City council members took another leap of faith Monday when they voted to again pay the $50,000 dues to the Greater Phoenix Economic Council with the goal of landing more new businesses in the city.
According to city Economic Development Manager Richard Wilkie, the city first joined the Phoenix group in 2011. For each of the past two years the city Industrial Development Authority has contributed $25,000 of the city’s dues from its savings, and Wilkie said he was optimistic that group would again contribute this year, meaning the cost to the city would drop to $25,000.
In his explanation to the mayor and council, Wilkie said the city’s membership in the economic development group has helped enhance its ability to promote Casa Grande to potential business prospects.
Membership also gives the city access to data including comparisons of costs for a company to do business in multiple communities. With member- ship, the city gets a seat on the board of directors — currently held by Mayor Bob Jackson.
Casa Grande gets more opportunities to pitch itself to companies looking for sites to open or expand their businesses, Wilkie said.
Wilkie and Jackson both credited the soon-to-open Franklin Foods cream cheese plant in Casa Grande to the city’s membership in the Phoenix group.
Wilkie said that company is making a $10 million capital investment in Casa Grande and the 65 or so new jobs it creates are expected to generate $1.5 million in salaries.
