Kittitas County EDSP 2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON PAGE 14 | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN 3.4.4. Work with CWU to develop the steam plant into a space that serves members of the university and community alike. Figure 4. Emerging Market Opportunities Tourism, Arts, and Entertainment Visitors are increasingly drawn to the County for its natural beauty, variety of outdoor activities, the rodeo, arts, and other events. Continuing to develop its amenities and identity will strengthen this sector. Outdoor Recreation and Manufacturing Kittitas County has extensive outdoor recreation assets that support a range of activities, such as hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, and fishing. The County should continue to support these assets as well as foster local recreation equipment manufacturing. Aviation Manufacturing and Training CWU’s growing aviation training programs and Bowers Field are significant assets to the County. In addition to expanding the aviation training programs, there is an opportunity to develop an aviation light-manufacturing sector. Beverage Arts A healthy tourism sector, nearby hops production, and existing craft breweries, wineries, and cideries offer excellent conditions under which to grow the beverage industry and the County’s reputation in this space. Innovative Timber Industries The vast amount of timber in the County points to opportunities in biomass and cross-laminated timber production. The County’s active construction sector makes partnerships with cross- laminated timber firms worth pursuing. Agriculture and Land Resiliency/Sustainability Extreme weather events have challenged the agricultural industry and have increased the threat of wildfire events. The County has already made strides in securing its water sources and can be a leader in innovative sustainable agriculture and land management practices as well. Logistics and Distribution Kittitas County has long served as an export hub for the hay industry. The County could further leverage its strategic location to serve as a key connection point in other supply chains. Goal 4. Community Investment Develop the County’s infrastructure to meet its current and future needs and position it to amplify the advantage of its central location. Attracting target industries and building existing businesses requires access to shovel-ready sites and existing commercial, retail, and office space. A key element of this preparation is having the utilities, transportation, and connectivity in place to meet business and community needs, as well the funds to support them. Washington