They started to make it sound like a nice, big Strategic Acquisition... good for Columbia, good for Bend, good all the way around. Yup. Did Not Smell Right To Paul-doh. I wrote in the comments on Sunday:
Although it appears Columbia accepted some sort of bid on Friday, I still wonder if running 'er thru a BK won't still happen. Remember, the founder is still suing for $1MM+ back pay. If I was Cessna, I'd have them go BK, and wipe out the liabilities, lawsuits and all.
Next Day, The Big BK! I'm telling you folks, when something doesn't Smell Right, it probably isn't. Columbia hasn't smelled right for many moons. What kind of company shuts down when part suppliers are late? A company With No Money, that's what kind.
Now, we're starting to hear "All Is Well" at Columbia. They'll stay in Bend, everything will be just fine. Really? Because Chap 11 typically means carve up the carcass, and selling the bits at a garage sale. Textron/Cessna, if they have Any Sense At All, will simply bid on the bits it needs, and cart them off to Wichita. The bits it does not need, will go to others... hell, I might stop by and pick up some picture frames and a chair.
Point is, HOW will Columbia be run once it is sold off bit by bit? Cessna Will Not buy Columbia Outright, No Way. It'll be an auction. Anything you hear to the contrary is an attempt to deceive plane buyers to buy anyway, and to keep employees, who have been spanked by this company so many times their asses are raw, to stay on.
Believe NONE OF IT. Columbia is dead and gone, unfortunately.
Speaking of things going down the shitter, BEM recently left this comment (which is NOT the thing going down the shitter, by the way...):
I would never mess with perfection, Paul, but I think sometime you should do a "bust-o-meter" on Central Oregon grand schemes falling victim to the RE bust
I think it's safe to say that I was never really a Big Fan of the concept of The Shire. Hell, I love LOTR more than anyone, probably the best movies of all time. But a Good Movie Does Not A Subdivision Make. This is just a Bad Idea, and that's putting it mildly. It's a TERRIBLE IDEA.
And finally, the developers have thrown in the towel on this White Elephant. From the COR website:
Come home to The Shire, a serenely lovely community with streams, waterfalls, ponds, wildflowers, paths and amphitheater, all designed to convey a sense of peace and belonging. Lot includes plans for 3BR/3.5 BA 2374 sq ft energy efficient Pheasant Cottage with ground floor master suite & 2 junior suites, vaulted great room and terrace views. Or design your own home and have our builder or yours construct it.
"Design your own home"... folks that means The Hobbits attempting to enforce the CC&R's have succumbed to The One Ring. This means Hobbit Hole here, craftsman there, contemporary Brady Bunch homes everywhere! They have unfortunately already built 3-4 Hobbiton dwellings, and unless they are burned by ring wraiths, they will be intermingled with whatever home design lot buyers are willing to put there.
Paul-doh smells a bargain. Cuz nothing smacks down the resale of a hobbit hole more than being a standout among craftsmans. Woof, those spec Shire huts will be hell to unload now. The Shire has just gone from the frying pan into the fire. Those Shire shacks will be like geodesic domes.... death.
The Shire was conceptualized by a local "think-tank", The Hatchery. Here's a short summary by these smug bastards:
The Hatchery team is composed of extremely bright and talented professionals with senior executive level experience in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Strategic Planning, Public Relations, Operations, Engineering leadership, Manufacturing and Finance.
Yeah, the people who brought us The Shire ARE extremely bright and talented. They're so bright, they Bought In, and located Their World Headquarters at The Shire! Now THAT'S smart!
Just so I'm clear: These guys and gals probably are pretty smart. But they succumbed to a delusion that blinded hundreds if not thousands around here:
1) Real Estate prices are going up
2) I own Real Estate
3) I am a genius
4) Every idea I will ever have is a great idea!
5) I have an idea for a Grandiose Real Estate development
OK folks, we're all sort of collectively average, with ideas no better or worse than a few years back. But the RE bubble has convinced many, MANY people to build some of the nuttiest stuff ever conceived. The Shire? Maybe in Ireland, or England, or somewhere like that.
CENTRAL OREGON IS HIGH DESERT
The Shire is a blatant example of a concept doomed to failure from Minute 1. There are other more subtle losers, but they are equally doomed to Total And Utter Failure. Here is a short list:
1) The Plaza, a "non-age restricted" condo: DOOMED. The Plaza is totally doomed.
2) Mercato: DOOMED. Mercato will almost certainly not get funded, and if it does, it'll not lease to near capacity in my lifetime.
3) Redmond Waterpark: DOOMED. Were we 5X as big, maybe. But no way will this work, even if it's domed. People DO NOT like to go swimming in the dead of Winter.
4) The Whole Tuscan Craze: DOOMED. The only possible survivor is Ranch at the Canyons. "Tuscan" is being slapped on every possible structure, including mobile homes, spider holes, and apartment buildings.
I went from being pretty sympathetic to Becky Breezes' plight with the hideous Plaza, but no more. First, she has actually RAISED prices on several of these units, without a single reduction. If The Plaza were not Becky's own development, she'd have whacked the sellers expectations & asking price to nothing.
Second, I posted this over on BendBB:
Just found this:
http://tinyurl.com/2w9vmy
Located at Upper Terrace
1,600 SQUARE FEET $1,095,000
Unit 408, The Plaza. 4th floor penthouse w/unobstructed Cascade Mtn views, 1,600 sq. ft.., Great Room floor plan for spaciousness, 2 Master Suites w/full bathrooms, tile showers/glass doors, vaulted ceilings in Great Room, kitchen island, slab granite counters, wood/tile/carpet flooring, private balcony, A/C, stainless steel GE Monogram appliances, fully wired for audio/video, 2 underground parking spaces w/storage unit.
For more information:
Terry Dietz
America At Home
P.O. Box 801
Office Phone: 541-433-2400
tdietz@worldstar.com
First, this listing AIN'T Becky Breeze, who I believe is listing new units EXCLUSIVELY. This is listed on Page 2 of BendBB's Sept New Listings & Price Changes entry. PLUS, THIS badboy is a top floor PENTHOUSE unit, that if I recall, Breeze stated she had sold in Christmas:
A few blocks away, The Plaza is expected to have models ready to show next month, Breeze said. So far, 14 of the building's 42 units are under contract. Prices average around $650,000 to $700,000 for units in the all-residential building, but the most expensive unit so far - a top-floor penthouse with views of the river, The Shops at The Old Mill District and the Cascades, went under contract for $1.999 million at Christmas.
http://tinyurl.com/35uq8p
You tell me, but this looks like a Plaza resale at a HUGE LOSS.
