Business Development

Enterprise Zone Administration: Enterprise Zones offer tax credits for job creation and investment in plant and equipment by businesses locating their boundaries. Twelve new zones were designated during fiscal year 2000 increasing the total to thirty-one zones statewide. Enterprise Zones are key elements in helping rural Utah to market itself for business development.

Rural Issues: The office partners with the Utah Rural Development Council and the Rural Summit to promote rural Utah as a good place for business growth.

Recycling Market Development Zones Administration: Recycling Market Development

Zones offer tax credits to recycling businesses for investment and job creation. There were $13.3 million in new investments and 14 recycling zones designated statewide during fiscal year 2000.

Marketing efforts included technical assistance, recycling business assistance through Environmental Protection Agency grant program, and various workshops and conferences.

Statewide Economic Development Professional Training Program: Training opportunities were provided for local economic development professionals in partnership with the Utah Alliance for Economic Development and Utah Small Cities. Six training sessions were held around the state during fiscal year 2000.

Partnerships Partnerships

The Business Development Office partners with several important organization in its efforts to grow Utah’s economy. Key alliances include: Mountain West Venture Group, Utah Information Technology Association, Utah Life Sciences Association, Utah Business Resource Network, Chambers of Commerce statewide, Custom Fit Training program, and the Vest Pocket Coalition of Utah.

The Business Development program promotes the vitality, expansion, and retention of Utah businesses.

Mission

Film Commission

www.dced.state.ut.us/film

Utah has long been a favorite spot for filming Hollywood movies, television shows and commercials. Utah ranks as one of the top ten locations in the United States for film production. From classic westerns to science fiction, every genre of movie has been shot in the state.

At $116.6 million, fiscal year 2000 marked the fourth consecutive year that film production in Utah has contributed more than $100 million to the state’s economy. Another $36.2 million was spent in the Park City area over ten days by attendees and other visitors during the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, sponsored annually by the Utah

Film Commission.

Highlights

Film Production: Eighteen feature films were shot in Utah in fiscal year 2000. They include

Mission Impossible II, The Way of the Gun, Squelch, and Anasazi Moon. Television Production: CBS’ Touched by an Angel returned for its sixth season of highly rated episodes. Another program filmed in Utah was Huntress, a pilot aired on the USA network. Bureau of Land Management: Assisted in re-drafting BLM training materials for filming on location and co-presented during two-day televised seminar for BLM district offices throughout the United States on facilitating film permitting for location production. Intergovernmental and Private Industry Partnerships: Coordinated meetings between public and private officials to develop filming policies throughout Salt Lake and Tooele counties. Legislature, Tax Commission, County Officials: Coordinated the participation of various parties to correct the Transient Property Tax issue with respect to motion picture equipment with representatives from the legislature, film industry, Tax Commission, county assessors, county officials, and the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Utah Film Commission/Olympic Partnership: Met with officials of the 2002 Winter Olympic opening and closing ceremonies to encourage the use of Utah professionals and support services. Contacted all advertising agencies representing Olympic sponsors. Sponsors have begun filming commercials in Utah for the 2002 Olympics. The Utah Film Commission is assisting NBC, ISB, and other entities working on the Olympic broadcast and ancillary film and television projects.