New Palm Springs-based initiatives aim to reshape Valley economy beyond tourism
New economic strategy and innovation alliance focus on entrepreneurship, innovation and year-round growth.
A pair of newly launched initiatives are signaling a broader push by local leaders to position Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley as a year-round center for business growth, entrepreneurship and emerging industries.
Visit Greater Palm Springs announced last week the launch of the Coachella Valley Subregional Economic Development Strategy, a multi-year plan developed as part of Riverside County’s broader Economic Development Strategic Plan. The strategy is designed to diversify the Valley’s economy, attract investment and support higher-wage job growth beyond the region’s traditional tourism industry.
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Days later, Blue Zones Project Palm Springs announced its support for the launch of the Coachella Valley Innovation Alliance, or CVIA, a new initiative focused on connecting entrepreneurs, innovators and community leaders through a series of public events across the Valley.
Together, the efforts reflect a growing emphasis among civic and business leaders on reducing the Valley’s reliance on seasonal tourism while creating more opportunities for residents to work and build businesses locally.
The 56-page economic development strategy describes the Coachella Valley as a region entering “a transformative era” while facing challenges including economic vulnerability, infrastructure gaps and disparities in economic opportunity.
The report calls for investment in sectors including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, creative media and sustainable agriculture while also emphasizing workforce development, housing, digital connectivity and environmental projects such as Salton Sea restoration.
“Greater Palm Springs has long been known as a place people choose for lifestyle, creativity and opportunity,” Visit Greater Palm Springs President and CEO Scott White said in a statement. “This strategy ensures we are equally competitive as a place to invest and grow a business.”
According to the strategy document, the Coachella Valley and Blythe subregion has a lower labor force participation rate than Riverside County overall and a median age of 44.2 years, the highest among Riverside County subregions.
The report also notes that the Valley has a large inventory of part-time and seasonal housing, with only 73.1% of housing units occupied year-round, compared to 88.6% countywide.
At the same time, the strategy argues the region has advantages that could support economic growth, including available land, renewable energy resources, a growing professional workforce and relatively short average commute times compared to other parts of Southern California.
Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said the strategy recognizes the Coachella Valley’s expanding role as an employment center within Riverside County and pointed to industries such as film and entertainment as potential areas for future growth.
Initial implementation efforts tied to the county strategy include industry outreach, workforce training partnerships and infrastructure planning related to housing, transportation and digital connectivity, according to the release.
The Coachella Valley Innovation Alliance plans to hold its inaugural event May 26 in Palm Springs, bringing together entrepreneurs, civic leaders and residents for discussions centered on local innovation and economic opportunity. The featured speaker will be SunLine Transit Agency CEO Mona Babauta, whose agency operates one of the nation’s first hydrogen fueling systems for public transit.
Blue Zones Project Palm Springs Executive Director Mihai Patru said the organization views community connection and participation as part of long-term well-being.
“If we want to improve well-being, we need to design communities where connection happens naturally,” Patru said in a statement. “CVIA gives that connection a direction — when people see what’s being built here and who’s building it, they don’t just feel they belong. They see a path into that community.”
Organizers said additional CVIA events are planned throughout the Coachella Valley later this year.
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