* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:03:50] OKAY, LET'S [CALL TO ORDER] CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. COULD I PLEASE HAVE THE ROLL CALL? COMMISSIONER JACKS. JACK COMMISSIONER. MATOYA COMMISSIONER PRESENT? NO. NORDIC PRESENT. COMMISSIONER NOVIN? HERE. COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL. COMMISSIONER SMITH. HERE. COMMISSIONER NCH? HERE. VICE CHAIR THOMAS. HERE. CHAIR SHIMOYAMA. HERE. WE HAVE QUORUM. OKAY. GREAT. UM, AND IS, ARE THERE ANY EXCUSED ABSENCES? UH, YES, THERE IS. UH, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER, UH, HAKE. HAKE IS EXCUSED FROM THE MEETING. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME. OKAY. UM, MADAM CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE READ THE FIRST ITEM? ITEM NUMBER [1. 25-56584 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Economic Development Commission meeting of Wednesday, August 6, 2025.       Suggested Action:  Approve recommendation. ] ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH, 2025. OKAY. COULD I HAVE A MOTION? [00:05:04] OKAY. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER NOVIN AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS ON THE MINUTES? OKAY, I'M HEARING NONE. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? OKAY. SEEING NONE, MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU CALL FOR THE VOTE, VICE CHAIR THOMAS? UH, MINE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE WORKING RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, OKAY. I COULD TAKE A VERBAL. I'LL STAY. I WASN'T HERE LAST MONTH. OKAY. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY. UM, WHY DON'T WE MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO. [2. 25-56585 Recommendation to receive and file an update on the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget of the Department of Economic Development and Opportunity, along with funded initiatives and projects.        Suggested Action:  Approve recommendation. ] ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY, ALONG WITH FUNDED INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS. OKAY. COULD I HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM I MOTION? OKAY. I HAVE A, A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SMITH AND A SECOND FROM COMMO COMMISSIONER NOR, OKAY. UM, SO IF THE STAFF HAS A PRESENTATION TO SHARE WITH US. OKAY. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR COMMISSIONERS, UH, BEAU MARTINEZ, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND IT'S MY, UH, MY HONOR TO PRESENT TO YOU, UM, THE FY 2026 BUDGET OVERVIEW, AS WELL AS A REVIEW OUR FY 26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND IT'S ALSO A, A GREAT CELEBRATION TODAY. SO WE ARE OFFICIALLY KNOWN HAS THE, UH, LONG BEACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT. SO IT'S A NEW, NEW DAY. IT'S A NEW BRAND, A NEW BRAND, AND ALSO A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ALIGN WITH OUR MISSION STATEMENT, WHICH IS CREATING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS, INVESTORS AND ENTREPRENEURS. AND MORE SO JUST REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE MOVE, CONTINUE TO MOVE, UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IN A POSITIVE AND GREAT DIRECTION AS IT RELATES TO BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE. SO, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ALSO BEING CHAMPION FOR OUR WORK. UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL GET STARTED WITH THE PRESENTATION. OH, NEXT SLIDE. I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO YEAH. THIS ONE. YEAH. OH, NOW IT'S WORKING. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. SO, UM, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THE, THE DEPARTMENT THAT CONSISTS OF FIVE FABULOUS BUREAUS THAT REPRESENT 83 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE UP THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, AND OPPORTUNITY DREAM TEAM, THIS INCLUDES BUSINESS OPERATIONS, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND ALSO THE REBRANDED PRH NOW KNOWN HAS THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION TO OUR STAFF, IT TAKES A COLLABORATION WITH MANY OF OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS TO DELIVER ALL, ALL THE GREAT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE CARRY FORWARD AS A DEPARTMENT. UM, IT TAKES THE LARGER CITY TEAM MEMBERS LIKE YOU AS PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND THE LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK BOARD TO HELP GET OUR WORK DONE. SOME FY 26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THAT, UH, SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, WE REALLY SEE SMALL BUSINESSES. IT HAS THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND FEW OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY. OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR BIS CARE TEAM HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT TO MORE THAN 932 BUSINESSES CITYWIDE, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP HERE. BUSINESS NAVIGATORS PROVIDED OVER 2000 HOURS OF ONE-ON-ONE COACHING TO 330 BUSINESSES. THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROVIDED OVER 2,500 HOURS, ONE-ON-ONE COACHING TO 811 BUSINESSES, AND PROVIDED 100 WORKSHOPS TO OVER 1200 ATTENDEES. AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PAR ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND VISIT LONG BEACH, WE HAD THE SEC HELD THE ANNUAL SECOND ANNUAL LONG BEACH SITE ELECTRIC CONFERENCE, BRINGING TOGETHER BUSINESS LEADERS, POLICYMAKERS, AND GLOBAL SITE SELECT SPECIALISTS FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BOLSTER [00:10:01] THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF LONG BEACH, TO ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY AND A FAMILIARIZATION TOUR ON WHY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FROM A BUSINESS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, BUSINESS RETENTION, EXPANSION, JOBS, AND INVESTMENT. WE ALSO COMPLETED, UH, BUSINESS WALKS IN DISTRICT 7, 8 9 TO SHARE CITY RESOURCES, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES AROUND CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR INVESTMENT IN LONG BEACH. WE ALSO DEDICATED RAPID OR RAPID RESPONSE TEAM THAT HELPS, HAS HELPED OVER 120 BUSINESSES CITYWIDE, UH, NAVIGATE RECOVERY AND ACCESS SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY AROUND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY PROPERTY DAMAGE AND VANDALISM, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UM, OUR DE WE WE'RE NOT JUST OFFERING CITY PROGRAMS, BUT WE'RE SHOWING THAT BUSINESSES THAT THE CITY SEES AND STANDS WITH THEM AS IT RELATES TO THE MANY PROGRAMS AND, UH, SERVICES THAT WE'RE DELIVERING. UM, THIS INCLUDES OUR WORK THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACES THROUGHOUT, UM, THE CITY FROM DISTRICT 8, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, AND NINE. AND I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN HIGHLIGHT SO MANY BUSINESSES THAT WE HELD HELPED WITH IN EACH RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS. ALSO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND THE MANY, UH, BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND THEN, UH, THIS PAST, UH, MONTH, WE RECENTLY COMPLETED THE SECOND COHORT OF THE LONG BEACH, UM, LEVEL UP PROGRAM, EXTREME BUSINESS MAKER FOR PROGRAM, WHICH IS A SIX WEEK BOOTCAMP THAT WORKS WITH BUSINESSES TO, UH, FOCUS ON PROCUREMENT, UH, MARKETING AND BRANDING, USING NOT ONLY SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET PEOPLE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE RETAIL OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO, UH, GET, UH, ONLINE AND MAKE SALES THAT WAY, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT, UM, OTHER PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS. AND SO WITH THAT, WE AWARDED, UH, 24 BUSINESSES THAT FINISHED THE, UH, BOOTCAMP WITH A $20,000 GRANT. I MEAN, A $10,000 BUSINESS GRANT THAT WENT BACK INTO THEIR, UH, THEIR RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES. AND WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR WAS SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. UH, WE WANTED TO BE REALLY BE AROUND, UH, DO SOMETHING AROUND PROACTIVE COMMUNICATION. SO RATHER THAN HOLD A COMBINATION EVENT WHERE WE HANDED THE CHECK OUT, WE ACTUALLY WENT TO EACH RESPECTIVE, UH, BUSINESSES PLACE OF BUSINESS. WE COORDINATE WITH CITY COUNCIL OFFICES, AND WELL NOT ONLY THANK THEM FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO HAND THE CHECK OFF AND REALLY LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A, A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNCIL DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS, AND JUST REALLY SHOWCASE THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT WAS A, A VERY SUCCESSFUL UNDERTAKING. SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, FY 26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE, WE ARE BUILDING, UM, AS WE TALK, TALK ABOUT SUCCESSFUL CITIES OF THE 21ST CENTURY, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT CITIES THAT FOCUS ON TALENT RETENTION, RECRUITMENT, AND BUILDING OUR OWN. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WE'RE REALLY BUILDING A CITY THAT'S A, MAKING IT FOR 21ST, 21ST CENTURY TALENT AND DEVELOPING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE HERE IN LONG BEACH. UM, THROUGH OUR CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEERS YOUTH CORPS PROGRAM, UH, WE ORGANIZED MULTIPLE YOUTH INITIATIVES, NOTABLY THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, CORPS, LONG BEACH PATHWAYS TO PUBLIC SERVICE. AND THIS PROGRAM OFFERED PAID INTERNSHIPS TO OVER 200 YOUTH. AND MORE OF THESE, MORE THAN HALF OF THESE YOUTH ARE NOW PURSUING, UH, UH, CAREERS IN PUBLIC, UH, SECTOR, UH, SERVICES. AND SO WE ALSO COMPLETED SECOND COHORT, THE, OUR INNOVATIVE SPACE SPEECH, UH, UH, UH, BASE SPACE SPEECH, UH, CAMP PROGRAM. AND WE PROVIDED OVER 40, UH, LOCAL YOUTH WITH HANDS-ON LEARNING AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH LEAD LEADING AEROSPACE COMPANIES AND EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. THIS INCLUDE AM FOR ENGINEERING, UH, KEVIN AMP, AIR GARVEY, SPACE TRACK, UH, SPACECRAFT, VAST RUBBER CRAFT, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH, LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE, RELATIVITY SPACE, AND ROCKET LABS. SO THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY, UH, ONGOING PROJECT. I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO, THIS COMING SUMMER, WE'LL BE ENTERING OUR THIRD COHORT. