By By Chandler Myers
Products, promotion and patience are the key tools communities need to land new industries, an economic development expert told local officials and area economic developers Saturday at a breakfast meeting hosted by Coastal Gateway Economic Development Authority.
The breakfast meeting was part of a weekend visit by three industrial site consultants.
The group met for breakfast at Wind Creek Casino &Hotel in Atmore, with featured speakers including Robert Pittman and Jennifer Tanner, senior principals for Janus Economics. Pittman suggested the “three Ps” are the secret to success for landing a company in a community.
Henderson said that most companies do not have a preference of where they are located.
Local incentives come into play at the back end of a project once a company or site consultant has narrowed their selections down to two or three communities or regions, Pittman said.
A community is not “buying” a project by having incentives ready and available, he said.
Marshall Rogers, executive director for the Escambia County Industrial Development Authority, said she came away from the meeting with good information.