Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

Higher education, health care, entertainment and recreational activities have increased in the Tri Cities area since the turn of the century. WSU Tri Cities, a new convention center, completion of the Sacajawea Trail, growth of all three local hospitals are just a tip of changes that we’ve seen here in the Tri Cities.

Education has seen changes with the expanded programs at Columbia Basin College in Pasco and in 2007 WSU Tri Cities began offering 4-year degrees, which allows students to live at home and still earn a degree.  Enrollment for both facilities has risen dramatically over the last 10 years.

Recreation and entertainment saw lots of growth in the past decade, thus being the addition of the Tri Cities Convention Center, the Fairchild movie theatre in Pasco, lots of new and exciting restaurants, new shopping additions to the Columbia Center Mall in Kennewick, and many new small businesses throughout the Tri Cities.

History of our region’s development and of the indigenous peoples who first explored our area have been highlighted by the completion of Sacajawea Heritage Trail which connects all three cities, plus the acknowledgment of the Ice Age Floods Trail which carved our region into its particular landscape and will soon become a national monument with scenic overlooks, interpretive centers and displays depicting the story. Additionally a  proposed Hanford Reach Center project is in the works so that visitor can learn about the cultural history of the Hanford Reach National Monument.

• The Chamber of Commerce of West Richland is accepting nominations for its Outstanding Citizen of the Year award, which will be held January 22nd. Nominees should be be a Chamber member or work or live in the West Richland area. Call 967-0521 for more information.

• January 27 is the date for the 11th annual TRIDEC Regional Economic Outlook conference at TRAC in Pasco. The conference consists of business leaders and government officials. Call 735-1000 for details.

• $37 million was awarded to Tri City small businesses over 2009 through Washington River Protection Solutions, the Hanford Tank Operations contractor. Businesses in Benton, Franklin and Yakima counties benefited.

• A $500,000 donation to the Tri Cities WSU branch and Columbia Basin College to support local higher education, was recently made by Washington River Protection Solutions, the Hanford Tank Operations contractor, with the majority of the funding to go into science, technology and engineering programs at both facilities.

As the season of merriment approaches, ’tis also the season for amazing theatrical productions here in the Tri-Cities! Richland tops the list for the number of productions, with the Richland Light Opera productions of “My Fair Lady”, along with the Richland Players’ producing “Leading Ladies”, and in addition, Southridge High School in Kennewick was performing “Alice in Wonderland”, and Columbia Basin College in Pasco is producing “PUSH”.

A local dinner theatre group has a 3 weekend run of “Clothes Encounters” at the Kennewick Red Lion.  The Academy of Children’s Theatre in Richland is also scheduled to produce “The Frog Prince” on November 27 & 28, December 4 & 5th. 

So theatre in the Tri-Cities is alive and well and continuing to expand and bring many wonderful productions to the stage for Tri-Citians to enjoy.

Tri-City and Washington State manufacturers have the opportunity today to connect with potential suppliers and expand their businesses, and Patric Sazama is one of the experts who will speak at the seminar held at Pasco’s TRAC.

Local high school students who have an interest in a manufacturing career will have the opportunity to benefit from a special session, and also talk with experts at Tri-Tech Skills Center and Columbia Basin College.

Sazama helped Bogert International of Pasco market one of its products to the Army and soliders are using the device currently. The 7th Annual Smartmap Expo expects to have about 500 participants and is being put on by Tri-City Development Council.

A new grant from HUD’s Hispanic Serving Institutions Assisting Communities program will be used by Pasco’s Columbia Basin College to work with groups in the community towards downtown Pasco revitalization.

The $600,000 grant will be used towards improving the appearance of some storefronts and additionally providing marketing plans and support training to business owners. The focus is to make downtown Pasco a more inviting environment for shoppers and for events in which the community can participate.

With the new renovated Business Building at CBC in Pasco, Washington, the construction was a mix of new environmentally friendly with a look into the past, which included keeping a portion of a brick wall from the original structure built back in the 1950′s.

In CBC’s new Business Building, you can see some new flat-screened monitors which will show about the building project. Fall classes will start on September 21st at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington.

For more information, view this story at: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/716031.html