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT'S BECOME REALLY A NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE WHEN IT REALLY HELPS US NOT ONLY, UH, ENGAGE WITH OUR YOUTH, BUT ALSO GET EXPOSED THEM TO THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AEROSPACE AND AVIATION INDUSTRY HERE IN LONG BEACH. WE ALSO ENROLLED MORE THAN 1000 YOUTH AND PAID INTERNSHIPS THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE FIRE CORPS URBAN PLANNING AND INTER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. I CAN TELL YOU MYSELF, UM, THROUGH MY MASTER'S PROGRAM, I ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH A SIMILAR PROGRAM AND IT GAVE ME ACCESS TO URBAN PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SITTING THIS JUST SHARED TODAY. AND ALSO THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. SO AGAIN, IT JUST INTRODUCING A LOT OF OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TO OPPORTUNITIES IN EACH OF THESE SECTORS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, UH, IN ADDITION, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE, UH, OUR EFFORTS TO EMPOWER AND UPLIFT OUR LOCAL YOUTH. WE HOSTED FOUR SUCCESSFUL JOB FAIRS WITH 70 EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS, AND 450 JOB SEEKERS, INCLUDING VETERANS, AND THOSE WITH JUST SMALL BACKGROUNDS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO ENGAGE, UM, OUR WORKFORCE THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE PROVIDED OVER $1 MILLION IN WORKFORCE INNOVATION OPPORTUNITY ACT FUNDING, WHICH RESULTED IN 40 CERTIFICATIONS TO 750 LONG BEACH JOB SEEKERS. AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT A VIDEO THAT'S GONNA [00:15:01] SHOWCASE, UH, SOME OF OUR WORK THAT HAS REAL IMPACT IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. MY EXPERIENCE WORKING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS REALLY CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE. AS SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH, I KIND OF DIDN'T REALLY EXPLORE MUCH OUTSIDE OF MY LITTLE BUBBLE OF THE CITY. IT'S REALLY EXCITING SEEING WHAT THINGS LONG BEACH HAS TO OFFER IN THE NEXT COMING YEARS. REALLY FULFILLING FOR ME IS HELPING A YOUNG PERSON FIND THEIR PATH. WE CAN EXPOSE THEM TO DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT WE HAVE LOCALLY IN LONG BEACH, SUCH AS PUBLIC SERVICE AND TO AEROSPACE. AND A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE BENEFIT FROM IT, AND I HEAR IT EVERY DAY THROUGH THEIR APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICES OF HEALTH. LONG BEACH IS HELPING THE BUSINESS TO EXPAND. PREVIOUSLY, WE WERE JUST CLIENT SERVING. AND SO WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO HIRE ADDITIONAL HELP TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE WITH HEAVEN. THIS LOVE PROGRAM IS REALLY GREAT. THEY HELPED ME REVAMP MY BUSINESS PLAN TO TARGET THE AUDIENCE THAT I NEED TO TARGET THE MOST TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN LONG BEACH BEACH. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON WITH OUR, UH, FY 26 ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT GREAT CITIES START WITH GREAT PLACES AND GREAT PEOPLE, AND PART OF THAT IS ALSO TELLING OUR STORY. AND OUR GOAL IS TO TELL OUR STORY FROM EVERY ROOFTOP ACROSS LONG BEACH, TO NOT ONLY OUR OWN CITY, BUT ALSO REGIONALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. UM, FROM NORTH LONG BEACH TO WEST SIDE TO MIDTOWN, TO EAST LONG BEACH TO DOWNTOWN, AND OUR WORK WORLD CLASS WATERFRONT THAT BELONGS TO OUR ENTIRE CITY. WE ARE DIVERSIFIED, DIVERSIFYING THE CITY REVENUE STREAM AND LEVERAGING CITY OWNED ASSETS TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER BEST IN CLASS CITY SERVICES AND AMENITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND THAT INCLUDES THE CREATION OF OUR NEW DIVISION, WHICH IS CALLED RISE REVENUE INNOVATION AND STRATEGIC ENHANCEMENTS. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS NEW DIVISION, IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, LEVERAGE OUR REAL ESTATE ASSETS ALONG THE WATERFRONT AND BRING IN NEW REVENUE STREAMS AS WE, UH, TAKE OURSELF, UH, MORE OFF OIL RELIANCE AND REALLY LOOKING TO DIVERSIFY OUR CITY REVENUE STREAMS SO THAT WE WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE WORLD CLASS AMENITY AND SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND BUSINESSES. WE'VE ALSO CONTINUED INVEST IN THE QUEEN MARY IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS THE NEW ARCHIVE MUSEUM, FIRE LIFE AND SAFETY UPGRADES, NEW SUN DECK, A DA LIFT AND ELEVATOR UPGRADES. AS MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE QUEEN MARY, THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF REALLY, UM, NOT ONLY, UH, LEVERAGING THE ASSET, BUT ALSO CREATING NEW EVENTS, UH, NEW PARTNERSHIPS, BRINGING MORE PEOPLE ON THE SHIP, OPENING UP ALL THE HOTEL ROOMS, AND REALLY BUILDING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO NOT ONLY LEVERAGE THE ASSET, BUT BRING MORE VISITORS AND REVENUE, WHICH IS ALL, UH, REINVEST IT BACK INTO THE SHIP TO MAKE IT A A MAJESTIC ASSET. THAT'S, UH, WE HAVE, AS PART OF OUR CITY, WE'VE ALSO DEVELOPED A SITE PLAN AND SECURED AN OPERATOR FOR THE NEW WORLD, THE, THE INCOMING AND APPROACHING NEW WORLD OUTDOOR, UH, UM, 11,000 SEAT OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE ADJACENT TO THE QUA AREA AND OVERLOOKING OUR WATERFRONT, UH, IN DOWNTOWN. AND SO THIS IS A BIG PROJECT FOR US, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE AS A STAFF, ALL THE CITY TEAM, OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, OUR OPERATOR AND A MANAGER FOR THE VENUE LEGENDS GLOBAL, ARE ALL WORKING HARD TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT FOR, UH, THE 2026, UH, SPRING SUMMER CONCERTS, UH, SEASON. SO KNOW THAT, UH, WE'RE WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES. AND I WOULD SAY IF WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER THIS ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET, IT'LL PROBABLY BE THE FASTEST THAT ANY CITY HAS EVER DELIVERED PROJECT OF THIS SCOPE AND SIZE. WE'VE ALSO LEVELED UP OUR COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS WITH, UH, STRATEGIC MAR MARKETING, MEDIA RELATIONS, AND DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT TOOLS. AND AS PART OF OUR TELLING STORY, WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE, YOU KNOW, AS WE MENTIONED THE NEW NAME OF OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT. AGAIN, I'M