Supes Focus on Tourism Industry to Revive Local Economy

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday afternoon considered ideas that involved constructing hotels, capitalizing on upcoming local sporting events, and marketing the county as a desirable location for business during a discussion centered around improving the county's economy.

County Manager David Boesch directed a study session - held at the board chambers in Redwood City - in which supervisors joined together with local officials and business representatives to brainstorm ways that would improve economic development.

Anne LeClair, President and CEO of the San Mateo County/Silicon Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, says the county should target cashing in on the influx of visitors coming to the area to watch the upcoming America's Cup yacht races.

LeClair says the county should try to grab a slice of the $1.57 billion in revenue the race is expected to generate for San Francisco, where the race will be held.

She pointed to hotels, restaurants and local tourism destinations as major points of interest to draw visitors south and into San Mateo County.

(Her comments followed a presentation made at the regularly scheduled board meeting Tuesday morning by Adam Van de Water, who is coordinating San Francisco's preparation effort for the race.)

(Van de Water said he wanted the event to be an economic success for San Francisco and the entire region.)

LeClair said that Peninsula hotels will benefit twice in the next two years: from the influx of fans for the America's Cup races, and from the US Open Golf Tournament, which will be held at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

She said an agreement has already been reached in which staffers for the golf event will stay in San Mateo County, raking in a considerable amount of income for the area.

Some attending the supervisors' session said the county could use more prime overnight locations for business people.

Chris Carpenter, general manager at the San Mateo County Event Center, said plans are being developed to build a hotel nearby his facility in order to offer a destination location to out-of-towners coming to attend conferences and conventions.

Carpenter said the proposed hotel could offer the conference rooms, fine dining opportunities and amenities business people look for when visiting a region.

All the elements addressed at the afternoon study session would raise revenue for the county, which is looking for ways to combat a structural deficit of more than $50 million.

A memo by Boesch published before the meeting focused on county-owned property as an asset that could be sold or leased in order to generate income to the county.

But much of the discussion that took place Tuesday centered around talk between supervisors and organizations such as those represented by LeClair and Carpenter - as well as other local Chambers of Commerce in the region - to have more in-depth discussions about what the county can do to improve the local business climate.

Redwood City Councilwoman and San Mateo County Economic Development Association CEO Rosanne Foust said meetings such as the one that took place Tuesday go far toward connecting the dots of local movers and shakers that can make a difference in the local economy.

"Economic development is a wonderful, wonderful thing," said Foust.

And though no policy decisions were made at the study session, Board of Supervisors President Carole Groom directed Boesch to synthesize many of the ideas floated Tuesday into an action plan.

She also said the board would have another meeting, with other local business development advocates, before making any decisions.

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