2020 Greater Palm Springs Economic Report
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2020 GREATER PALM SPRINGS ECONOMIC REPORT CONTENTS A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON 2 LEADERSHIP AND INVESTORS 4 MESSAGE FROM THE CEO 6 2020 ECONOMIC REPORT 8 PLATINUM SPONSOR MEDIA SPONSORS 1 GOLD CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY | WELLS FARGO SILVER AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS | COLLEGE OF THE DESERT | IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT | MASSAGE ENVY | RIVERSIDE COUNTY EDA | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON | US BANK BRONZE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN BERNARDINO – PALM DESERT CAMPUS | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS COMPANY CITIES CITY OF COACHELLA CITY OF INDIAN WELLS | CITY OF INDIO | CITY OF LA QUINTA | CITY OF PALM DESERT | CITY OF PALM SPRINGS CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE PARTNER BEST BEST & KRIEGER | DESERT VALLEYS BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OSBORNE RINCON CPAS | UC RIVERSIDE - PALM DESERT CENTER 2 A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON RANDY FLORENCE One year ago. Have those words ever meant more? One year ago, we all attended the It must be said, though, that this Valley visionaries – saw the Valley for what it annual Economic Summit at the Palm and its people have stood up before. could be. We came back from the great Springs Convention Center. We sat Many times. When needed, there recession because we learned lessons side by side, served ourselves breakfast have been visionaries. People who and made changes. from the same dishes and utensils, and were willing to make bold moves and enjoyed the attendance of many local decisions when sitting still seemed the Now, we have that opportunity again. high school students. safest thing to do. Like 40% of the vote in Indian Wells, it can be hard not to just want to leave Our CEO, Joe Wallace, told us that, while When my wife and I moved to the Valley things unchanged, hoping to get back the Coachella Valley continued to benefit 9 years ago, one of the things I noticed to some semblance of normal. But from nationwide economic growth, there right away was that many of the same then, there are times for boldness. were issues on the horizon we needed to people who built the Coachella Valley Vision. Measured, certainly. But forward plan for. That we were underserving our were still here. Still thriving, still growing, looking, absolutely. youth in internet access and bandwidth. and willing to talk about it! That our dependency on hospitality Each year at CVEP’s Economic Summit, and tourism was going to be eventually One of those people is Dick Oliphant, you hear from speakers with bold impacted by (depending on your view) truly one of the Valley’s great visionaries. ideas: how we can help with today’s 3 the rise or threat of artificial intelligence Dick told me about his early days in challenges, learn from them, and get and automation. That we needed to Indian Wells. When he became mayor, bigger and better. And as time goes on, figure out how to attract additional the City was on the verge of bankruptcy it is important to remember and honor industry and higher-paying jobs in order and losing its city charter. So, Dick made a those that grew what we enjoy today. As to give our children every chance to bold suggestion to the City. He suggested Dick Oliphant said to me at the end of learn, grow and find good-paying jobs that the City of Indian Wells spend a our conversation, “This Valley exceeded and opportunity right here at home. whole lot of money, buy a bunch of land, my wildest expectations.” and attract some hotels. “How did that I am also taken by the final words from suggestion go over?” I asked Dick. In a difficult year, I am proud to be the Joe at the end of his talk last year. Chairperson of CVEP. I follow in the “United We Stand and Divided We Fall.” “I had a 3-2 council”, Dick answered. footsteps of some of those visionaries, Meaning, 40% of the council was from Dick, who was one of the founding One Year ago. opposed to the plan. Yet the plan moved members of CVEP, to last year’s forward. Some boldness, some vision, chairperson, Jan Harnik. And I believe We have been hit hard. It is hard to and yes, probably some increased that CVEP is uniquely positioned to be a see your friends, your businesses, your stomach acids. And yet, look at the leader in helping us heal and grow. town - your Valley - suffer. Some of the results of that vision. numbers in this report illustrate just Let’s work together, as a region, as a how hard we have been hit, and how the There are stories like this all over community, as the Coachella Valley, pandemic has impacted us. the Valley. When the building boom to provide opportunity for all to grow started here in the 60’s, the Valley was and thrive. 