Mesquite's Economic Development Team Identify and Secure Business Growth Opportunities

MESQUITE, TX (January 01, 2009) — Location. Location. Location. Mesquite is uniquely situated for business and commerce due to its central and accessible location. After all, it’s where four major highways converge, one of the largest intermodal facilities in the Union Pacific Railroad system transports goods throughout the country and a rapidly emerging corporate grade airport provides ready access to business and leisure pursuits. Building on this strong foundation, the City’s economic development team has created a long-term strategy designed to retain and expand Mesquite’s business community and attract new businesses to the area.

The effort is anchored by a unique public/private partnership called Project Renewal. Created in 2007 through a partnership between the City of Mesquite, the Mesquite Independent School District and the Mesquite Chamber of Commerce, the program was instituted to provide a long-term solution for driving economic development success.

“Partnerships are critical for the success of a community,” states Ted Barron, City Manager. “We entered into this particular partnership because the three participating entities all had significant interest in seeing this community succeed.” And succeed it has.

In just over one year, the Project Renewal partnership has secured more than $90 million worth of new development for the City. This includes the renovation of Market East shopping center, a retail center that will house a brand new SuperTarget, one of the nation’s largest, and also, Peachtree Towne Center, an exciting 60-acre, mixed-use development project. Industrial successes include the following: Midwest Air Technologies, a company that manufactures lawn and garden equipment, fencing and a variety of other products, now occupies more than 260,000 s.f. in the Skyline Trade Center and employs approximately 60 full and part-time employees; White House Custom Colour, a state-of-the-art digital photography lab and print production company with approximately 100 employees; and a yet-to-be named major, multi-tenant data center that will be one of the largest in the country when it is complete and ready for tenants in Summer, 2009.

A vibrant school system is essential for successful economic development efforts. “Creating a highly educated pool of potential employees within our own residents is critical for producing a strong workforce of tomorrow,” said Dr. Linda Henrie, superintendent, Mesquite Independent School District. “Our partnership with the City and the Chamber of Commerce also conveys the importance of education within the overall quality of life component for companies considering relocation to the area.”

Mesquite’s quality of life offerings are appealing to residents and potential commercial tenants. Living well in Mesquite means benefiting from its award-winning educational system, enjoying the myriad arts and cultural events at the Mesquite Arts Center and other venues, relaxing at the numerous recreational options at the area parks and trails, and spending hours shopping and dining in one of the largest areas of concentration of retailers and restaurants in the Metroplex, known as the Rows of Texas.

"Our aim as economic developers is two-fold," says Tom Palmer, Manager for Economic Development. "First is to ensure we provide a healthy business environment to retain current businesses and second is to sell the community to new businesses through developing attractive incentive packages and touting Mesquite's quality of life."

To accomplish its retention objectives, the Economic Development Division has created a three-pronged strategy for success: 1) Visitations – ensuring local business owners have access to the City through onsite visits by the Economic Development Division staff; 2) Follow-up and relationship building – continuing to engage in a dialogue with business owners; and 3) Communication tools – providing updates and information about policy and procedural changes and other issues that may affect business operations.

"This strategy is critical to building relationships and opening communications with local businesses," says Palmer. "We value our partnership with businesses that call Mesquite home and want to be sure we are serving them in the most effective way possible."

When attempting to attract new businesses to the City, the Economic Development team uses the city's strengths of its location and community to garner businesses. From its business-friendly elected leaders, the City's proximity to four major highways, adequate infrastructure and the use of business incentives, Mesquite has a lot to offer potential businesses looking to open, expand or relocate.

Mesquite also offers selected industries incentives for the expansion or relocation of a business to the community. The offer of incentives is tied to an analysis of the impact on services and to the goals of the community, balanced with what is of greatest importance to the business.

Whether attracting a business to Mesquite’s renowned logistics hub, or assisting a retail business, service-based company or manufacturing operation with its relocation efforts, the city’s economic development team is always working to identify and secure business relocations that bolster the community’s economic health.

For more information on Mesquite’s economic development efforts, please visit www.mymesquitetexas.com.