WEEKLY UPDATE      September 28th, 2007

T(S)ELLING THE WORLD ON PONCA CITY ...there has been a great deal going on this week in letting the world know about our little piece of heaven. Yesterday, PCDA finished up our marketing piece to those that didn’t finish various levels of school to let them know about training and jobs in Ponca City, (aka “drop out” campaign). This is going to some 10,000 potential employees who have the collective ability to add $10 million to the local economy if even 5% get jobs at $10 per hour. We also completed marketing pieces for several other campaigns designed to recruit workforce and to continue to recruit companies, (there is a constant ebb and flow in the economy so you have to prepare for the flow and not sit on the ebb). Tracking mechanisms will check which 50% of our marketing worked and which didn’t. CONSTRUCTION UPDATE ...two PCDA projects, the new facility for Encompass Tool and the parking lot for Bob, will have bids opened Tuesday. The actual contract award will be made by PCDA Trustees, scheduled for October 11th. The timelines will be in the contracts. REAPING WHAT WE SOW ...marketing today impacts the flow tomorrow. This week, we spent a great deal of time reaping what we sowed in earlier marketing efforts. For example, Monday we had an out-of-state company visit to go over state and local incentives and to look at a potential location. We also delivered a legal document, patterned after a handshake, on a deal that will help bring 100 new jobs. Three other companies, one local two not, came forward and said, “let’s talk” this week as well. PCDA staff is also in the process of responding to one very nice but very unlikely lead received from the state, as well as saying “thanks but no thanks” to another, (doesn’t pay enough…wrong industry). Finally, there were two tire kickers that might become projects and one that came back after looking elsewhere. STANDING BEAR MUSEUM DEDICATION ...while we don’t talk about it much at PCDA, we do recognize that tourism is vital economic development. For the record, we have our hands full with the development of what is referred to as “economic base” jobs, those that seek to grow your economy faster than your population, (see Websters “basic definition of economic development”). Ponca City is so far ahead on that curve that we can talk about the other aspects of economic development. This is a long way of making sure you know that the brand new Standing Bear Museum will be dedicated tomorrow at 10 a.m. in, of all places, Standing Bear Park. Right across the street will be the annual Pow-Wow…small world isn’t it? No rsvp is necessary so grab your out of town guests and their money and come celebrate! UPCOMING.... Sat. Sept. 29th: Standing Bear Museum dedication, 10 am Tue, Oct. 2nd: Governor’s Workforce Council Conf; Reed Center, 8-2 p.m. (note: workforce) Tue, Oct. 2nd: Bid openings for Encompass Tool Project and Bob Parking lot, 3 p.m. Chamber Sat. Oct. 6th: Ponca City Centennial Parade, 10 am, Downtown Wed. Oct. 10th: Oklahoma Manufacturers Alliance Conference (note: workforce….again) Thur. Oct. 11th: PCDA Trustees October Board Meeting, 7:30 a.m., Chamber office Ponca City Development Authority 102 S. Fifth Street, Ste. 3, Ponca City, OK 74601 580.765.7070/580.765.0969-fax Or E-Mail - David Myers CEcD - Executive Director Visit Ponca City Development's Latest News Archives © www.goponca.com - Ponca City Development Authority - Ponca City, Oklahoma