This is the first "resale" at The Plaza, and if Breeze's claim of near $2,000,000 sale prices for penthouse units are true, it'd be a Huge LOSS, over $900K. It actually looks like ONLY 4 UNITS HAVE SOLD so far in The Plaza (Breeze claims 25% have sold), at least that's all that's in the county clerks records. There may be more. But Unit 408, the only possible "penthouse" unit, sold for about $820K, not $2 million. And what's better, the freak who bought it is TRYING TO FLIP IT FOR A $280K profit in only 2 months! Classic!
There you have it: Breeze is a liar, she a stubborn obstinate seller trying to market a horribly flawed concept, and those she has actually sold to, are out of their minds!
POP QUIZ!
Which one of these guys apparently invested $200,000,000 in a Bend aircraft maker this week?
1) Peter Tork of "The Monkees"
2) Rip Taylor
3) Liberace
4) Indian Billionaire, Vijay "Jazzy Jeff And The Fresh Prince" Mallya
I know, it's hard to figure cuz each has One Sweet Ass Fuckin' Hair Doo! I mean, WTF?
Did anyone else see that pic in The Bulletin, and wonder what the hell is up with that dudes hair? I mean, DAMN.
ATTENTION INDIAN DUDE: That sweet-ass tight fro may have landed the ladies in 1973, but that thing is just weird!
Anyway, this is YET ANOTHER STORY THAT DOESN'T PASS THE SMELL TEST. I wrote in the comments:
This whole thing SMELLS BAD. $200MM (if true), values Epic at $400MM. WHAT! No way. With 140 employees, that is almost $2.9MM/employee. No freakin' way is that real.
Boeing market cap is $82.52BB
Employees: 153,000
Value/Employee: $540,000
Is this Indian Dude INSANE? He's valuing a po-dunk little maker of kit planes out in the desert at more than 5X the per employee value of BOEING?
Man, if this Rick Schrameck guy actually convinced this nut to pay $200MM for 50%, he is One Hell Of A Shyster. Valuing Epic at well over 5X the relative value of Boeing on an employee basis is straight up INSANE.
That Rick Schrameck dude has pulled off the Bend Enterprise Investment Marketing Boondoggle Of A Lifetime. He got rocks. Bangin' a friend of his for $200MM, for only HALF of Epic, a podunk nut'n out in the desert. That's one thing. But he did it while RIGHT NEXT DOOR, there is a much larger competitor GOING BANKRUPT! Holy Shit! That is just brutal!
Seriously, it is stuff like this that reaffirms my faith in The Impossible. If this is true, which I seriously doubt, this guy has pulled off a dot-com era boondoggle the likes of which this town will never see again. Good job Rick!
And the guy is INDIAN. If Glengarry Glen Ross (The Greatest Salesperson Movie AND Real Estate Movie EVER MADE) has taught us anything, it's that selling to Indians is gat damn impossible:
Williamson: [handing Roma lead cards] I'm giving you three leads...
Ricky Roma: Three? No, I count two.
Williamson: There's three leads there.
Ricky Roma: "Patel"? Fuck you. Fucking Shiva handed this guy a million dollars, told him "Sign the deal!" he wouldn't sign. And the god Vishnu too, into the bargain. Fuck you, John! You know your business, I know mine. Your business is being an asshole. I find out whose fucking cousin you are, I'm going to go to him and figure out a way to have your ass - fuck you!
[throws the cards at Williamson]
Ricky Roma: I'm waiting for the new leads.
I'm telling you RE types right now, watching Glengarry Glen Ross ought to be de rigeur in Monday morning RE meetings! It's awesome!
Blake: You see this watch? You see this watch?
Dave Moss: Yeah.
Blake: That watch costs more than you car. I made $970,000 last year. How much you make? You see pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? Fuck you! Go home and play with your kids. You wanna work here - close! You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you cocksucker? You can't take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit? You don't like it, leave.
Blake: And to answer you question, pal, why am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to. They asked me for a favor. I said the real favor, follow my advice and fire your fucking ass because a loser is a loser.
Blake: We're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody want to see second prize?
[Holds up prize]
Blake: Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired.
Ricky Roma: You ever take a dump made you feel like you'd just slept for twelve hours?
Oh God... every line in that movie is just a classic. I actually know an extremely successful salesperson who watches this movie 2-3/month.
Anyway, this should bring us full circle to How To Make $100 Million A Year In Bend, Oregon. Rick Schrameck has already done the legwork, and has proven the Concept.
1) Start UNPROFITABLE business
2) Fly to Bangkok for Freaky Sex Junket
3) Approach Indias Answer To Liberace
4) Ask for 10X what the company is worth
5) Fire up the Automatic Cash Spanker
6) Bail out with Golden "Shower" Parachute 2-3 years later
It is AMAZING how there are people who can ask, and somehow receive, HUGE sums of money around here for some of the lamest-ass projects EVER. Becky Breeze and Lafky come to mind. Granted, I went to Epic Airs website, and they got some Sweet Rides, and had I the means, I would possibly consider buying one. But is Epic really worth $400 million, or even close? My God, this is another Malaysian Mambo, where some Far East Elvis Impersonator/Government gets whacked for not just millions... BUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS!
Rick Schrameck, I salute you. If you have in fact secured $200 million from an Indian Dude wearing Liberaces prized toupee, then you my friend, are KING OF THE WORLD.
247 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 247 of 247 Newer› Newest»Guaranteed Appreciation? YES!
$298000 Gauranteed Appreciation and Buy Back Agreement
Fantastic 2286 sq ft home vacant and ready for a family. Home has 3 to 5 bedrooms and 2 bath, formal livingroom and dining room and 2 family rooms. All new interior, roof, heating system and finished garage. Home is turn key, no work needed.
This home offered below market price and comes with a gaurantee of appreciation and a buy back agreement. If the home does not appreciate what you think and we agree it should, we will buy it back for what you paid for it. If it goes down in value, we will buy it back for what you paid for it.
Visit the home at 17469 Gull Dr. located in Oregon Water Wonderland.
Dir. Take South Century Drive past Thousands Trails to first right, Snowgoose, take Snowgoose to Marsh Hawk and take a left, two blocks to Gull and home is half way down block on the right.
Call John to view the interior and for more details about Guaranteed Appreciation and Buy Back Agreement
541-771-8243
Forced Liquidation at its finest:
$55 New MLS Lock Boxes for sale
4 New style updated lock boxes for sale. $55.00 EACH. Only 2 have been used and for a very brief time. Will sell only to a licensed Real Estate Broker. They are $95 brand new at COAR. A great savings to you! Cash only. Thanks!