GONNA SAY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY HAVE SOME REALLY COOL SWAY COMING OUT. AND THEN MY, UH, OFFER TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. UM, IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN A TATTOO, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WILL INCLUDE THAT AS PART OF THE PACKAGE. YEAH, . AND AS, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE ARE, UH, CREATING A NEW LOGO, UH, UH, AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE ALL SEEN THIS LOGO RIGHT NOW. SO IT'S REALLY A SYMBOL IT BOX, PUSHING BEYOND ITS BOUNDARIES. IT'S A VISUAL PRO, UH, PROMISE OF PROGRESS, AND IT'S A FUTURE DEFINED BY BOLD THINKING. AND SO THAT'S THE APPROACH WE WANNA TAKE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE WE BUILDING AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT INTERNATIONAL CITY, BUT WE'RE REALLY BUILDING IT ON, UH, NOT MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CREATING NOT ONLY ECONOMY THAT'S DIVERSE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON, UH, TALENT, RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND BILLING OUR OWN. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S, WE'RE BUILDING IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND THEN AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR FY 26, UH, BUDGET, UM, TODAY IS OUR ACTUALLY OFFICIAL FIRST YEAR, UH, FOR OUR FY 26, UH, 2026 BUDGET THAT WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING MANY PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES THAT I'M [00:20:01] GONNA CARRY FORWARD HERE. AS PART OF THE CITY'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, UH, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES TARGETED INVESTMENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE AREAS ACROSS THE CITY, AS WELL AS CITYWIDE INITIATIVES. IT'S FUNDED BY $8.7 MILLION IN PROCEEDS FROM THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY, LAND SALES, DELIBERATELY DESIGNED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BOTH CITYWIDE AND SPECIFIC AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UH, THIS EFFORT AIMS TO REINVEST PUBLIC ASSETS INTO LONG BEACH'S ECONOMIC FUTURE. THESE ONE-TIME FUNDS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED, BE ALLOCATED INTO A SERIES OF EXISTING AND NEW PROGRAMS. WITH THAT, WITH THAT HELP, WE'LL STIMULATE BUSINESS GROWTH, REVITALIZE OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACES AND SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD RECOVERY ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS. AND ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUTTA, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE SMALL BUSINESS REBOUND INITIATIVE. AND IT REALLY SEEKS TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES THAT HELP RECRUIT, RE RETAIN AND REINFORCE LOCAL, SMALL BUSINESSES. THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS TAKEN BOLD STEPS TO BOLSTER ITS, UH, BUSINESS, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR ENTREPRENEURS WITH AN ARRAY OF SUPPORT TO MEET THEIR NEEDS. THIS INCLUDES $100,000 TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM. THIS INCLUDES $100,000 TO CONTINUE THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. AND IF I CAN SAY THIS IS ONE PROGRAM THAT WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT WE CREATED, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IS A PROGRAM THAT WE WON'T, DON'T WANT TO SEE SUCCEED. UM, BECAUSE IF IT'S SUCCEED, IF IT'S NOT, IF IT'S NOT SUCCEEDING, THAT MEANS IT'S LESS PROPERTY AND VAN, UH, DAMAGE AND VANDALISM HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND 230,000 TO CONTINUE THE LEVEL UP ALB PROGRAM, 150,000 TO CONTINUE THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS AND NAVIGATOR PROGRAM. AND I'M GONNA GO BACK TO LEVEL UP ALB. I JUST WANNA THANK, UH, K KEVIN AND VIVIAN FOR COMING TO THE CULMINATION. AND I KNOW I DIDN'T IMPROMPTU THING AND ASK YOU TO COME UP AND SPEAK, BUT IT WAS REALLY A SPECIAL MOMENT IN A TIME, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL SHARE THAT AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. AND THEN WE, UM, ALSO HAVE $150,000 FOR THE, TO CONTINUE THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS NAVIGATOR PROGRAM. AND THAT'S REALLY WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS CENTRAL CHA, THE UNITED CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY AND OTHERS. SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE, UM, OUR UNDERSERVED AS WELL AS PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WHERE WE'RE SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES TODAY. AND $500,000 TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE GROW LONG BEACH REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAM. AND WITH THAT, UM, WITH THAT 500,000 GROW AMERICA IS ACTUALLY, UH, OFFERED, NOT ONLY OFFERED, BUT IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A THREE TO ONE MATCH. SO THAT 500,000 WILL TURN INTO $1.5 MILLION OF REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS THAT CAN GO OUT TO OUR BUSINESSES, UM, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WHEN YOU TALK WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S BUSINESS WALKS OR ONE-ON-ONE, OR THE BUSINESS CARE TEAM GOING OUT THERE, THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU THE TOP THREE ISSUES THEY HAVE TODAY ARE GONNA BE ACCESS TO CAPITAL. HOW DO WE USE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE INTERNET THINGS TO GROW OUR BUSINESS? AND THEN TALENT RETENTION. AND SO THOSE ARE THE, THE BIG THREE. AND THEN WHEN WE GO OUT AND TALK WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY ON OUR BUSINESS WALKS, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING, ESPECIALLY OUR, UH, LATINO SERVING BUSINESSES, IS THAT THEY'RE REALLY BEING FEELING HURT RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE FEELING HURT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING OUT, THEY'RE TYPICALLY, UH, PATRONIZING AND VISITING THEIR BUSINESSES AND SPENDING MONEY IN THE COMMUNITY ARE NOT SHOWING UP. AND I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND THEN THE OTHER BIG CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AS COMMUNITY IS ALSO THE TARIFFS. AND SO THAT HAS A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT TO, TO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CONSUMER LEVEL. