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Staff cites rapid population growth and urges targeted economic recruitment
Summary
City staff reported roughly 22% population growth from 2022 to 2024 and urged a targeted, rather than shotgun, approach to business recruitment; staff highlighted partnerships with regional economic organizations to strengthen credibility with site selectors.
Sean, the staff lead on economic development, told the council the city has seen strong recent population growth and that the draft plan emphasizes targeted recruitment strategies and stronger storytelling about Box Elder's identity. "For 2022 to 2024 having a 22% growth in population," Sean said, citing that trend as a strength to guide sector targeting such as dining and retail.
Sean said the city cannot "take a shotgun approach" to recruitment because limited resources require focused, market-aligned efforts and sustaining credibility with site selectors. He called out growing regional partnerships (GOED, Black Hills Tourism, Elevate Rapid City) as part of the approach and noted dining and retail were top sectors identified by the community.
