Economic investments have remained focused on the future: the renovations of the Dayton Arcade have infused an initial $100 million into downtown Dayton. While the world managed the pandemic, this catalytic downtown Dayton economic project pressed on and should be completed in Q1 2021. It will provide a one-of-a-kind entrepreneur support, coupled with higher education opportunities that are uniquely “Dayton.”
DP&L’s parent company, AES, is nearing completion of a $20 million center of excellence, moving jobs from South America to the McGregor Park campus in Dayton. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has continued to realize U.S. Department of Defense investments and the base is now boasting almost 35,000 jobs, a $15 billion annual economic impact and status as the state’s largest single site employer.
Developers are investing today on Monument Avenue, constructing a new high-rise apartment building. The Fireblocks development continues to recruit new businesses and opportunities and enhance the downtown Dayton landscape. CareSource recently quantified the impact of their national headquarters investment in downtown Dayton with an impressive $1 billion annual impact, 4,400 jobs and $22 million in state and local taxes.
Finally, last week the Ohio General Assembly passed a long-anticipated state capital appropriations budget that will infuse more than $18 million into economic development and quality-of-life projects throughout the greater Dayton region.
These projects, investments and continued improvement are not by accident, but are the direct result of investor confidence, economic forecasting and a continued assurance that the Dayton region has a strong future for a direct return on their investments.
COVID-19 has equally impacted communities, cities, states and countries across the globe. But our continued economic investments and community crisis management gives the Dayton region a unique opportunity to come out ahead as we evolve out of this pandemic. Dayton doesn’t die – we just get better.
Chris Kershner is the CEO and president of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
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