PIMA — Economic development efforts in the Gila Valley are continuing to move forward.
Following the recent announcement of Ponderosa Metal Works as the first tenant at the Safford Airport Business Park, Danny Smith with the Graham Economic Partnership said the next step is to attract a builder of aircraft.
“We’re going to an airplane manufacturing convention in Las Vegas, Oct. 15-17, trying to tell those thousand manufacturers about this place, and see if we can attract someone here,” Smith said.
Smith added Graham Economic Partnership is also in conversations with Cobblestone Hotels, which specializes in development of hotels in downtowns in smaller communities. A study to see if there is a need for more rooms in the Gila Valley is currently underway, thanks to $15,000 in funding from United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties.
Freeport-McMoRan is also currently funding a new economic development study for Graham and Greenlee counties, conducted by consultant Better City based in Utah.
Graham Economic Partnership is currently made up of Smith with Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, Sean Wenham from Freeport-McMoRan, Thatcher Town Manager Heath Brown, Pima Town Manager Vernon Batty, Safford City Manager John Cassella and Graham County Manager Dustin Welker.
He said the goal of the organization to help promote the local communities to start-ups and businesses looking to relocate, and do the economic development activity that is beyond the scale of the communities, the Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center.
Smith said Graham Economic Partnership has raised about $440,00 thus far, with Graham County contributing $35,000, Safford $10,000 and Thatcher $5,000. He asked Pima to contribute $1,000, which the Town Council will act on at its next regular meeting.
