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56 | Old Heat CERB Feasibility Study <br />Table 6: Agricultural Industry Analysis <br />Table 7: Aerospace Industry Analysis <br />Both Tables’ Wages Based On 2023 National Wage Rates, Us Bureau Of Labor Statistics <br />WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND LIVING-WAGE <br />JOBS <br />By embedding workforce development within its <br />operations, Old Heat ensures that diversification <br />translates into tangible wage gains and career <br />opportunities for residents. <br />STRENGTHENING LOCAL ASSETS AND REAL <br />ESTATE <br />Diversification also depends on how new firms interact <br />with the local built environment. Old Heat demonstrates <br />adaptive reuse through its own renovation and becomes <br />a magnet for activity that revitalizes surrounding <br />commercial districts. As businesses transition from the <br />Old Heat facility, they will occupy larger commercial and <br />industrial spaces within Ellensburg and Kittitas County. <br />This leads to repurposing underutilized buildings, such <br />as what is involved with the community’s Bowers Field <br />projects and contributing to rising property values and tax <br />revenues. This physical expansion is a critical indicator of <br />diversification, showing that economic growth is spreading <br />beyond a single site and embedding itself across the <br />community. <br />TOURISM, EVENTS, AND LODGING <br />Old Heat will generate steady streams of visitors through <br />accelerator cohorts, innovation conferences, and training <br />events. These activities diversify the local economy into <br />higher-value revenue streams that further strengthen <br />tourism and lodging beyond the seasonal cycle. <br />Importantly, they connect Ellensburg to broader regional <br />innovation networks, reinforcing its emerging identity as <br />a hub for the Central Washington region. This generates <br />a lift for the existing but underutilized service sector