How could the city have allowed such rampant disregard for homeowners equity
*
The city of bend is many things, but one that it is NOT is a bunch of cows sitting around worrying if the other cows have enough food and water.
Bend is a fucking slaughter house, and in Bend we use city money to bring in calis, and we slaughter them, and do more PR ( tourism ) and bring in more calis, ...
It has never been the job of the city electable to worry about the electorate. The city knows its citizenry for what the are. Malleable feeder cows. There is no shortage of such in Bend.
What goes up, always comes down bend enjoyed the high appreciation in the country the last few years, which now means they'll enjoy the best depreciation. The city help blow up the bubble, but there is NOT a fucking thing the city can do to keep the bubble from imploding.
** IHTBYB
Great pictorial image for you next blog-post, like the nazi aircraft bombing the canals, have the worst fucking slaughter house pic's, or Dachua pic's showing the good citizens of bend being cleansed, and the NEW tourists arriving.
Bend will become Dachau, and Auschwitz. You can come to bend and buy, but you cannot leave. You can leave as pauper if you sneak out at night, but nobody ever hears from those folk again.
. If the home does not appreciate what you think and we agree it should, we will buy it back for what you paid for it.
*
We plan on filing bankruptcy protection, the second the deal closes, and we'll be moving to Florida, all deals signed as a one-time only LLC, good fucking luck with this pig. Adios.
Reminds me of boss hogg hollern, everytime he leaves a dump, and creates a new LLC. How do these folks keep track of all these deals and unique shell companys??
Rehabbers Offer What You Think Is Profitable For You!
House is in foreclosure and needs work to bring it up to standards. You could get it for a song.
*
This is what I have been writing about forever here, generally you don't want foreclosures, it takes a year to get them out, and during that time the accumulated garbage, cat-pee, dog-shit, and scum deposits six inches through-out, its not just a flat-head shovel you need to clean up a foreclosure, its 1,000's of can's of spray lysol.
Trouble is the only kind of people who rent this shit is meth-cooks, and the only guy that buy these houses are ONE-TIME idiots that haven't gotten a horrible disease from handling excrement for six months.
Sure you can hire a mexican to clean up the shit-house foreclosure, but its still going to require the 1,000 cans of Lysol, don't fucking laugh, I have lots of bud's in the biz, and this is what they use.
Too bad you can't get insurance for meth op's, then bend RE foreclosures could and would pencil out.
Sorry to pick on Timmy-Twat and he's not just one person, its what IHTBYB calls the kool-aid people, or the true believers.
I call them the timmy-twats,
For me the purpose of this blog is to have fun, debate the bubble, and inform.
The problem I have with the timmy-twats is that they don't have a sense of humor and they're never funny.
Sorry to pick on Timmy-Twat and he's not just one person, its what IHTBYB calls the kool-aid people, or the true believers.
The Bona Fide Kool-Aid Peddlers are The Bulletin, Cascade Bus News, and all the dumbshit RE True Believers who want people to buy NOW to reflate this thing.
Timmy is like me... a RE lurker vulture, ready to buy when the shit has hit the fan and the Bend RE market is overrun with zombie home sellers who are ready to just give their dogshit homes away. And THEN LOWBALL 'em!
Although... as I've said I almost certainly will not ever buy a Bend home... I don't think this place will hit economic rock-bottom in any relevant time period for me (next 10-15 years).
I don't think this place will hit economic rock-bottom in any relevant time period for me (next 10-15 years).
Look at those 2 listings above: One is 5ac of "subdividable" shit for $4.35 million (in Bend), the other is 3ac of commercial in Hines for $120K. Bend is $870,000/ac, and Hines is $40K, or a 2,075% difference.
Sure, Bend is worth quite a bit more... but over 2,000%? If I were setting up a biz, I WOULD NOT come to Bend. Go to Hines, and you get rock bottom land & facility costs and plentiful employees who only have to service $30K mortgages. THAT gives you competitive advantage, while Bend gives you a horrible cost DISADVANTAGE.
Look at GLSuite: They are making money hand over fist, and they're talking about expanding. But they're considering LEAVING Bend. WHY? Of course, they can make TONS more money if they do not have to indirectly service $500K mortgages, which is what every single Bend employers who wants to come here (or stay here), will have to do.
COMPETITIVELY IMPOSSIBLE.
Just so I'm clear, there were 4 active homes in the MLS on Apr 30, 2006 and 31 sales in Apr 2006? That doesn't seem possible. Plus a more than 10X increase in inventory in Sept? I know it's gone way up, but 10 fold+?
++++++++++
THAT IS THE MLS DATA I SEE for SFH IN NW BEND.
4...... ACTIVE HOMES IN NW BEND ON APRIL 30 2006
(NOT FOR THE MONTH, THAT DAY)
31...... SOLD FOR THE ALL THE MONTH OF APRIL 2006
141....... ACTIVE HOMES IN NW BEND
ON APRIL 30TH 2007
40...... SOLD FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2007 IN NW BEND
I have checked and rechecked, numbers blow me away to. Remeber as i mentioned likely some subdivisons were VERY likely not listing prperty on the MLS last year( did not want to pay realtor fees) This year they want exposure. (maybe mls is worg, but I dont think so and there is definatly a pattern.
Today in NW bend there is....448.. active listings for SFH
4...... ACTIVE HOMES IN NW BEND ON APRIL 30 2006
Geez.... that's unbelievable.
>>TT fucking nutheads that bought in the last five year in bend with nuttin down..
::sigh::
If people are paying so little attention that they think that I bought near the top, or that I'm a housing bull, should I just maybe change my name and start over?
>>4...... ACTIVE HOMES IN NW BEND ON APRIL 30 2006
Please. What does that even mean? I always thought that "active" meant available for sale, listed on the MLS.
Are we to believe that in the whole NW, there were 4 houses listed for sale?
How can that be? Was everything just snapped up so fast that the MLS was empty?
I saw the KPTV piece about rentals, prices going up, all that hoo-haw. Then I went to the rentaloregon link in the story and saw page after page of "$500 off with lease" and "new lower rent" places. I thought PDX media was slanted... this is LITERALLY unbelievable.
Putting lipstick on a PIG, they are.
4...... ACTIVE HOMES IN NW BEND ON APRIL 30 2006
Geez.... that's unbelievable.
*
When are you going to quit even looking, using, or thinking about the bendbb data, and start with a reliable source of useful data??
I saw the KPTV piece...
You mean KTVZ. KPTV was the home of the late Ramblin' Rod.
