The Jackson City Council approved a contract with Accelerate Jackson County to lead economic development efforts for the next year during this week's meeting.
I stopped by Lean Rocket Lab to speak with downtown business owner Brandon Marken about his reaction to the recent development and what could be on the way for the community.
"I think the work that the city is doing with Accelerate Jackson sounds like a good thing. Just being a business downtown, it's really you know, kind of a rising tide lifts all shifts. The better our neighbors are doing, the better the community's doing down here. It seems like business is better when that's all happening," Marken said.
I also spoke with Keith Gillenwater, president and CEO of Accelerate Jackson County, who expressed excitement about the opportunities that already exist.
"It's an exciting time for us. You know, with the work that they've got going on with housing and I think the work that we can come in and complement. From the industrial development to the economic development side," Gillenwater said.
Gillenwater emphasized that a significant part of the organization's work begins with maintaining what is already established in the community.
"We know there are a lot of other economic development organizations across the country and across the world that would love to have the businesses that we have enjoyed for so long here in the city of Jackson and in Jackson County," Gillenwater said.
The excitement about Jackson's future is shared among community leaders and businesses.
"I'm excited to see what's next for Jackson and being down here is a lot of fun," Marken said.
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