MAC-Town 2032 Economic Development Strategic Plan

MAC-Town 2032 Economic Development

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The City of McMinnville, working closely with the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce (Chamber), McMinnville Downtown Association (MDA), McMinnville Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) and Visit McMinnville (VM), seeks support in developing an Economic Development Strategy that will help McMinnville:

• Identify McMinnville’s unique opportunities and niche potential that will separate McMinnville from other communities and maintain the feeling of a vibrant small-town in close proximity to a fast-growing metropolitan area, and create a sustainable economy for generations to come. 

• Position a unique quality of life to attract creative class and entrepreneurial talent to establish the next generation of local business development and investment in the community.

• Lead McMinnville’s agricultural and manufacturing traditional economy towards a successful and sustainable 21st century economy. 

• Utilize McMinnville’s history of collaboration towards achieving big things.

• Identify what is an attractive business climate for McMinnville’s targeted potential and what McMinnville still needs to do to create that climate.

• Leverage the growing tourism industry towards new business development and investment.  “If you like to play here, why not work and live here too.” 

• Focus the efforts of all individual economic development partners so that they are successful in their own unique roles but working collaboratively and collectively towards advancing a coherent and cohesive overall economic vision.

• Invest limited resources in strategic initiatives that create family wage jobs that are multi-generational and reinforce the small town charm of McMinnville.

McMinnville wants to use rigorous data analysis, trend forecasting and robust public and stakeholder engagement to develop an overall economic development strategy that identifies what McMinnville’s unique potential and opportunities are, and what McMinnville’s economy can and should be as it grows in the future. 

PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

A Project Advisory Committee comprised of community business owners, leaders and residents has been assembled to help lead this process.  (Please see below.) 

Jeff Towery, City of McMinnville
Heather Richards, City of McMinnville
Jeff Knapp, Visit McMinnville
Jody Christensen, McMinnville Economic Development Partnership
Gioia Goodrum, McMinnville Chamber of Commerce
Jenny Berg, McMinnville Downtown Association
Scott Burke, City of McMinnville
Peter Hofstetter, Willamette Valley Medical Center
Erin Stephenson, Atticus Hotel
Maria Stuart, R Stuart & Co. Winery
Paul Davis, Chemeteka Community College
Kyle Faulk, Citizens Bank
Kelly McDonald, the Granary District
Sean Rauch, Wells Fargo
Peter Kircher, Golden Valley Brewing

PROJECT ENGAGEMENT

There will be several opportunities for community members to participate: an online community comment tool, www.mcminnvilleoregon.gov/edsurvey, two community workshops and City Council updates.