____________
============
Bend-based bank opens for business
Published: October 04. 2007 5:00AM PST
The first new banking company to start in Bend in 30 years has opened its doors on Disk Drive. High Desert Bank, led by longtime banker Larry Snyder, opened Sept. 26 at 1000 S.W. Disk Drive with eight employees. It’s a full-service commercial bank geared toward small to midsize businesses, as well as to consumers. Snyder is joined on the bank’s board of directors by Gwil T. Evans, president of Professional Air; Gary D. Fish, president of Deschutes Brewery Inc.; Cynthia Kane, vice president of Clear Choice Health Plans; John P. Lietz, president of Arrowood Development; Bruce A. McLellan, president of Heart Center Cardiology; Romy E. Mortensen, vice president for sales and marketing at Brooks Resources Corp.; and real estate developer Tim D. Van Horn.
Bend-based bank opens for business
Yeah, we are dangerously low on banks around here.
Anyone noticed that there are very rarely opened really innovative companies around here? Only stuff ever started is banks, builders, restaurants, repetitive knick-knack retail, and other crap we've already got a ton of?
Nothing but Me-Too businesses constitute 95% of all Bend startups...
]]]
Snyder is joined on the bank’s board of directors by Gwil T. Evans, president of Professional Air; Gary D. Fish, president of Deschutes Brewery Inc.; Cynthia Kane, vice president of Clear Choice Health Plans; John P. Lietz, president of Arrowood Development; Bruce A. McLellan, president of Heart Center Cardiology; Romy E. Mortensen, vice president for sales and marketing at Brooks Resources Corp.; and real estate developer Tim D. Van Horn.
Only 3 real estate developers on a board of 8? This bank's going to do great - it's got a real "diversified outlook."
Here's Larry Snyder's views in a Cascade Business News interview from back in May on how Bend will be affected by the subprime meltdown(the ignorant mistakes, such as "flight to qualify" instead of "flight to quality" and "credit defaulted swaps" instead of "credit default swaps," are those of Cascade Business News):
1) In light of the nationwide mortgage meltdown that saw subprime lending companies collapse and mortgages deflauted in many areas of the country, what effect will this issue have on the Central Oregon housing market?
While I don’t have any statistics that detail how many loans in Central Oregon originated at a subprime lending institution, I don’t think there are a lot of these loans in Deschutes County. I imagine there are some in Bend, Redmond and LaPine, but for the most part, I don’t think this issue will have a big impact on the Central Oregon housing market.
2) We've seen rising mortgage delinquencies as the consequence of the subprime shakeout throughout the country. What effect will this have on first-time buyers trying to qualify for a home loan?
The collapse may effect some first-time homebuyers, but what scares me more is the interest-only loans that borrowers are obtaining that are 100 percent financed with the homebuyer putting nothing into it that is geared toward investors who are "flipping" homes and first-time buyers. I feel the banking industry is doing a better job in this area qualifying buyers and we’re seeing a lot of buyers with large amounts of equity coming into this market.
3) Have Central Oregon banks experienced a "Flight to Qualify" for home loans in the aftermath of the mortgage meltdown?
I feel there is going to be a tightening that will sweep nationwide in the aftermath of the subprime collapse. It was to the point three years ago where it was almost as easy getting a home loan as it was getting a car loan, or in some instances, easier. It was crazy.
4) What effect will credit defaulted swaps between some loan institutions have on pension funds, PERS and other equity sharing funds in the aftermath of the subprime collapse?
We live in what is still essentially a small market so swaps are not an issue here. Maybe in Portland or larger metropolitan areas, but not here in Bend.
4...... ACTIVE HOMES IN NW BEND ON APRIL 30 2006
Geez.... that's unbelievable.
====
My bad, bogus info. Those 4 homes are still available. Must be that ignorant, attention to detail realtor in me comming out.
Only 3 real estate developers on a board of 8? This bank's going to do great - it's got a real "diversified outlook."
Actually that seems disproportionately small. 37.5% RE interests? Well, it's higher than the "stated" rate of 15% RE employment, but well below my own anecdotal estimate of 50%.
Hell 37.5% was probably as low as the guy could get in this place!
While I don’t have any statistics that detail how many loans in Central Oregon originated at a subprime lending institution, I don’t think there are a lot of these loans in Deschutes County.
Nice to hear that ABSENT OF ANY DATA, he assumes Deschutes County is immune from the vagaries that affect everywhere but here... We are God's Chosen People after all... what affects mere mortals, doesn't affect us.
"Subprime"? Only if you worship SATAN!
Cunts & Dicks of BB2 should be happy the 'bend' brand is being repackaged, but the product will remain the same.
Repackaging the Bend brand
Leader of Bend tourism bureau working on new campaign
By Jeff McDonald / The Bulletin
Published: October 02. 2007 5:00AM PST
Bend is a hot commodity in the tourism industry, but the city’s tourism-promotion leader says it could do a lot more to attract visitors from around the country.
Doug LaPlaca, 35, who became president and CEO of the Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau on Aug. 6, has had a busy two months since he moved his family from Traverse City, Mich., to take over the tourism post.
His primary focus has been finding out what the visitor bureau can do to help spark different segments of the city’s tourism industry, which has about 1 million overnight visitors annually contributing about $95 per day to Central Oregon’s $498 million tourism economy, according to a 2005 report from the bureau.
The Basics
Who: Doug LaPlaca, president and CEO
What: Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau
Where: 917 N.W. Harriman St., Bend
Phone: 382-8048
Web site: www.visitbend.com
Employees: Two full-time, six part-time
“There’s a common thread of optimism that Bend is in a very good position to take the next step,” said LaPlaca, whose background includes 1½ years as senior director of marketing at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Traverse City, five years as director of marketing at Steamboat ski area in Steamboat, Colo., and two years as marketing manager at Heavenly Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe, Calif.
“I want to gain insight into their perspective about what the (visitor bureau) can do to help their segment of the tourism industry,” LaPlaca said of industry leaders.
Bend’s rising national status, which has been enhanced through features in publications such as Outside and Mountain Bike magazines, could help it compete against other tourism destinations, particularly those in the Rocky Mountain West, he said.
“Most tourism destinations are challenged during the shoulder season when demand is not at its peak,” LaPlaca said. “Bend is positioned well against other tourism towns because it offers a robust collection of non-weather-dependent attractions, like shopping, dining and events.”
The visitor bureau, contracted by the city of Bend to promote the area, has an $852,500 budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year that began July 1.
Taking the next step means entering states such as Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York with more public relations, advertising, promotion and direct sales, LaPlaca said.
He’s creating a new campaign that could be ready within six months and would be addressed in the 2008-09 budget, he said.
“It’s not creating a new brand — it’s about repackaging the way we represent the Bend brand,” LaPlaca said. “We will have a consistent and compelling campaign completed within the next six months.”
