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Brookings Regional Growth Alliance reports tourism and small‑business gains, touts regional projects
Summary
The newly formed Brookings Regional Growth Alliance updated commissioners on staffing, consolidation of local development work, a near‑term pipeline of small‑business projects (SBDC capital funding ~ $3.7M) and regional tourism impact (~$127M), and previewed economic summit plans for May 5.
Leaders of the Brookings Regional Growth Alliance updated the Brookings County Commission on April 21 about economic and community development activity across the county. CEO Laurie Frederick described the Alliance’s mission to unify regional economic development and said the team now totals 11 staff with plans to hire a marketing and sales director.
Frederick and colleagues highlighted several metrics and initiatives. Maddie Kerr and SBDC representative Stephanie Mason said SBDC‑assisted capital funding was roughly $3.7 million in recent projects and that they are tracking several deals and loan approvals totaling projects "trending over $7,000,000 in projects" in the first four months of the year. On tourism, the Alliance presented an impact figure of about $127,000,000 in visitor spending over a recent period and said tourism supports roughly 1,400 direct jobs and $36,000,000 in direct labor income in the region.
The Alliance also described local projects and business openings (an office for Respec, downtown restaurant activity, an Aurora mixed‑use project that would add commercial space and some affordable apartments) and invited commissioners to the Alliance’s economic summit on May 5 at the Dakota Bank Center. Commissioners thanked the Alliance for regional coordination and said they value its role in grant support and regional project advocacy.
