Tri-City Area and Real Estate Blog

We’ve certainly had our fair share of rain this spring, in fact, more than our share in the opinion of most Tri-Citians. This spring has brought us weather we aren’t used to, mainly the wet stuff, and with that rain come the headaches that hay farmers and orchardists would rather avoid.  In the wee hours of the morning of late, this writer has heard the low chop-chop-chop of helicopters flying above the orchards in an attempt to dry the rain from their crop of cherries. If the water sits too long, the sun comes out and the temperature warms up – the dreaded split occurs and there goes the profit. The hay growers in Franklin County lost more than 70% of the 1st cutting lost to rot and asparagus farmers have been affected as well. Unfortunately, Mid-Columbia farmers have experienced these weather-related losses and thus the visit from the state’s top agricultural chief to determine the need for federal disaster funds. Growers have asked Dan Newhouse, Washington Department of Agriculture Secretary, to visits farms from Franklin to Walla Walla Counties to assess the damage with hopes of receiving federal compensation for the losses.

Hundreds of farmers and agribusiness professionals were drawn to the TRAC in Pasco for the Real Ag 2010 Show running today and tomorrow. With information and vendor booths, and tons of heavy equipment, the TRAC was booming with networking, window shopping and seminars providing ongoing education.

Ag experts were on hand to talk with farmers about new ideas and significant changes in today’s equipment. Many seasoned farmers were on hand to reflect upon the changes in farming from the horse drawn days to new 300-hp tractors.

Agriculture/agribusiness in the Tri Cities, and throughout Benton and Franklin counties are a mainstay of our economy and job growth. The fields have evolved and bring steady employment and diversity to our region.

The three ports in the Tri-Cities area reported on the projects they have undertaken to help boost the economy of the Tri-City area recently.

Officials from the Port of Kennewick, Port of Pasco, and the Port of Benton, who comprise the Tri-Ports, spoke to about 200 individuals about their parts in promotion of economic development and adding to the growing job market in the area.

Discussion about the revamping of the Clover Island area, plus improvements at the Richland Manufacturing Mall, the Prosser Food and Wine Park, and the Benton City Industrial Park were also covered.  There will be efforts to update the Benton City area as well, by the Port of Benton and with that, the hope that other businesses will fall in line to spruce up their appearances and keep the efforts flowing.

The Port of Pasco has several projects underway, including the current construction of a potato processing plant at the Pasco industrial park, as well as  Parsons expanding its footprint in the Big Pasco center, and the port’s Riverfront Business Park project.

Our Tri-Cities area is growing with more and more businesses moving in, expanding, or investing here, we are looking at a brighter and stronger future for our Tri-Citians for many, many years to come.  The real estate market is strong and jobs continue to materialize for skilled workers. These are the reasons that the Tri-Cities, and Benton and Franklin counties have become at the top of list for best places to live and work continually.  Come join us in our beautiful corner of southeastern Washington State!

Ahh, the beautiful fall in the Tri-Cities is here – but it’s truly been more like an ”Indian Summer”.

The very warm days and the cool, crisp nights have brought with them great temperatures for those who like the crispness of the early morning hours, maybe for running or walking – and also for those who prefer the warmer temps for their outdoor activities – we’ve had that too! Sunny clear days have been abundant.

This is this writer’s very favorite time of year in the Tri-Cities for just those reasons. It’s the best of both worlds and in the Tri-Cities, the world is a beautiful place!  Where else can you gather affordable real estate, strong job growth, lots of available outdoor activities, friendly folks, plus tons of other opportunities within a short drive?

Pasco, Kennewick, Richland, West Richland and the other communities throughout both Benton and Franklin counties are wonderful places to live and work, and the Tri-Cities was named at the top of the list for scientists and engineers in the United States to work and live. The educated workforce in this area is very attractive to employers looking for somewere to move/build their businesses.  We have so much to offer everyone here in the Tri-Cities and we’d like to invite you to come a join us too!

Again this year, the Tri-Cities Children’s Hospital Guild is presenting there wonderful Christmas Home Tour on Decemeber 5, 2009.

You can visit 7 beautifully decorated holiday homes, with all proceeds benefiting children from Benton and Franklin counties through the Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center’s uncompensated care program.

Tickets can be purchase at Beaver Bark in Richland; HL2 Accents in Pasco; Gadgets & Goodies in Kennewick, and Sister to Sister in Prosser, at a cost of $15.00.  For more information visit: www.tcchguilds.org

Wine, golf and outdoor attractions are helping attract visitors to the sunny Tri-Cities despite a nationwide crimp on travel budgets.

Instead of flying off to exotic locations, most people are exploring areas close to where they live, or a destination that they can afford, said Kris Watkins, president and chief executive officer of the Tri-Cities Visitor and Convention Bureau, which recently released its mid-year report.

In the first six months of the year, the Tri-Cities held 106 conventions and sporting events that brought thousands of people to the community, generating about $15.9 million.

The bureau staff helped create business leads that could translate into 26,229 room nights for local hotels, and secured 72 future conventions and sporting events that infused $9 million in direct visitor spending into the local economy, the report says.

At a time when most places are seeing a decline in the number of visitors, the Tri-Cities is fortunate to have in and out-of-state visitors coming for pleasure or business trips or to attend conventions and sporting events such as Water Follies, Watkins said.

“Flat is good in this economy,” she said, adding the Tri-Cities saw exceptional growth in tourism traffic from 2005-08.

Earlier in the year, the bureau launched an ad campaign along the Interstate 5 corridor to help draw visitors from the west side of the state, and partnered with the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau and Washington Wine Country, to promote the area as a wine destination, Watkins said.

The bureau also printed and distributed 72,000 brochures highlighting “Great Golf Getaways” at various travel and golf shows. Since January, the bureau helped promote the Tri-Cities in more than 130 media stories.

“We’ve been called the romantic getaway, golf getaway, and wine getaway, said Megan Neer, director of marketing and public relations.

She said that the bureau plans to use its freshly designed website, and social networking sites to keep up the momentum. The bureau has 200 followers on Twitter and about 2,500 fans on Facebook, she said.

The competition for travel dollars has become intense, said Neer and Watkins.

That means target marketing of the Tri-Cities and its special attractions – water, weather, and wine, Watkins said.

In the last few years, the bureau’s financial and marketing support has helped sustain and promote Water Follies, the Tri-Cities’ signature event, which brings in positive media exposure throughout the Northwest and nationally, she said.

B Reactor’s new status as a National Historic Landmark also will help promote the region. The Tri-Cities is known for open spaces, easy road and air access, and the availability of two high-quality convention centers and comparatively affordable hotel rooms, she said.

Last year, the average room rent in Benton and Franklin counties ranged from about $66 a night to about $80. The number of available hotel rooms has gone up from about 2,200 in 1991 to more than 3,400 in 2009.

Watkins said a proposed convention center hotel adjacent to the Three Rivers Convention Center is welcome news. It’ll mean the bureau will be able offer potential clients a choice of a large block of guest rooms, instead of spreading out guests in hotels across the Tri-Cities.

Source: Tri-City Herald