LaPlaca also has been busy forging partnerships with key players in Bend’s tourism industry, including lodging, restaurant and retail representatives, as well as recreation providers like Mt. Bachelor ski area, he said.
Additionally, the visitor bureau approved a $14,600 grant for BendFilm, $5,000 for the Nature of Words and $20,000 for the Bend WinterFest, three events that will use the money for advertising. The goal is to attract event visitors during an otherwise slow time for Bend tourism.
The money, part of the agency’s $80,000 annual budget for event funding, will help BendFilm orchestrate a last-minute newspaper advertising campaign throughout Washington state and Oregon before the festival starts, Oct. 11, LaPlaca said.
Q: You’ve been on the job for nearly two months. Describe your experience so far.
A: My first two months with the BVCB have been incredibly positive. Having an engaged and supportive board of directors has greatly accelerated my transition. The support I’ve received from the board, staff, and the entire Bend tourism community has been tremendous and has allowed me to get settled and initiate my plans much earlier than I anticipated.
My primary focus during the first two months with the VCB was educating myself on the organization, the destination and the tourism infrastructure I will be working within. My observations in the first two months support what initially interested me in the opportunity: Bend is on the brink of becoming a major national competitor in the mountain tourism industry.
Q: Where do you see the most potential for growth in Bend’s tourism industry? What steps will you take to achieve your goals?
A: I see potential for growth in Bend’s tourism industry on a year-round basis, but certainly the biggest opportunity for tourism growth is represented in the shoulder seasons and winter months. Like most tourist destinations, the shoulder seasons create a challenge in attracting visitors at times when the weather may not be as cooperative and the recreational opportunities are not at their peak.
As my administration evolves, a greater emphasis will be placed on promoting Bend during these times of low demand. Specifically, the BVCB will be supporting event organizers who plan shoulder season and winter events. We will also be more involved in generating leads in the conference and meetings arena and passing those leads off to the lodging community to convert into lodging and tourism revenue.
Q: The visitor bureau has several new board members, a new top executive and staff. How do you guide an organization that has been through so much change?
A: Change is an inherent part of any business. In my experience, change can be a very positive thing when strong leadership is in place to guide that change. As a board, we are committed to capitalizing on the opportunity before us and elevating the Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau to be the best and most successful in the industry.
We have worked very hard during my first two months to implement strong policies, procedures and strategies to ensure that the BVCB exceeds the expectations of our stakeholders while continuing to deliver on our mission to enhance the economic impact of tourism in Bend.
Taking the next step means entering states such as Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York with more public relations, advertising, promotion and direct sales, LaPlaca said.
*
Fuck You calis, we don't want you to buy our fucking condos, we want tx,fl, il, ny to buy our fucking condos.
A very interesting thing to watch coming from the BULL the last two days is that they are hitting 'craigs-list' hard, to read the BULL you would think that free advertising was the cause of meth addiction in eastern-oregon.
There is a new demon in Eastern Oregon, and its 'craigs-list' people are using it to solicit 'sex' and in general to have fun.
Something MUST be done. The police have been notified.
What you have here is a geriatric town of blue-hairs that have to create a crisis because somebody out there somewhere might be having fun.
Cessna say's that 'IF' they become the lowest prevailing bidder, and their low-bid is accepted, over the other higher bids, then they'll keep the staff in Bend.
“There’s a common thread of optimism that Bend is in a very good position to take the next step,” said LaPlaca,
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We're on the verge of bankruptcy, and LaPlaca, a 35 year old with over 20+ years of director PR experience, is going to lead Bend off the cliff.
Bend is in a good position, bent over palms holding ankles, and ready to take what's coming.
Optimism, and a paid placement mention in Outside Magazine will not even get you a super-burrito in Bend.
A very interesting thing to watch coming from the BULL the last two days is that they are hitting 'craigs-list' hard, to read the BULL you would think that free advertising was the cause of meth addiction in eastern-oregon.
Shit... I didn't even think of that! I actually went right to craigslist to see if there were The Endless Hoards Of Prostitutes & Child Pornographers The Bulletin claims... no. Nada. Nut'n.
Just the usual ass-ugly skanks just trying to get lucky. No hourly rates, or any of that Bull-shit-in.
Fuck You Bulletin.
Fuck You Bulletin.
And KTVZ too.
OK, I found it, under services - "Erotic Services".
Oh brother, what is the big fuckin deal? This is just ESCORT SERVICES (AKA prostitution), WHICH IS IN EVERY YELLOW PAGES IN THE US!
What KTVZ? I haven't heard a YELLOW PAGES RANT? Why not?
Geez, you spineless bitches are just scared as hell of competition... that's why you bought the first competition you have in 30 years. I hope KOHD kicks your ass. And my God, stop running those ridiculous pieces where your news anchors claim to have been OR natives from Day 1, and hence can bring "authenticity" to your newscasts... THEY'RE TALKING HEADS for Gods sake, they barely comprehend what they're reading. Although that Molly Hendrickson chick is dead hot...
Taking the next step means entering states such as Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York with more public relations, advertising, promotion and direct sales, LaPlaca said.
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Somebody here explain to me WHY our enormASS budget for tourism has to attract texans, floridians, and yorkers?? WHY in the fuck do we want them in Bend.
First of all Yorkers and Floridians are the same thing, a floridian is just a York sun-bird. What is it with Illinois are they so fucking stupid? Do they read outside mag??
Somebody elucidate what OUR powers that be are thinking when they squander city taxpayer money???
Floridians don't need NO bend condo, and folks from Illinois??
Just a few years ago BEND allowed MTV, I'll be that bend city hall has bend-broadband block craigs-list in name of protecting the children.
Read todays WSJ realtors are fucking customers to get sales, and FSBO is up 50% YOY, holy fucking shit!!!!!!!!!!!
Also what is interesting is that folks are still get realtor licenses, as its an easy thing for the walmart crowd to do, easier than getting a mail-order college degree.
So the UGB, the baby boomer migration, the high california prices, the revival of downtown can all look like rational reasons, but they're just grist, just excuses to Build, build, build, sell, sell, sell.
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Everyone that could buy bought, and most bought one or two. Calis bought, and they bought a second in Bend. Thanks to Bend's great PR scam
The real issue here is that every realtor in Bend was telling every sucker coming to Bend that 30%/yr appreciation was yours, and everyone could and did participate in the money tree. In 2004 builders were coming from all over the country and paying $300k for lots anywhere in Bend that were only 5k-sqft.
Everyone did this to get rich quick. There is NO amount of supply, as quite often most people bought promises. Most bubbles folks buy before the stuff is even built, and sell their contract before its built for +20%.