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE $400,000 TO CONTINUE, UM, NOT ONLY TO CONTINUE, BUT ALSO CREATE A SAFE AND SECURE PROGRAM. AND, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF. WE ALSO GOT A $50,000 INVESTMENT FROM A SUPERVISOR HAN'S OFFICE, UM, AT LA COUNTY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, I'M SURE, UH, COURTNEY CAN SHARE ON KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. SO THAT'S GONNA BE A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM. AND THEN AS WE THINK ABOUT, UH, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO OPERATE OPERATIONAL RISE, THE RISE DIVISION, AS I TALKED ABOUT IT. WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE LEVERAGE OUR WATERFRONT ASSETS AND WE CREATE WORLD, A WORLD CLASS WATERFRONT THAT PROMOTES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, REVENUES, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. WE ALSO COMPLETED THE DEMOLITION OF THREE BUILDINGS ON CITY OWNED PARCELS PO TO POSITION THEM FOR RESALE AND FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVATION. THAT INCLUDES 1858 ANAHEIM STREET, SIX 20 SOUTH, AND 56 41 TO 49 ATLANTIC AVENUE. SO THESE ARE ALL OPPORTUNITY SITES TO REALLY NOT ONLY ACTIVATE, BUT TO BRING NEW USES, AS WELL AS, UH, REVENUE GENERATING, UH, USES TO OUR, UH, UNIQUE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED OTHER, UH, SIGNIFICANT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THIS INCLUDES A LEASE EXTENSION FOR THE REVITALIZATION SHORELINE VILLAGE. SO THEY'RE GETTING READY TO MAKE A BIG CAPITAL INVESTMENT OVER [00:25:01] $9 MILLION TO REVITALIZE THE CENTER IN PREPARATION FOR THE LA 28 OLYMPICS. WE ARE ALSO LIFTING UP DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTIONS AT LE LONG BEACH, UH, MARKETPLACE OFFICE PARKS, WHICH WILL BRING 390 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS. WE ALSO COMPLETE A LEASE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ON THE WEST SIDE, WHICH IS PART OF THE WEST SIDE PROMISE. SO KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE ALSO INVESTING IN PEOPLE. AND WHEN YOU GO OUT AND TALK WITH, UH, UM, OUR TALENT, WHETHER IT'S UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS, ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR WORK, ARE LOOKING TO GET RE-SKILLED, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THEY CHALLENGES, CHALLENGES THEY HAVE IS CHILDCARE. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS. AND AS WE LOOK TO THE FISCAL YEAR 26, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON MAXIMIZING THE CITY CITY'S REAL ESTATE ASSETS TO PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT AND STRATEGIC ECONOMIC GROWTH FROM EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY. AND THEN AS WE CONTINUE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM OF THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE AND LEVERAGE OUR SIX TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS AND INITIATIVES. I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EACH OF THE SECTORS 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL ARE WELL-VERSED AND, UH, CHAMPION EACH OF THESE SECTORS. AND THE IMPORTANT THING IS WE WANNA BUILD AN ECONOMY WHERE EVERYONE THRIVES. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN LONG BEACH, OVER THE PAST YEAR ALONE, SEVERAL BUSINESSES HAVE OPENED THE DOORS AND EXPAND EXPANDED OPERATIONS IN OUR CITY. AND THIS INCLUDES A FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO ANNOUNCED, UH, UH, DEVELOPING OVER 300 SQUARE FOOT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FACILITY FOR, TO BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES FAST SPACE, CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND GROW WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEY'RE BUILDING THE FIRST GENERATION OF, UM, UH, GEEZ, I CAN'T EVEN THINK RIGHT NOW. SPACE STATIONS. SPACE STATIONS, THANK YOU, . AND THEN WE'VE ALSO WELCOMED ORBITAL OPERATIONS SLATE, CRITICAL LOOP, TRUE ANOMALY, NOVA WORKS, KEVIN APAIR, JET ZERO, CABBIE CLOTHING, KIMLEY HORN SPORTS BASEMENT, AND MANY, MANY OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES THAT OPEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND SO, UM, I'VE, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE AS A CITY BECAUSE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE NOT ONLY IN OUR VISION, BUT ALSO OUR MISSION AND CONTINUE TO INVEST, BRING JOBS AND EXPAND IN LONG BEACH. AND THEN THE AWARD-WINNING PORTAL OF LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO THRIVE AS AN INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY WITH RECORD BREAKING CARGO MOVEMENT. UM, WE LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE NUMBER ONE, AND SOMETIMES WE'RE NUMBER TWO, BUT I'D LIKE TO SAY WE'RE NUMBER ONE ALWAYS. WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW FAIRMONT BREAKERS AND SEA CENTER HOTEL. SO THOSE ARE SOME BIG WINS FOR OUR, OUR DOWNTOWN. AND WE ALSO ARE, UH, DRAWING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO THE CITY FOR MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH, WHICH, UM, WE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED OVER 200,000 VISITORS TO THAT EVENT THIS YEAR. WE HOSTED THE VAN WARP TOUR, WHICH WAS A HUGE SUCCESS BOTH DAYS. THERE WERE OVER 80,000 PEOPLE TO EACH OF THOSE DAYS, AND I HAD THE CHANCE TO ATTEND ONE OF THE, UH, UH, SATURDAY EVENT, AND IT WAS PACKED. IT WAS COOL, IT WAS VIBRANT, AND THERE WAS GREAT MUSIC, AND PEOPLE WERE ENJOYING THEMSELVES AT EVERY STAGE THROUGHOUT THE VENUE. UH, WE ALSO HOSTED THE PRIDE PARADE, THE DAY TRIP FESTIVAL, UPTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL, WHICH HAD ITS, UH, LARGEST CROWD, UH, SINCE THAT BEGAN. AND I GOT TO ATTEND THAT. I WENT AS WELL. IT WAS, WAS A LOT OF FUN. I LIKE TO CALL IT JUST ONE, JUST LARGE FAMILY PICNIC. AND IT JUST, IT DOES FEEL THAT WAY. IT JUST, IT'S JUST SO COOL. AND THEN WE ALSO WORKED WITH OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS ON MANY ACTIVATION EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND I KNOW AUSTIN'S BEEN BUSY OVER THIS PAST YEAR WHEN IT RELATES TO, UH, ACTIVATING AND SPECIAL EVENTS IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH. AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GONNA BE MORE TO COME IN FY 26 LEADING ALL THE WAY TO THE OLYMPICS. YOU KNOW, NONE OF THIS WORK COMES WITHOUT CHALLENGES, RIGHT? AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGINGS THAT WE'RE FACING, UH, AROUND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES, WE NEED, WE WILL NEED TO CLOSELY MONITOR, UH, SHIPS, SHIPS IN FEDERAL BUDGET PRIORITIES, UM, AS Y'ALL HAVE BEEN READING AND HEARING ON THE NEWS THAT, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT HAS NOW CLOSED. AND SO OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS CLOSURE DOESN'T, UH, PRO BE A PROLONGED, UH, CLOSURE, THAT THEY HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE CONGRESS WILL COME TOGETHER AND GET SOMETHING GOING, UH, TO CREATE A, UH, AN APPROVED BUDGET. UH, TARIFFS AND GLOBAL TRADE PRESSURES, UM, INTEREST RATES. I KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WATCHING FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE INTEREST RATES FALL. AND I THINK AS THEY FALL, THERE'LL BE DEFINITELY MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, BUSINESS INVESTMENT AND GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HEAR A LOT OF, UM, UH, AROUND PERSISTENT INFLATION AND ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER BIG CHALLENGE IS, UH, LABOR MARKET CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY AS WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. BUT AS WE THINK LONG TERM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, SUCCESSFUL CITIES OF THE FUTURE ARE REALLY GONNA BE FOCUSED ON, ON TALENT. UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR MOVING AWAY FROM OIL RELIANCE BY OFFSETTING OIL REVENUES WITH NEW REVENUE GENERATING OPPORTUNITIES. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO CHAMPION OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS THROUGHOUT [00:30:01] THE CITY. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE GREAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE LONG BEACH ACCELERATE, WHO'S JUST HELD THEIR LONG BEACH TECH WEEK, AND IT WAS A TOTAL SUCCESS. AND I JUST WANNA, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKE MY, OUR CHAIR, VIVIAN, HER HAT OFF AND SAY THANK YOU AND TO ALL THE, OUR, ALL THE PARTNERS AND THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO MADE THAT HAPPEN. WE ALSO WANNA CREATE A VIBRANT AND THRIVING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY HUBS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THINK OF SPACE BEACH AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, WHICH IS THE GATEWAY TO THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE. WE ALSO WANNA LEVERAGE OUR PUBLIC AND SEPARATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS. I LIKE TO NOT CALL IT THREE P THREE BECAUSE PUBLIC SECTOR PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS DON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT GREAT PEOPLE. SO I'D LIKE TO ADD IN PEOPLE, WHICH IS P FOUR. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR THE 2020 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES. SO LONG BEACH CAN CONTINUE TO SHINE ON THE WORLD STAGE. AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT WE ARE HO WE'RE THE LARGEST VENUE CITY OUT OUT OF VALET. WE'RE HOSTING 18 GAMES, 11 OLYMPIC GAMES, AND EIGHT PARALYMPIC GAMES. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. WE'RE ALSO A CITY BUILT FOR NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE. SO LET'S AIM HIGH, TURN OUR GREAT VISION TO REALITY. AND AS I LIKE TO SAY, WE ARE LONG BEACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY. WELL, COMMISSIONERS, UH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING CHAMPIONS, BEING CREATIVE, BEING INNOVATORS, AND JUST BEING GREAT PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. 