The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce wants the city to double its
investment in an economic development partnership to help fund a
$500,000 marketing plan to place Morgan Hill in the hands, eyes and
minds of CEOs looking to expand their companies.
Morgan Hill – The Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce wants the city to double its investment in an economic development partnership to help fund a $500,000 marketing plan to place Morgan Hill in the hands, eyes and minds of CEOs looking to expand their companies.
“There’s a lack of knowledge in the Silicon Valley business community on where Morgan Hill is,” said Mark Denham, CEO of 247 Workspace, and a member of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s economic development committee. “(This city’s) not on the radar, and if it’s not on the radar, businesses aren’t going to relocate here.”
Denham made the case at last Wednesday’s Morgan Hill City Council Meeting – which was the last opportunity to do so before the council’s 2007 goal-setting retreat Friday and Saturday.
To pay for increased marketing activities, the chamber wants the city to double its investment from $125,000 to $250,000 per year in an economic development partnership with the group. The private sector matches the city’s investment.
Chamber of Commerce CEO Dan Ehrler spelled out to the council what business leaders would like to see, proposing a print and electronic marketing plan and a Morgan Hill economic spokesperson to meet with presidents and CEO’s thinking of moving their companies.
“Morgan Hill has been a well-kept secret,” Denham continued. “And if businesses were provided more information about the city, they would give Morgan Hill a much harder look than they are now.”
Denham is a newcomer to Morgan Hill after moving 247 Workspace from Los Gatos to Morgan Hill seven months ago. The move helped him consolidate warehouse facilities and hire more employees to increase sales, which totaled $26 million last year. While the cost-cutting decision helped his bottom line, Denham said other business leaders in the Bay Area may be skeptical about dropping anchor in Morgan Hill.
While the city is home to large companies including Anritsu, Hospira and Comcast, Morgan Hill has also struggled in recent years with high vacancy for office parks and industrial and commercial land.
“For us, the goal is to fill empty spaces in existing buildings and put buildings and businesses where there is currently open land,” Ehrler said. “In addition, our goal is to fill the retail opportunities that currently exist and are planned for the near and distant future.”
Ehrler proposed finding an economic development facilitator, who might work for the city or for the chamber itself, to communicate and meet with business decision makers who are thinking of moving or expanding their companies.
The council took no action on the proposal last week but did discuss the matter at its annual goal-setting retreat. Elected officials at the retreat decided the city’s economic strategy needs updating 2007 but did not make a specific goal regarding the chamber’s proposal for more marketing.
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or
tb*******@mo*************.com
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