There's a lot of newbies including IHTBYB who think UGB is artificial and strange, get over it, we all have its been in Oregon since 1972.
The bubble has essential elements yes it played all over america, but Bend was the biggest.
1.) A city that literally blew taxpayers dollars to inflate the bubble on PR, to SELL BEND.
2.) 24 golf courses and resorts in the area to bring in tourists and sell them condos/time-shares.
3.) Easy-Money, nothing down, up to four homes no problem, no-doc.
4.) Get rich quick, in Bend a monkey can make +30%/yr on other peoples money.
Certainly other places had 3&4 above, but Bend artificially created 1&2, which led to the biggest boom, and will yield the biggest bust.
What do we have to show for it? Not much, more than likely the city will be bankrupt within 2-3 years.
I live by one motto "If it were easy to be rich everyman would be rich". Look around guys, most folks live hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck, always have, and always will.
There are two major problems in the Bend Blogger Bubble Brigade that I can see.
1.) A complete disregard for the common man, the majority of the BBBB's tend to be newies ( less than ten years in bend ), that rent or own a large 'cali' type tract house. They're doing 'fine'. They blog purely for amusement. ( I call these callous assholes "timmys" ).
2.) I agree that the bend bubble is purely built on speculative insanity, greed, and irrationality. There is NO structural reason like UGB or Bend City Code that caused the bubble, if UGB were the reason, then Burns, and Pendleton was have exploded.
People came from all over in 2002 to BUY in Bend, CACB investors of that day, Sebastian Homes PDX move operations to Bend, everyone knew it was time. Brooks spent a fortune on "Smart Growth", in order to justify NWXC. The City of Bend spent a ton of money marketing Bend. The State approved every resort in the area using UGB loopholes.
Then you throw in easy money to borrow ( OPM ), and the promise of infinite 30%/yr returns on such, and the ability to purchase four homes with no-doc, interest only, nothing-down. All the big boys saw this coming, that's why sebastian came, and that's why brooks built NWXC when he did. They knew the easy-money would cause people to purchase as quick as they could build.
Today the typically blogger is such as "I have my I'm fine", or "Oregon Law created the problem"
First of all the little guy is essential to our happiness in Bend, if +25% are un-employed, then crime will skyrocket. Oregon's UGB laws are not what caused the Bend-Bubble, the most over-inflated RE in the country. IF UGB was the cause then every two-bit city in Oregon would have had a bubble, they didn't. Only Bend, and mainly because the city was and still is ran by developers, who telegraphed their crony's all over America that a RE gold-rush was going to take place post 2002.
I personally think the essential problem here for the majority of the bloggers is that they haven't been here long enough, and they're not old enough to have seen bad times.
The biggest liars in Bend are the SORE, and the BULL.
M49 allows pre 1972 development rights to be sold to foriegners. Something that M37 didn't allow.
M37 said if you owned the land pre 1972, then you can develop. M49 says that you can transfer those right to someone other than the owner. What the people who wrote M37 failed to realize is the average person doesn't have enough money to build a mega-development.
Thus M49 will make ALL pre-1972 land saleable to REITS, and thus MAKE ALL the big boys like JD-Gray ( sunriver ), and boss hogg hollern ( Black Butt Ranch ), even richer.
IHTBYB,
Geez, listen to yourself. "But see, 'the going rate' is determined by supply, which..." blah, blah, blah.
The going rate is based on a bubble! Remember the title to your blog. The going rate is a bubble rate! It's illogical, and has nothing to do with underlying factors.
IF THERE ARE GOOD REASONS FOR HIGHER PRICES, then it isn't a bubble.
We are the most overpriced town in America. So is that because of land supply, because everyone wants to move to Bend, because rich people and baby boomers pick Bend above all others, because houses always go up, because, because....?
Or is it a crazy bubble?
So which is it?
What I hear you saying is, there are reasons housing prices are higher.
But isn't that all the bubble deniers are saying? The housing prices are justified because of reason one, or reason two.
But its all bubble logic. Logically consistent within the bubble, a self feeding loop, that people buy into.
But all of us have said many times, that it's the emperor has no clothes...that a someone will eventually point that out, and the bubble goes poof....
You're basically saying that the emperor is really fat and doesn't need clothes to stay warm.
Paul-doh, you've talked about the Nasdaq bubble before.
There were all kinds of 'reasons' given for the increase; we were in a new paradigm, that the internet was going to create a new economy, detached from all previous rules, that productivity was in a permanent state of increase, other reasons, blah, blah, blah.
It was all nonsense. It was a bubble.
But isn't that all the bubble deniers are saying? The housing prices are justified because of reason one, or reason two.
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Everyone by word of mouth said "bend", bend is the next aspen, every home was going to be worth millions.
Everyone was going to get rich, lets go back to tulip mania, a fucking flower bulb in the 1600's was trading for more than a home.
Everybody was selling everything to buy tulips, such as bend.
In bend fucking secretary's at title company's that I know bought two or more homes on speculation. That was in fall of 2006, which as we know was game-over.
All one has to do is go get the book "grand popular delusions, and madness of the crowds", its odd that this stuff isn't widely know or taught.
The king of wall street said he knew it was over pre-depression ( 1920's ) when his shoe-shine boy was giving HIM stock tips.
I'm an old fart, been doing property managment, rentals for years, its hard work, when you see people with NO CASH flow, and no ability to do real work buying homes, and then letting them sit empty to make 30%/yr forever, you know insanity is present.
Today, we have all these insane people in Bend bleeding to death, just a few days ago the BEND PR machine of the city promised to bring it all back, we're now going to bring in tourist from Illinois, and Texas NO more calis, I kid you not.
Do folks yet realize its over? Hell no.
Do folks yet realize its over? Hell no.
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The problem is once they realize its over you'll no longer be able to get money to buy, nothing will sell paralysis will cause complete implosion.
This will not be a pretty time, today is a good time,
The stock market is up, because its the only safe place to put your money, WASHMU announced -75% loss in earnings, Merrill lost $5Billion, ... how can the stock market go up, when everyone is enjoying negative earnings?? People are greedy and insane, but the fact is stocks go up based on future growth in profit, its only a matter of time before wall street has its day of reckoning.
Regarding the guy who said 25 years ago that USA is going to shit, me to I have been saying that and guess what we're right, the DOLLAR has been falling for 20+ years, and that is how its measured, eventually nobody will want dollars,
The same thing happened in the fall of Rome, eventually there was nothing to eat, because the farmers wouldn't bring grain to Rome, because the money had no value.
