Anchorage Economic Development Corp

AEDC'S VISION AND THE BASIS OF OUR LIVE WORK PLAY (LWP) INITIATIVE IS TO MAKE ANCHORAGE THE #1 CITY IN AMERICA BY 2030 THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE WILL IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE ANCHORAGE A MORE COMPETITIVE CITY THAT ATTRACTS AND RETAINS A TALENTED WORKFORCE, A CRITICAL NEED IF WE ARE TO DRAW NEW BUSINESS INVESTMENT TO ANCHORAGE IN THE COMING YEARS. THIS VISION IS SUPPORTED BY OUR MORE THAN 250 INVESTOR COMPANIES, AS WELL AS THE MORE THAN 200 VOLUNTEERS AND 158 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS COLLABORATING THROUGH LWP TO MAKE OUR CITY THE BEST IT CAN BE.

2022 EFFORTS WERE FOCUSED ON FINISHING RESEARCH ON THE "CHOOSE ANCHORAGE" PLAN, COMPLETING A DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT OF ANCHORAGE AND STANDARD ACTIVITIES OF HELPING BUSINESSES IN ANCHORAGE AS WELL AS HOSTING PUBLIC EVENTS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON ECONOMIC MATTERS. AEDC COMPLETED WORK ON THE "CHOOSE ANCHORAGE" PLAN IN 2022. CHOOSE ANCHORAGE IS A COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REPORT THAT WAS FUNDED BY A UNITED STATES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION GRANT. RESEARCH CENTERED AROUND A WORKFORCE AND INDUSTRY CLUSTER ANALYSIS THAT RESULTED IN A COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PLAN AND ASSOCIATED ACTION PLAN FOCUSED ON INCREASING ANCHORAGE'S WORKING AGE ADULT POPULATION AND THE OVERALL ECONOMY. RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE YEAR THROUGH ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, KEY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND ANALYTICAL ANALYSIS AND FINALLY COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER.

AEDC COMPLETED WORK WITH ROGER BROOKS, WHO IS A DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT EXPERT THAT HAS ASSESSED OVER 2,000 CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH THE EYES OF A VISITOR, RESIDENT, AND POTENTIAL INVESTOR. AEDC PARTNERED WITH THE ANCHORAGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO BRING HIM TO ANCHORAGE IN THE SUMMER AND WINTER MONTHS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS. ROGER GAVE A LIST OF OVER 50 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ANCHORAGE COULD IMPLEMENT TO MAKE ANCHORAGE A MORE ATTRACTIVE CITY TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. THIS RESEARCH WAS PRESENTED IN TWO PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS, MADE AVAILABLE ON AEDC'S WEBSITE AND AEDC PARTICIPATED IN A TASKFORCE CONVENED BY THE MAYOR OF ANCHORAGE FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

AEDC HOSTED IN-PERSON EVENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WITH THE LARGEST BEING THE 2022 ECONOMIC FORECAST LUNCHEON AND THE 3-YEAR OUTLOOK LUNCHEON. ECONOMIC FORECASTTHE 2022 ECONOMIC FORECAST LUNCHEON IN JANUARY LOOKS INTO THE YEAR AHEAD BASED ON EMPLOYMENT, POPULATION, AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA; PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT LOOK AT THE LABOR FORCE; AND OFFERS AN UPDATE ON CONSUMER AND BUSINESS CONFIDENCE. EVENT WAS HELD IN-PERSON AT THE DENA'INA CENTER IN ANCHORAGE. KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: RICHARD SMITH OF FEDEX TICKETS SOLD: 1,072 3-YEAR OUTLOOKTHE 3-YEAR OUTLOOK LUNCHEON DISCUSSES THE PROJECTED TRAJECTORY OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY BASED ON A REVIEW OF HISTORICAL AND CURRENT DATA, INTERVIEWS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND ANALYSIS OF CURRENT EVENTS. THE OUTLOOK CONSIDERS TRENDS IN EIGHT KEY INDICATORS INCLUDING POPULATION, EMPLOYMENT, PERSONAL INCOME, AIR PASSENGER AND FREIGHT VOLUMES, BUILDING PERMITS, PORT OF ALASKA TONNAGE, VISITOR INDUSTRY ACTIVITY AND OIL PRICES. EVENT WAS HELD IN-PERSON AT THE DENA'INA CENTER IN ANCHORAGE. KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ROGER BROOKS, DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT EXPERT TICKETS SOLD: 1,130