activity is already generated in Yavapai and Coconino counties due to Verde Valley wine sales and Verde Valley wine tourism that takes place outside the wineries and tasting rooms. 6
$3 Million Campaign Goal to Establish the
Southwest Wine Center From Vision to Reality
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avapai College has embarked on an ambitious Capital Campaign to raise the $3 million necessary to bring the vision of an academic wine center to reality. Campaign priorities are to: • Build a modern LEED-certified teaching winery • Install a 20-acre low-water use vineyard • Establish the Knowledge Gateway and Data Repository for Viticulture at YC • Develop and implement Viticulture and Enology certificate and degrees programs
Central to the Campaign for the Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College are the planting of 20-acres of vineyards and a state-of-the-art teaching winery located in the heart of Verde Valley wine country in Clarkdale, AZ. These facilities will serve as a gathering place for research and education to spark innovation, fuel economic development, support regional and national collaboration, and provide a catalyst for research. Gifts would help support the construction and outfitting of this facility and would receive appropriate naming recognition. The capital campaign has been structured to provide a variety of opportunities for involvement. With numerous high profile naming opportunities SPRING 2012 7