El Pasos economy booming (Galveston, Fort Bliss: real estate, daycare, loans)

[Muhnay]

You agree with Hook and he starts off by saying I am onto something and goes into detail of how I could be right. And you agree but yet here you are still arguing with me.

Chuco.. dude. We disagree. Simple as that. Why argue. Come 2013 when the New troops should all be settled in, and the city is in what ever state its in.. if I am right I expect a public apology, and for you to tell everyone who was right and who was wrong.. I will do the same.. deal?

Because honestly.. I don't think I am wrong. I am too tired of trying to explain it to you. You have your notion set in stone in your head and fail to see the big picture.

[kidicarus89]

Ft. Bliss is a great component of growth for El Paso, but I think the Medical Center of the Americas, Texas Tech and expansion at UTEP are the real long-term prosperity strategies for this region. Hospitals and universities don't experience the type of fluctuation in funding and mission that military bases do - they are like a gift that keeps on giving. A highly educated populace is far less sensitive to ups and downs in the economy.

The addition of infantry soldiers vs. medical professionals and students are two very different things, you know.

[Six Foot Three]

I would hope that what Bob Cook (Redco) stated comes true and that is with the Bliss expansion that will bring in these High Tech manufactering companies that make the weapons for the Army as then they'll test then on Mcgregor Range and White Sands Missle Range.

[Muhnay]

I hear that New Mexico is already gearing up to offer great packages to these companies in Las Cruces and Alamogordo.. so they may steal El Paso's Thunder on those jobs real quick.. El Paso better pull its head out of the sand and see what our neibors are cooking.

[alliswell]

A highly educated populace is far less sensitive to ups and downs in the economy.

In the grand scheme of things, EP is considered by most business standards to be a low cost geography (as they say). High property taxes among other things are relative and you have to be careful to compare apples to apples.

With the current economic conditions, the shift and intense focus on low cost geography is really kind of staggering. Off shoring is not as cheap as it used to be. Getting goods from China and India to anywhere else is taking longer and costing more. Business are finding that no matter what means of training or product design, they simply can not cultivate diverse levels of workers in places like India, China, Eastern Europe.

So the basic question being posed now is how and where can we make stuff and get stuff done in North America. Where can we move production, offices, bodies. "Made In the USA.... again" is a recent catch phrase.

What has happened in EP is irrelevant. It is the past. The new economic landscape is dramatic and different. Only time will tell, no one knows for certain how things will turn but what is certain is that EP meets many criteria in that attractive low cost geography category.

[Six Foot Three]

Originally Posted by Muhnay

I hear that New Mexico is already gearing up to offer great packages to these companies in Las Cruces and Alamogordo.. so they may steal El Paso's Thunder on those jobs real quick.. El Paso better pull its head out of the sand and see what our neibors are cooking.

I was reading in the Albuquerque Journal News that Honeywell in Albuquerque was awarded an Army contract to build the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior Helicoptors.

[Muhnay]

Alliswell.. I like what you have to say.. but I fear that El Paso is not the ideal place.. New Mexico has better incentives than we are offering.. so places like Las Cruces, Alamogordo, and the surrounding area may get the contracts and business El Paso needs.. T or C is also a place destined for more growth, with the space port in the back yard and all that open land near by.. not to mention military bases in every direction, it would also be beneficial to these companies to build in these areas over El Paso. Companies use past data to see future trends and to make analysis projections into their future, so you can not dismiss the past of El Paso so easily. Companies will move to where they see the best profit over cost, and right now EL Paso is not it. Thats not to say that it can not change.. lower property tax, or give tax credits to companies who move operations here and employ X amount of people at an above pay scale... just some things to think about.

[1979]

Oh yes, the economy is booming! Just think of all the fast food restaurants opening up, and all those Dollar stores! Strip malls everywhere! There are so many Wal-marts to choose from too...hmm, lets see, east side, upper valley, west side...hmm, decisions....decisions

[Caltep]

I had read somewhere that having Dollar Generals and the like are not really a sign of bad economy because a large percentage of shoppers in those stores are considered "affluent". And when I used to live in the Silicon Valley area of Northern California, affluent meant just that. I would go to Dollar Tree and the lot would have Lexus (Lexi?), Acuras, Mercedes, etc. parked next to a 1979 Oldsmobile and a Pinto. Folks with money have money because they like a bargain like any one else...which is probably why they have money.

Now when pay day loan and check cashing businesses move in, then there is a problemo. And I have noticed more Car Title Loan and Pay Day Loan places sprouting up. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

So I hope I read your message right. As my dollar is stretched even further, Dollar General will still be a viable option though I would prefer home cooked to fast food any day.

Originally Posted by 1979

Oh yes, the economy is booming! Just think of all the fast food restaurants opening up, and all those Dollar stores! Strip malls everywhere! There are so many Wal-marts to choose from too...hmm, lets see, east side, upper valley, west side...hmm, decisions....decisions

[alliswell]

Companies will move to where they see the best profit over cost, and right now EL Paso is not it.

With all due respect, you don't know that that EP does not, can not offer better margins. You speak much too broadly yet with a limited scope all at the same time. There are a multitude of other locales in the U.S. where workers cost more, insurance cost more, taxes are more brutal, price per square foot of production facilties and office space are without a doubt more expensive, etc.

EP is closest to Juarez. Juarez is what it is. Conflict and all. EP is one of the few cities where global managers and executives can have the benefit of still living in the states yet have very close access to an international production facility. Agreed EP needs to realize that there could be opportunity on the horizon and make plans to march to attracting those business who are looking for new locales that are less expensive than their current digs.