'CAUSE NONE OF THIS WORKS HAPPENS WITHOUT, AGAIN, HAVING GREAT PEOPLE TO TAKE YOU GREAT PLACES. AND SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, BO HAS BEEN SUCH A CHAMPION, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH, BUT ALSO ACROSS THE NATION, UH, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT OUR CITY GETS VISIBILITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAW THIS PRESENTATION AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, I WAS THINKING THIS WOULD BE PERFECT FOR YOU TO SHARE ALSO WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, BO NOT ONLY TO YOURSELF, BUT YOUR TEAM THAT'S WORKED WITH US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO, UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M SURE YOU GOT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR BO. COMMISSIONER NOVIN. THANK YOU. UH, REALLY EXCITING PRESENTATION AND CONGRATS ON ON THE REBRAND AND THE RENAMING. UM, I HAVE KIND OF TWO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THE SAME TOPIC. UM, HAVE WE CONSIDERED NAMING RIGHTS FOR THESE VENUES AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME ALTERNATIVE REVENUE STREAMS FROM THE AMPHITHEATER STANDPOINT? SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR CUT. I KNOW WE TRY TO DEDICATE THINGS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE BRING IN A CORPORATE PARTNER, UM, TO GET NAMING AND ON THE SAME TOPIC, BUT A DIFFERENT SUBJECT. UM, I WAS READING THAT FOR THE OLYMPICS THIS TIME AROUND, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALLOWING VENUE NAMING TO BE A PART OF THE GAMES. SO THEY USUALLY REMOVE THAT AS PART OF THE PROCESS. BUT I BELIEVE THE CAVEAT IS IT HAS TO BE THE EXISTING NAME ON THE BUILDING AND THEN THAT CORPORATE SPONSOR HAS A RIGHT TO SPONSOR THE OLYMPICS. SO I'M WONDERING, COULD WE POSSIBLY THINK ABOUT OUR VENUES AND GETTING THEM NAMED IN ADVANCE OF THE OLYMPICS AND HAVING THAT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING AN ALTERNATIVE REVENUE AS WELL? YES, THOSE ARE BOTH A GREAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER. SO, UH, NAMING RIGHTS FOR THE LONG BEACH AMPHITHEATER, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OPERATOR, UH, LEGENDS GLOBAL. AND SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING AS PART OF THE, THE PARTNERSHIP GOING FORWARD. AND THERE WILL BE, UM, SHARED REVENUE THAT WILL COME FROM THE NAMING RIGHTS OF THE FACILITY AS WELL AS, UH, SPONSORSHIP RIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE VENUE ITSELF. AND SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY BE LEVERAGING. AND THEN ON LA 28, UM, I'M NOT WELL VERSED ON ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF WHAT, UH, NAMING AND SPONSORSHIP LOOKS LIKE AS IT RELATES TO OUR EXISTING VENUES AND THOSE YET TO BE NAMED. UM, BUT I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY'S WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LA 28 OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ON. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF, UM, PROBABLY RESTRICTIONS I WANNA CALL THEM, UM, AROUND NAMING AND SPONSORSHIPS. 'CAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SPONSORS. AND SO I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE WHAT THEY CALL THE OLYMPIC ZONE THAT WILL HAVE TO WORK IN, IN, IN COORDINATION WITH THEM GOING FORWARD. SO, BUT I DO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING NOT ONLY WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, THE AMPHITHEATER PROJECT IN THE ALLEY 28, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR NAMING AND SPONSORSHIP RIGHTS AS WELL AS, UH, MARKETING THE CITY, UM, THROUGH PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE ADVERTISING OUT. UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAD TWO, UH, PROJECTS THAT RECENTLY COMPLETED. AND I WAS GONNA GIVE AN UPDATE THAT AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION THAT'S AROUND, UH, KIOSK AND, UH, LIFEGUARD TOWERS AND LOOKING AT ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, CITYWIDE. YEAH, JUST AS A QUICK ADD ON MAYBE FOR, FOR THE COUNT [00:35:01] OR FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AS AN EXAMPLE, IT'S USUALLY LIKE LOS ANGELES BASKETBALL ARENA. AND THIS YEAR THEY'LL ALLOW, OR THIS OLYMPICS, THEY'LL ALLOW CRYPTO TO HAVE A CHANCE OF BUYING THE NAMING RIGHTS FOR THE OLYMPICS, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ANYBODY ELSE WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. OH, GOTCHA. SO I WOULD THINK IF WE WERE A PART OF THAT, WE WOULD ALMOST HAVE TO NAME IT BEFORE THE OLYMPICS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SEQUENTIALLY. SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH MAYBE CHECKING WITH PARTNERS IN LA ABOUT THE PROCESS AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE I THINK WE'D HAVE TO ALMOST COME IN BEFORE THAT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. AND IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE, BUT JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. YEAH, AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW. I WOULDN'T SAY PROBABLY NOTHING'S TOO LATE BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE LINE AND NOT ONLY THE OLYMPICS ARE LOOKING TO, UH, DRIVE REVENUE FOR THE GAMES, BUT WE'RE ALSO AS WELL AS THE CITY. ANYONE ELSE FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. COULD VICE CHAIR THOMAS, THANKS, UH, BO FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION AND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE SHIP ARE, IS MUCH APPRECIATED, UH, EVOLUTION AND ALL OF US ARE WORKING HARD OVER THERE TO, TO REALLY TRANSFORM THE SHIP INTO SOMETHING MAJESTIC AS SHE SHOULD BE. SO THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND YOUR SUPPORT. I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A, A BIG ROLE IN THAT. UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET, UH, I ATTENDED A COUPLE OF THE BUDGET HEARINGS OR BUDGET SESSIONS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND TALKING TO A FEW PEOPLE THAT HAVE HOME-BASED OCCUPANCIES OR HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, THEY ASKED ME ABOUT THE BUSINESS LICENSE PROCESS FOR HOME OX. UM, NORMALLY YOU HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A CITY SERVICE THAT MAY BE PROVIDED TO YOU. UM, AND BESIDES PERHAPS A FIRE PERMIT OR A HEALTH PERMIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT, UM, FOR