Basic Employer and Support Community

Vision 2020: The New River Valley has a diverse, stable business and industry community that provide high quality jobs while maximizing return on investment.

Goal: To utilize the region's labor skills and technology advantages.

Strategy: Link local industries with technology and research capabilities of

Virginia Tech, Radford University, and New River Valley Community

College.

Strategy: Market the region's specialty skill base (e.g., tool and die operators and

engineers) to prospective industries.

Goal: To expand the region's economic base without compromising the high quality of

life.

Strategy: Recruit environmentally responsible companies.

Strategy: Use land use controls and utility availability to direct business to

appropriate locations.

Goal: To improve the region's ability to market itself and respond to the needs of new

industrial, research, and technological prospects.

Strategy: Market the region's existing industrial, technology, and research space.

Strategy: Seek regional certification through the Virginia Community Certification

Program and market the region's assets to prospective industries.

Strategy: Pursue a multi-regional marketing campaign involving the New River

Valley Economic Development Alliance, New River Valley HOSTS,

and Chamber of Commerce Coalition.

Goal: To strengthen the economic position of downtown commercial districts.

Strategy: Enhance the diversity of the region's shopping opportunities.

Strategy: Improve the competitiveness of downtown business districts.

Goal: To improve the customer service quality of local hospitality businesses.

Strategy: Provide instructional opportunities for hospitality employees.

Strategy: Improve the region's ability to provide basic travel information to visitors.

Goal: To improve the region's tourism development potential and ability to market itself as a

tourism destination.

Strategy: Encourage the development of appropriate hospitality businesses in

strategic areas with high tourist traffic.

Strategy: Increase the region's tourism readiness and marketing capacity.

Strategy: Seek inter-regional partnerships with other Virginia communities, West

Virginia, and North Carolina to enhance the region's chances of becoming a tourism destination.

Goal: To increase the economic impacts of tourism in the New River Valley.

Strategy: Lengthen visitor's stays to the New River Valley.

Strategy: Increase the display, performance, and sale of all crafts, food and drink,

art, and other goods made by local residents.

Strategy: Organize events that display the special qualities and lifestyles of

Virginia's Southwest.

Goal: To attract new industries that will complement the region's economy, strengthen inter-

industry linkages, and utilize the region's labor force.

Strategy: Pursue a targeted industry approach to industry recruitment.

Strategy: Recruit outside firms seeking a trained and skilled labor force, low

utility costs, high quality industrial space, and convenient highway

access.

Strategy: Recruit outside firms that currently have significant vendor relationships

with New River Valley companies.

Goal: To improve the ability of local governments to compete with neighboring states in the

recruitment of high quality firms.

Strategy: Designate a regional delegation to lobby the Virginia General Assembly

for support.

Strategy: Encourage local governments to take a more proactive approach to

economic development.

Strategy: Provide creative public incentives to encourage private investment.

Goal: To improve the ability of local firms to strengthen industry relationships, access

product and/or consumer markets, and become globally competitive.

Strategy: Promote and coordinate existing quality initiatives (e.g., ISO 9000

industry certification programs).

Strategy: Develop a "Corporate Team" program to encourage local businesses to

work together to pursue joint markets and/or federal contracts.

Strategy: Privatize appropriate university owned and operated businesses that

could be run more efficiently by private industry.

Strategy: Market New River Valley products to other state, national, and

international markets.

Goal: To improve the region's ability to support and respond to the needs of local industries.

Strategy: Create a more supportive and open relationship between industry,

government, and educational institutions.

Goal: To improve the corporate profitability of existing firms in order to encourage capital

investment and job creation.

Strategy: Create new financing opportunities for business/industry expansion.

Strategy: Assist the commercialization of innovative technology and non-

technology-based enterprises that show promise.

Goal: To develop joint venture opportunities with international firms.

Strategy: Identify potential international partners for local firms.