75% agriculture and 20% hospitality. It changed. Certain individuals – LEADERSHIP AND INVESTORS 2020 – 2021 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair: Randy Florence U.S. Bank Vice-Chair: Holly Lassak Massage Envy Treasurer: Rick Axelrod LifeStream Blood Bank Secretary: Joel Kinnamon College of the Desert Immediate Past Chair: Jan Harnik City of Palm Desert CVEP BOARD MEMBERS Richard Balocco City of Indian Wells Richard Oliphant Oliphant Enterprises Josh Bonner Greater Coachella Valley Oscar Ortiz City of Indio Chamber of Commerce Lee Osborne Osborne Rincon Mark Carnevale City of Cathedral City Patrick Sinclair California Alliance for Renewable Sandra Cuellar Charter Communications Energy Solutions Jennifer Cusack Southern California Edison Phil Smith Sunrise Company Grace Garner City of Palm Springs Joaquin Tijerina Riverside County EDA Robert Griffith City of Desert Hot Springs Jerry Upham Gulf California Broadcasting Rosa Maria Gonzales Imperial Irrigation District Ken Wheat Eisenhower Medical Center Kristi Hanson KHA Arhictects Scott White Greater Palm Springs CVB Tamara Hedges UCR Palm Desert Center To be determined Best, Best & Krieger Gary Honts Desert Care Network Todd Hooks Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Christine Hunter Hunter | Johnsen HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS 4 Erin Klink Pacific Western Bank Amanda Kramer Wells Fargo Bank Joseph Tormey CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Paulina Larson Palm Springs Life Deborah McGarrey Southern California Gas Company Tom Niva The Desert Sun CVEP INVESTORS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENT: CITIES MARKETING, ADVERTISING, TOURISM Greater Coachella Valley Chamber City of Cathedral City DESIGN AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Greater Palm Springs Convention & of Commerce City of Desert Hot Springs Hunter | Johnsen Visitors Bureau Riverside County Economic City of Indian Wells Development Agency City of Indio MEDIA TECHNOLOGY AND City of Palm Desert Gannett Foundation/The Desert Sun COMMUNICATIONS EDUCATION City of Palm Springs Gulf California Broadcast Company Charter Communications College of the Desert City of Rancho Mirage iHub Radio CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Palm Springs Life UTILITIES UCR Palm Desert Center GOVERNMENT: TRIBAL Imperial Irrigation District Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Southern California Edison ENERGY Best Best & Krieger Southern California Gas Company California Alliance for Renewable HEALTH SERVICES/HOSPITALS KHA Architects Energy Solutions Desert Care Network (Desert Regional Osborne Rincon Medical Center, Hi-Desert Medical FINANCIAL AND CAPITAL Center and JFK Memorial Hospital) REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES Eisenhower Medical Center Sunrise Company Pacific Western Bank LifeStream Blood Bank U.S. Bank RETAIL Wells Fargo Bank MANAGEMENT SERVICES Massage Envy hunterjohnsen.com Oliphant Enterprises We can help get you noticed like nobody’s business. hunterjohnsen.com MESSAGE FROM THE CEO JOE J. WALLACE Become Essential The theme selected for CVEP’s 2020 all-time low, wages were rising across not deemed to be essential and most Summit is “Becoming Essential.” The the entire spectrum of incomes, crime economists are projecting at least a 5 COVID-19 crisis and the series of was dropping and positive expectations year period for full recovery. protective actions taken in its aftermath for a prosperous future were widely brought the word essential to the anticipated. What a difference eight While we aim for economic forefront of nearly every discussion on months has made. Our period of bliss was diversification, the path to becoming economic recovery. Businesses that were turned into a daily challenge to maintain essential desperately needs for our deemed to be essential by the state have a positive outlook while standing in long hospitality and tourism businesses to been allowed to continue operations lines for toilet paper and other staples recover. The vibrant lifestyles that we while the non-essential businesses had that we normally take for granted. have historically enjoyed and much of no writ of dispensation allowing them to our civic pride are grounded in being practice their skills. Being deemed non- The nightly news’s deluge of doom and a world class destination for tourists essential has literally made working for a gloom includes shuttered businesses, and snowbirds. We all revolve around living illegal for many of our businesses death, and destruction. But on the our largest employment cluster. To and the employees who have built brighter side, it seems as though every take advantage of the Opportunity careers at these places. weakness and sacred cow in American of the Century, job one is to rebuild society has been exposed for all to see. these industries while doubling down The economic suffering due to Exposing and drawing awareness to on the activities that will foster the 6 separating the sheep (essential) serious weaknesses is critical for change development of essential businesses. from the goats (non-essential) has agents like CVEP to gain the support to exacerbated income inequality, disrupted advocate for positive and sustainable In a way, our highest priority tasks have the education process, put many of our improvements to the lives of the people not really changed. We still need a four nation’s healthcare providers at risk we serve.