Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Group Backs Plan to Lure Tourists, Films
Members of a new organization aimed at boosting the Antelope Valley’s economy on Wednesday endorsed a $300,000 marketing campaign and vowed to help set up a program to bring more tourists and film crews to the area.
The Antelope Valley Regional Partnership, made up of city and business leaders from Palmdale and Lancaster, plus representatives of Antelope Valley College and Los Angeles County, discussed the economic development issues during a kickoff meeting at the college.
The organization was formed at the urging of a consultant, hired by the two cities, who concluded that Lancaster, Palmdale and the county should pool their resources to attract new employers, conventions and film crews to the Antelope Valley.
“Through this organization, I think we’ll be much more effective,” said Al McCord, Palmdale’s economic development director.
Vern Lawson, executive director of the Antelope Valley Economic Development Corp., unveiled the proposed $300,000 budget to encourage industrial employers in the San Fernando Valley and other areas to move their businesses to the Antelope Valley.
The money would be used for advertising, public relations and a special event in Palmdale for prospective employers. The marketing drive would emphasize the availability of land, relatively low land prices, the large number of skilled workers living in the area and the low crime rate.
At Wednesday’s meeting, members of the regional partnership endorsed the marketing plan and urged the city councils of Palmdale and Lancaster to allocate money for the project. The group also voted to recommend that the cities extend their offer of a $2,000 financial incentive for each new industrial job brought to the region.
The two cities already have joined forces to offer financial incentives to computer-maker Packard Bell, which is considering a move to Palmdale. But McCord told members of the panel that the company has not yet decided whether to move to Palmdale or to another state.
The consultant who urged the cities to join forces to attract new employers also said local leaders should set up a regional tourism and film commission to bring more conventions, tourists and film crews to the Antelope Valley.
Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said the commission should not be set up until the two cities equalize their bed taxes, which are charged to hotel guests at the rate of 7% in Lancaster and 10% in Palmdale. Proponents say part of this tax money should be used to finance the tourism and film commission.
Ledford also said it was wrong for some local groups, such as the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, to start launching these programs before the cities have allocated funds for them and without the cooperation of the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s a fragmented effort, and I think it is dangerous,” Ledford said.
He agreed to join Lancaster Councilman George Runner and Sherry Lasagna, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich’s Antelope Valley aide, at a meeting with leaders of the two chambers to talk about a regional program to boost tourism and filmmaking.