The resiliency of the USA is nukes, guns, and troops, eventually china, and EU, will quit loaning the USA to kill, and then the USA will implode, until then party-on,
The tired old myths are passed down as fact. THERE are NO rich in Bend, only HELOC parasites. Manufacturing? Never was. Jobs? Nada, bend has always been a service-economy ever since the mill's shut down, long ago.
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Is Bend's transformation into a city for the wealthy destroying its manufacturng base?
Posted by mrollins October 07, 2007 05:46AM
Categories: Central Oregon, Columbia Gorge, Eastern Oregon
The Bend Bulletin dissects a dilemma facing the city. Companies that provide family-wage jobs are finding it more difficult to stay put, looking for other locations in Central Oregon or being courted by other states. The story provides compelling statistics on why you can't lose those blue-collar industries.
In Bend, a limited supply of industrial land has pushed prices to some of the highest in the state, prompting some manufacturers to shuffle around the High Desert to find more affordable regions to grow. Additionally, Bend's cost of living strains the work force, pushing many employyees to commute from cheaper cities and making labor costs rise for the employer.
The key to absorbing any job losses in a changing economy, officials say, is attracting a larger diversity of industries -- and pointing out that Central Oregon remains cheaper to manufacture in than other Northwest regions.
Manufacturing's contribution to the economy is reflected in state and national numbers.
In Deschutes County, the average pay for an employee of a private firm made $33,329 in 2006, according to the Oregon Employment Department.
Manufacturing workers made $37,949 that year.
In gross domestic product, Deschutes County's manufacturing sector grew 51.5 percent between 2001 and 2005, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Comparatively, the county's total GDP grew 33.2 percent during that time.
First of all there are NO wealthy in Bend, Bend is about a parasitic HELOC money.
There are only service jobs, in Bend always been this way.
What's happened to Bend since 2002, is that developers took over the city-hall, and transferred taxpayers dollars towards Public Relations, tens of thousands of condo's were built, and 24 resort golf-courses. From 2002 to 2006 100's of thousands of tourists were routed through Bend, and many were sold condo's and time shares.
To this day the city is still using taxpayer money to bring in out of town suckers. Trouble is there were no jobs, and then in the last seven years there were construction jobs, now that unemployed people can no longer secure HELOC money, now that Year-to-Date Bend real estate is down -50% everything has come to a halt. During prior two years Bend was the highest appreciating city in America, this year and the next five Bend will fall hardest in the country.
What a bunch of dribble. Nobody talked this way when RE was going up 30%/yr, now that the end is near. All of a sudden white-trash jobs are all the rage, what do we need??? Juniper-Ridge.
What is the solution? SAO ( software association ), a collection of insurance salesmen, and cd-rom duplicator vendors that get lotto money to throw partys. They're coming to Bend to create jobs, just remember this, that 20+ year SAO has been spending tons of state dollars near beaverton, and NADA nothing has come, mix that with EDCO and you have a recipe to spend more taxpayer dollars on party's. The solution? There is NO solution, there is NO rational reason to site your business in central oregon, there never has been, and there never will be.
Poverty with a view, always has been, always will be.
Note, also this thing below is written like IHTBYB was behind it, just create lots of cheap land and shit will happen, just subsidize industry, e.g. tax deferral and they'll stay, WHY DON'T we give everyone tax exemption, and nobody will leave? We're already bankrupt lets expedite the process.
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Despite growth, some are worried about challenges for manufacturing
By Anna Sowa / The Bulletin
Published: October 07. 2007 5:00AM PST
Joseph Bartels, CEO of Redmond kit plane maker Lancair International Inc., says he’d be sad to leave Central Oregon’s clear, blue skies. Bartels, like all so-called “amenity migrants,” loves the quality of life the High Desert affords him. But as a business owner, he said, he may not be able to afford the region’s land prices and cost of living for his employees.
“I’m worried that one day somebody is going to end up offering me so much money (to relocate the company) that I would be an absolute fool not to take it,” Bartels said last week, acknowledging that a town in Colorado is courting his company. “I love Oregon, but am discouraged that no economic-retention organization has been sufficient enough to … keep organizations like Lancair here.”
Economic developers say manufacturing businesses are important to the region’s economic health, as they typically bring jobs with competitive pay. While many manufacturers are thriving in Central Oregon, some, like Lancair, worry about their future.
In Bend, a limited supply of industrial land has pushed prices to some of the highest in the state, prompting some manufacturers to shuffle around the High Desert to find more affordable regions to grow. Additionally, Bend’s cost of living strains the work force, pushing many employyees to commute from cheaper cities and making labor costs rise for the employer.
The key to absorbing any job losses in a changing economy, officials say, is attracting a larger diversity of industries — and pointing out that Central Oregon remains cheaper to manufacture in than other Northwest regions.
A piece of the pie
Manufacturing’s contribution to the economy is reflected in state and national numbers.
In Deschutes County, the average pay for an employee of a private firm made $33,329 in 2006, according to the Oregon Employment Department.
Manufacturing workers made $37,949 that year.
In gross domestic product, Deschutes County’s manufacturing sector grew 51.5 percent between 2001 and 2005, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Comparatively, the county’s total GDP grew 33.2 percent during that time.
Manufacturing made up 8.8 percent of the county’s total GDP growth in 2005.
Lancair comprises a piece of that manufacturing pie, employing 65 people who make airplane parts, with which customers build their own aircraft.
Lance Neibauer, of Tumalo, founded the company in the mid-1990s and also founded FAA-certified aircraft manufacturer Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corp. Neibauer sold Lancair to Bartels in 2003 and split from Columbia in 2006.
Columbia is one of the area’s top employers, with roughly 400 workers, and last month announced it was planning to sell to Wichita, Kan.-based Cessna Aircraft Co., the world’s largest maker of general aviation airplanes. Columbia also announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The announcement worries regional leaders, who fear a larger company could move Columbia out of Central Oregon. Cessna must win a bankruptcy auction to buy Columbia against other bidders, but has said it would keep the company in Bend.
At Lancair, Bartels says he has no serious plans to leave Redmond, but he has entertained numerous offers from economic-development officials in other states serving up cheaper industrial land, tax breaks and other cash incentives.
“My concern is that I don’t see Oregon going out of its way to keep people,” he said.
He would like to see employee training programs for the manufacturing and technology sectors, more land zoned for industrial uses and affordable housing options for workers.
Compass Commercial Real Estate Services data suggest that Bend and Redmond have more industrial space available than last year, but the vacancy rate is still very low. Compass Commercial’s second quarter 2007 newsletter shows that Bend’s industrial building vacancy rate increased to 7 percent in the second quarter, up from 2.9 percent at that time last year. The increase is due to a number of factors, says broker Darren Powderly, who said new industrial construction is adding to the supply and existing businesses are not expanding as fast as new space is being created.
