6 minute read
Why go west
introduction over view &
In survey after survey, the emerging truth about Weld County is that it is one of Colorado’s economic cornerstones and the future looks very robust.
Those surveys are also backed up by economic studies that paint a picture of Greeley, Evans and Windsor among the fastest growing places, not just in Colorado but also in the United States. In the last few years the median home price has shot up, wages have steadily increased and local oil and gas extraction has helped transform the state as one of the nation’s top energy producers.
A decade ago, Greeley, Evans and Windsor were still fighting through the Great Recession but the region has roared back with unprecedented economic activity.
For those who are new to the area, they are arriving in a time of unprecedented economic growth in the region, and for longtime residents the transformation has been stunning. New restaurants, new businesses and new commercial and manufacturing jobs are powering the regional economy, but the foundations have always been strong.
Just consider some of the recent findings by outside groups when it comes to the regional economy and lifestyle:
• Personal income of G reeley-area residents saw a 4.3% increase from 2016 to 2017;
• G reeley jobs grew 5.6% to 106,600 in December 2017 from 100,900 in December 2016, according to seasonally-adjusted data from the B ureau of L abor S tatistics. G reeley ranked sixth in the U .S . for its long-term job growth. F rom 2012 to 2017, G reeley jobs grew nearly 22% to 106,600 in December 2017 from 87,400 in December 2012.
• Weld C ounty was rated the N o. 2 county in C olorado for incoming investments based off several criteria: gross domestic product, business growth percentage, new building permits and federal funding. T he company assigned a score on a 1-100 scale. Weld was ranked just below Denver for investment activity.
At its core, Weld County remains an energy and agricultural juggernaut and that has also helped fuel education and civic development. The heirs of these enterprises have helped fund the University of Northern Colorado, renowned for its fine arts and teaching programs, and in civic projects from theaters to parks. The regional growth has also spurred a demand for new schools in Greeley and Evans, where the Greeley-Evans District 6 School Board is considering placing a
gigantic bond on the November 2019 ballot to update and replace schools across the district. The estimated cost could be as much as $400 million or more. District officials are calling this an important investment in the future of the school district and the community. A recent survey by the city of Greeley found that student achievement was a top priority among city residents.
“What we know today and the shift that I’ve seen over the last decade — particularly the last five or six years — has been: it isn’t just about a college degree; it’s about workforce readiness and kids having the technical skills and soft skills to also be successful in the workplace,” said District 6 Superintendent Deidre Pilch. “When we have excellent schools, there will be a stronger real estate market, no question about it.”
All of these elements have helped contribute to a surging economy and quality of life that’s among the best in the country.
For over 20 years The Greeley Tribune Craft & Gift show series has become a well-established specialty to Greeley shopping and has connected our communities in Northern Colorado with local and creative vendors. Shop for unique gifts or items for yourself or your home; from jewelry to baby blankets, lotions to dips, spices and much much more!
The Greeley Tribune offers four Craft & Gift shows throughout the year:
SPRING Greeley Mall | April 27-28
SUMMER Main Park | August 10-11
FALL Island Grove | October 11-13
HOLIDAY Northridge High School | December 6-8
growth de vel opme nt &
G reeley = d ynam ic ec onom y a nd c omm uni ty on the ri se By Bobby Fernandez
Perhaps few have done as much during the past couple decades to evolve Greeley’s perception from mere dusty “cow town” to a burgeoning, diverse economical and cultural powerhouse than Sarah MacQuiddy has.
So, when MacQuiddy — Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer — hears words like “dynamic” used to describe Greeley on a national scale, there’s only one way for her to react.
In June, the Walton Family Foundation released its list of “The Most Dynamic Metropolitans,” ranking the economic performance of metropolitan areas across the country.
Greeley came in at eighth. Midland, Texas, was first, followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California, and Midland, Michigan. MacQuiddy feels an understandable sense of satisfaction seeing Greeley held in such high regard — as Greeley, Weld County and Colorado often are these days on nationwide rankings and via regional and national awards measuring economic performance and cultural development.
The Walton Family’s “dynamic” rankings reward cities that have made much-needed investments in technology, education, entrepreneurship and commercialization.
The study strives to show that a knowledge-based economy sparks economic growth in metropolises across the country. The Walton Family Foundation is a family-led foundation based out of Bentonville, Arkansas, that works to improve K-12 education, protect rivers and oceans and the communities they support and invests in its home region of northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta.
These “dynamic” rankings compile statistics from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic and Bureau of Labor Statistics to create metrics related to job growth, per capita income, pay growth, employment ratio and gross domestic product of 379 metropolitan areas nationwide. The report lauds the diversity of Greeley’s economy; an economy that no doubt leans heavily on oil and gas but is also well supported by its traditional agricultural and livestock culture and a growing manufacturing and corporate business sector.
Greeley stays loyal to its “cow town” roots but has rapidly and
G reeley m ad e the top 10 m ost d ynam ic m etrop olitans in the country
steadily evolved well beyond being a one-trick pony. Greeley and Weld County is a top producer, nationally, of oil and gas but also has money-makers like healthcare giant Banner Health, State Farm Insurance, wind turbine producer Vestas, Leprino Foods’ cheese factory, TeleTech’s financial services support call center and of course, the county’s longtime top employer, beef and pork processor JBS USA.
Also making Greeley so “dynamic” is its expanding arts scene and the revitalization of its downtown area. The region’s culture could further foster growth in the form of existing corporate firms and startups, according to the Walton Family’s report.
Greeley outranks the likes of the San FranciscoOakland area, Seattle-Tacoma and nearby Fort Collins, another northern Colorado metropolitan area making headway.
Other recent nationwide reports have shown Greeley to be a city in which personal income is on the rise — albeit, so is the cost of living — and Weld County as the second best place in the state in which to invest.
“So many indicators are really looking favorable, in terms of job growth, population growth, unemployment rates are low,” Benjamin Snow, Greeley’s economic health and housing director, said. “We continue to make these top 10 lists around the country. So, I don’t think the attention or the spotlight is going to leave Greeley any time soon.”
A Familiar Face... A New Focus!
Stephanie Buchholtz DVM
