What do you get when you combine a passionate City Council, City Manager, and Economic Development Department dedicated to (i) improving equitable access to higher education and (ii) strengthening the City’s largest business cluster with a similarly capable and committed group of Cathedral City residents?
Answer: A $35M Roadrunner Motors Automotive Technology and Advanced Transportation Logistics Campus!
On April 22, 2022, the College of the Desert’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to resume designing and ultimately constructing Roadrunner Motors adjacent to the Cathedral City Auto Center. Friday’s decision to move the project forward reverses an October 2021 decision to relocate Roadrunners Motors out of the city.
Reinstating this critically-needed campus involved many stakeholders. Special thanks go to the residents and businesses who stood up and voiced their support for improved access to higher education, better economic opportunities, and the need to support our City’s largest business cluster. Their efforts resulted in not only a $35M educational investment, but an investment which will benefit generations of future youth, auto industry workers, and others looking to enter an ever-evolving technological field. In exchange, the city renounced the requirement that the college pay its share (40%) of the cost of potentially installing a traffic signal at the corner of Margo Murphy Way and East Palm Canyon Drive saving the college an estimated $150,000.
As Cathedral City’s Director of Economic Development, my department’s central goal is to improve the economic, educational, and social opportunities within our community. We can achieve these goals through more equitable access to higher education, more diverse and demanding employment opportunities, and an enhanced social support structure. As we achieve these goals, household wealth increases, public health improves, and the quality of life within Cathedral City thrives. Achieving these goals benefits our community and our Valley in profound and lasting ways.
In addition to improving access to higher education, another critical component is increasing economic opportunities. Next week marks the second annual Hall of Flowers event. The Hall of Flowers is the largest cannabis industry-only trade show within California. This trade show helps showcase the robust cannabis business cluster that is only continuing to blossom within Cathedral City.
To stay apprised of Economic Development activities, please bookmark www.ccedd.org for information on economic development activities within Cathedral City. You can hasten our City’s and our businesses’ economic recovery by shopping local. Check out our website, Cathedral City Shop Local, to find categories and lists of all the companies within Cathedral City which need your support. Shopping at our businesses will help keep our retailers alive and keep your tax dollars within the City. These tax dollars fund critical services such as our Police, our Fire Department, and road maintenance. There is no better testimonial for attracting new businesses than to ensure our existing businesses are prosperous.
Lastly, your efforts to keep your properties clean, weed, and debris-free are paying off. Property appearance is an important “selling point” when prospective homebuyers, business owners, and developers look for a “perfect” location. Everyone is a part of Cathedral City’s long-term success, and you are making an impact!