“We were at absolutely anemic levels last year,” Powderly said. “Now, at least we’re returning to normalcy, but we’re still at very restricted levels.”
High industrial lease costs are one reason businesses may not be expanding, Powderly said. The average cost of built-out industrial space in Bend ranges from 50 cents per square foot to 70 cents per square foot, not including operating expenses. Comparatively, Redmond space costs an average of 40 cents to 60 cents per square foot.
Bend’s industrial space is at about a two-year supply, Powderly said. Bend needs more raw industrial land to attract new manufacturers and help existing businesses grow, he said. Oregon law mandates a 20-year supply of industrial land be kept available for future economic growth, Powderly noted.
“Juniper Ridge is basically our only hope for that,” he said of the city-owned land on Bend’s north end. “In my opinion, we can’t wait for that any longer.”
Priced out
Bend’s industrial land prices already are forcing out some manufacturers.
After 25 years, Bend Tarp & Liner moved its 16-person manufacturing plant from Bend to Prineville in July. The pool liner and tarp manufacturer could not afford to expand its facilities in Bend, said Chief Financial Officer Steve Caldwell. And with its employment expected to grow 25 percent in the new space, Caldwell says Prineville offers more affordable housing options for workers.
Ron Cook, president of Ameritech Machine Manufacturing Inc., is preparing to move his Bend business to Redmond, where he says industrial land prices are half of Bend’s.
“It truly is, in my opinion, expensive beyond belief,” he said. “We couldn’t grow (in Bend).”
His seven-year-old company already has outgrown its Bend location, which doesn’t have desk room for all 25 employees. Cook expects his business will grow to more than 40 people by the end of its first year in Redmond, adding both welders and office staff for the maker or steel parts for the steel processing industry.
Roger Lee, executive director of Economic Development for Central Oregon, admits other areas of the country have more attractive incentives for certain industries than Central Oregon. For example, parts of the Midwest offer breaks on property taxes and other cash incentives for businesses in the aerospace industry, he said. Oregon’s incentives are primarily geared toward attracting tech companies, Lee said, and any change to that must come at the state level.
Bend’s industrial land may be pricey, he said, but the region still is more affordable than larger metropolitan areas, notably California. For example, the region’s employment costs, workers’ compensation rates, and sales and property taxes are lower than some neighboring states.
Juniper Ridge could help, too, Lee said, hoping it offers much-needed industrial land and a campus to train high-tech workers.
“It would be nice to have more than one place to locate a company,” Lee said. “(Companies) like multiple options.”
Doing fine
Lee is quick to identify companies that have thrived in Central Oregon. He mentioned Breedlove Guitar, which is planning to move its guitar-making facility to NorthWest Crossing from Tumalo; Microsemi, the Southern California-based semiconductor wafer manufacturer that acquired Bend’s Advanced Power Technology last year and which remains in Bend; and GL Suite, a Bend software company that designs regulatory programs for government agencies around the globe.
GL Suite is a 10-year-old company that moved to Bend nine years ago from Lake Oswego. President Bill Moseley said Bend appealed to him because it seemed like a good place to raise his young family. All he needed was air transportation, which Redmond Airport provided, and networking infrastructure through a high-speed Internet connection.
Now, Moseley needs affordable housing for his workers. His 42-person business would need 18 more employees to meet its present demand and will need up to 100 by the end of the year, he said.
“High housing prices mean pressure on wages,” he said. The base salary at GL Suite is $39,000 per year, he added, excluding benefits.
Moseley is generally able to find the qualified workers he needs, but says the labor force is becoming tighter.
Labor and housing woes considered, Moseley said, two things would prompt him to leave Bend:
•If housing prices start accelerating like they did in 2005 and 2006, he would open a satellite facility outside the region and gradually move his company there.
•If the community doesn’t attract more talented workers to fit his needs, he might open a new facility elsewhere, while keeping the Bend location open.
For Central Oregon to attract more tech manufacturing companies, Moseley says, the region needs to establish and nurture a tech cluster.
“Industries grow in clusters,” he said. “If you get a couple airplane manufacturers in a particular area, they sprout suppliers that service them and employees come and become interchangeable … it’s the same thing in software.”
EDCO and the Software Association of Oregon are the best candidates to unite all the tech companies and workers, he said, although the software association only recently came to Central Oregon.
A cluster of established tech groups would exchange ideas, skills and work off each other’s success, Moseley said. And that would encourage startup companies.
“I think if we can get the central cluster done, we can help some of those startups out,” he said. “The longer we wait to do these things, the further we put off success.
The key to absorbing any job losses in a changing economy, officials say, is attracting a larger diversity of industries -- and pointing out that Central Oregon remains cheaper to manufacture in than other Northwest regions.
*
Yes, the NEW along the I5 corridor, or Columbia River, but NOT bend,oregon, out in the middle of the desert, where everything has to be long-hauled over the cascade pass.
Complete INSANITY to site industry in Bend, Oregon. Other than the fact that Brogman can minimize his commute, but now folks are figuring out that the workers can't afford to eat here.
Yes, the NW is cheap to industrialize, but Bend is NOT the NW, bend is part of the desert great-basin, its a long way from transportation cooridor. Yes, lets spend $25Billion to build a FWY along I97 that connects VEGAS and YAKIMA, ... just to save Bend, its NOT going to happen.
Bend is imploding, and humpty-dumpty cannot put it back together again, because it was always a house of cards.
The Bulletin's major news is that GDP grew during the years 2001 to 2005. Gee, we grew during the bubble? Who knew?
The Bulletin's major news is that GDP grew during the years 2001 to 2005. Gee, we grew during the bubble? Who knew?
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Just like the jump in jobs report that just came back, it was from July, and its now October, and there telling us there was the normal seasonal jump in summer employment.
The BULL has to go back to two years ago to find a trend line that Bend is growing faster than land can support.
How about someone in this fucking town paying attention today.
“Juniper Ridge is basically our only hope for that,” he said of the city-owned land on Bend’s north end. “In my opinion, we can’t wait for that any longer.”
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If Juniper-Ridge is our only hope, then we are FUCKED.
Who is this 'WE' white-man?? Why don't they say that JR is boss hogg hollern's only hope? Why don't they say that JR is the only HOPE of BIG contractor firms of big projects coming down??
JR is NO hope for the taxpayer, just another boon-doggle to accelerate Bend's bankruptcy.
"BEND WILL BE BANKRUPT IN 3 YEARS"
Naw it won't. Those who overleveraged themselves and got caught in the middle of the flip game will be though.
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