The Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition (CCEDC) & the Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation (SGCEDC) have forged a partnership for regional economic development.
“Our partnership with the SGCEDC makes great sense for our organization,” said Jo Buttery, President of the CCEDC. “We will be conducting an assets inventory for our corridor communities in the next few months & Chris Martin will be directing that process for us.” Martin is the executive director of SGCEDC.
According to Lynn Perez-Hewitt, Secretary/Treasurer of the CCEDC, the assets inventory is the first step in determining what each community in the Copper Corridor offers to a region-wide economic development plan. “We want to know what each community holds in economic development assets,” said Ms. Perez-Hewitt. “We also want to allow the people who live in our communities to help determine how we market our region in the economic development arena. Some areas may decide they want to maintain the status quo & we understand that. We will know what assets we have & how people feel about future development after completion of the assets inventory.” Martin, in cooperation with Jeff McCormick, Regional Manager for the Arizona Department of Commerce will begin the assets inventory process in July.
Another benefit in the partnership is the spirit of regional economic development, according to Bill Marshall, President of the SGCEDC. “We have been working with the CCEDC for almost two years,” said Marshall. “In that time, we have developed a great relationship. We have directed potential projects to the Copper Corridor that were not a good fit for southern Gila County because we knew that jobs created in the Copper Corridor will benefit people who live in Winkelman, Hayden and the rural areas of southern Gila County.”
“We are working to establish low-water-use, non-polluting small manufacturers in southern Gila County,” said Martin. “We will work to do the same for those areas of the Copper Corridor where we find a good fit for the company and the people who live in the community. Manufacturing, like mining, creates real wealth in our region,” Martin explained. “While we all understand the value of tourist dollars, we know that manufacturing creates great paying jobs with benefits. That provides disposable income so families can support a good retail base, pay for college, & provide for their retirement. Some day, the price of copper will retreat to previous levels. We are working to fill the job gap created when that happens. That helps ensure the future of all of our communities that have relied on copper for so many years.”
The Copper Corridor EDC is a 501 (c) 6 not-for-profit coalition & provides economic development direction for communities & rural areas from Superior to San Manuel & Oracle. The Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation is a 501 (c) 3 not-for profit group.
“We are proud of our alliance,” said Ms. Buttery. “This is the first instance we know of where two rural Arizona economic development organizations have joined forces. We look forward to great things.”
The CCEDC is also actively engaged in a project called the Ore Cart Trail. The Ore Cart Trail is a series of artist-created ore carts placed in many of the communities of the Copper Corridor & the Copper Triangle & provides a common destination experience for tourism. The project, directed by Dr. Linda Leigh, includes kiosks with local anecdotes & information on the history of mining.