MAJOR
EMPLOYERS Phelps Dodge Mining Co.: 1,238 Gila Regional Medical Center: 600 Western NM University: 525 Silver Consolidated Schools: 483 Teleperformance: 450 Fort Bayard Medical Center: 388 Wal-Mart Super Center: 380 Cobre Consolidated Schools: 317 James Hamilton Construction: 313 U.S. Forest Service: 275 Town of Silver City: 149 Work Force: 13,174 Labor Employed: 11,495 Unemployment Rate: 10.6%
COMMUNITY
SERVICES... TRANSPORTATION Interstate 10: 44 miles South of Silver City Interstate 25: 75 miles East of Silver City U.S. 180, State Roads 90, 52, 15 Air, Commercial: Mesa Air service to Albuquerque Air, Charter: Whiskey Creek Airport City Transit: Corre Caminos Transit Shuttle Service: 2 To Deming, Las Cruces and El Paso Airport. Las Cruces Shuttle & Silver Stage Lines COMMUNICATION Telecommunication: Qwest, Western New Mexico Telephone Internet Service Providers: GilaNet: Dial up Zianet: ISDN, Dial up Cyber Mesa: DSL Signal Peak: Wireless T1 WildBlue: Satellite Cellular: Alltel, Verizon, Sprint Satellite: Dish Network, Direct TV NEWSPAPERS Silver City Daily Press Daily Silver City Sun News Daily Desert Exposure Monthly Sunshine Seniors Monthly Copper Shopper Weekly MAGAZINES Silver City Life Bi-annual Silver City Source Bi-annual Old West Trails Annual Grant County Annual New Mexico Traveler Annual RADIO STATIONS: Top 40: KSCQ 92.9 FM Country: KNFT 102.9 FM, KWNM 105.5 FM Oldies & Spanish: KNUW 95.1 FM 950AM
YOUTH
ORGANIZATIONS YWCA Children Program Before/After School Program Summer Baseball Summer Softball Soccer League Summer Free Lunch Program Swimming Lessons Camp Thunderbird Recreation Center Program Big Brothers/Big Sisters Pop Warner
RG20 – SILVER CITY LIFE
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT BY BRETT FERNEAU MINING AND AGRICULTURE, THE TRADITIONAL MAINSTAYS OF SILVER CITY'S ECONOMY, CONTINUE TO BE MAJOR EMPLOYERS in the area and contribute much to Silver City’s eclectic mix of architecture, lifestyles, businesses and people. Increasingly, however, the economy of the area is diversifying thanks to a range of economic development efforts that bring tourism, high-tech service, retirement and arts employers to the community. A recent example of this diversification is the arrival of Teleperformance USA, a subsidiary of SR Teleperformance offering high-tech customer service from a modern call center in Silver City. Teleperformance plans to have 450 workers at the Silver City site by press time, with more jobs added as demand increases. Teleperformance USA's arrival showcases the integration of city, county and state economic development efforts and was the result of more than two years of effort between the company, local businesses, the Silver City-Grant County Economic Development Corporation (SIGRED) and the New Mexico’s Economic Development Department. Besides the great quality of life and sunny climate in New Mexico, Teleperformance and other businesses are attracted by economic development incentives that include property tax exemptions, gross receipts and compensating tax deductions, investment credits, industrial revenue bonds, state-funded training programs and high-technology salary credits. The economic development organizations and local government agencies can provide assistance, offer solutions and direct inquiries for existing and potential businesses. Call SIGRED at (505) 534-1045, email: sigred@silvercitybusiness.com, or visit the website, <http://www.silvercitybusiness.com/>. Southwest New Mexico Small business Development Center can be reached at (505) 538-6320, email sbdc@wnmu.edu, website <http://www.nmsbdc.org/silvercity>.