The Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) recently invited a select group of commercial real estate brokers to its office. Barry Broome, President and CEO, laid out GSEC’s game plan. The first step, which seems to be coming to a close, has been to get organized and get a lay of the land. GSEC understands the political landscape better understood and they acknowledge the challenges and as well as the appeal of Sacramento. For example, we are in California, the greatest state in the country. California’s regulations help protect the environment and fund public services. But with regulation comes costs that make it difficult for companies to locate certain components of their enterprises here. Barry noted that support operations, such as call centers, are often too expensive to locate in California. So, guess what? GSEC will not be spending a lot of time trying to attract back offices to Sacramento. Their focus is on higher paying jobs such as engineering, IT and Life Science.
Why GSEC Is Targeting High-Paying Jobs
Sacramento’s educational system continues to produce a strong workforce in IT, engineering, life sciences, and agriculture. The problem, as Barry noted, is that the outside world still considers Sacramento a Cowtown. Well you know what I say? “More Cowbell!” GSEC has commenced an aggressive multi-media marketing campaign that is transforming Sacramento’s meaning to the outside world.
GSEC is doing more than promoting Sacramento. It is partnering with the Bay Area to compete as a “Mega Region” for jobs and investment. This is a huge paradigm shift in thinking.
GSEC is also coordinating efforts among local municipalities throughout the region. Unifying the the region to compete and make it a more business friendly place to be. The first initiative is to reduce the time and expense to get something built. There is no reason it should be difficult open up shop in Sacramento. Let’s lay out the red carpet, and let the the world know that Sacramento is open for business. With the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, this message is clear and beginning to reverberate, everywhere.
If you would like more information about the region or commercial real estate, I would be happy to help!