HOME BASED, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THERE ISN'T A CITY A SERVICE. AND SO THE QUESTION THAT I RECEIVED WAS, WHAT'S THE MERITS OF HAVING A HOME BASE BUSINESS? UM, WE WERE ALREADY CHA YOU KNOW, HAVING A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND WANTING TO GET A STOREFRONT, YOU KNOW, GOING, UH, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, FIVE TO $600 A YEAR. UH, AND I GET IT COMING FROM MY FORMER LIFE IN GOVERNMENT WHERE YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE REGISTERED, WHERE BUSINESSES ARE IN TOWN, RIGHT? SO MAYBE A, A FREE REGISTRY OF HOME-BASED BUSINESSES MIGHT PROVIDE THE CITY THE INFORMATION THEY NEED FOR OFFENDERS IF YOUR BUSINESS GETS OUTTA CONTROL AND, UM, IMPACTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, BUT CERTAINLY DOESN'T COST THAT HOME-BASED BUSINESS OR MAYBE AN ADJUSTMENT. SO THE BUDGETS IN THE CAN FOR THIS YEAR, BUT MAYBE AS WE LOOK FORWARD FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE HOME-BASED, MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER THAT. THANK YOU VICE CHAIR. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL, WE'LL PUT UNDER CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES AND IDEAS FORWARD. THANK YOU. UM, JUST A COUPLE. OKAY. COMMISSIONER MATOYA. YEAH. UM, THANK YOU BOTH FOR, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE IN THE PAST YEAR. UM, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SHOWN, UH, FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR RESOURCES. I DID HAVE A QUESTION. UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW THIS HAS COME UP IN THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE, UM, FORECASTED CHALLENGES, RIGHT? SO SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN BUDGETED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, ARE THEIR FUNDING TIED FOR THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS, OR IS IT REALLY ANTICIPATED? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESSOR AGING SUCCESSOR AGENCY FUNDING, BUT ALSO, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDING, LIKE FOR THE RAPID RESPONSE PROGRAMS, RIGHT? SO, UM, I THINK THE CITY MANAGER AND DURING THE CONVERSATION DURING THE CITY BUDGET HAVE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 27 AS POTENTIALLY BEING A, A TOUGH YEAR, AND THEN ALSO NOTING THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING IN THE OVERALL ECONOMY. AND SO JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SECURE SOME OF THE FUNDING IS FOR THE PROGRAMS. ARE THEY ONE YEAR FUNDING, TWO YEAR FUNDING? UM, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE? YEAH, SO A, UM, A LOT OF THE FUNDING THAT'S COMING THROUGH THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY, UM, PROGRAM, I MEAN FUNDING, UM, FOR THE SALE OF, UH, UH, PROPERTIES IS GOING TO BE A, UH, TWO YEAR PROGRAM. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO LEVERAGE THEM OVER THE NEXT, UH, 24 MONTHS. AND SO, UM, WE KNOW THAT 2020 SEVEN'S GONNA BE A DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR, BUT WE'RE HOPING, UH, SUBSEQUENT YEARS WILL GET BETTER. AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE LA 20 OLYMPIC COMING AND ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT US ON THE WORLD STAGE. AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL LEVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY LONG BEACH AND DRIVE NEW REVENUE AND JOBS AND BUSINESS INVESTMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I HAVE A, A SIMILAR COMMENT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT, UM, WHEN YOU PRESENT THIS, IT REALLY GIVES US A DASHBOARD OF WHERE [00:40:01] WE HAVE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND ALSO, UM, ALL THE SERVICES I'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED, UM, ESPECIALLY UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT LEVEL OF PROGRAM. I MEAN, THEY'RE REALLY BRANDED PROGRAMS TOO THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND SAYING, HEY, THIS IMPACTED MY BUSINESS. SO I WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THAT. BO UM, THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT WHEN YOU MENTIONED, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS AROUND, UH, THE ECONOMY AND TARIFFS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND, AND TALKED ABOUT, YOU HAVE 83 EMPLOYEES. SO I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING FROM AUSTIN'S QUESTION TOO IS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, I MEAN, WE'VE GOTTEN YOU, YOUR BUDGET LOOKS LIKE THAT THOSE 83 PEOPLE WILL STAY ON BOARD, OR IS THAT STILL A, A QUESTION? YEAH. UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FORECAST RIGHT NOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO RETAIN THE 83, UH, FULL-TIME POSITIONS WE HAVE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T FORECAST WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BUT IF THEY START CUTTING BACK PROGRAMS LIKE THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON STAFFING AS WELL AS EXISTING AND FUTURE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR, UM, STATE AND FEDERAL, UM, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PARTNERS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST CONTINUE TO TELL HOW IMPORTANT THESE PROGRAMS ARE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO OUR, TO OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. AND SO, UM, JUST JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION AND WE'D ASK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS COMMISSIONERS TO CONTINUE TO, TO, UM, PLACE THAT HIGH ON YOUR AGENDA AS WELL. YEP. SO THAT'S GOOD. AND, UM, THEN THE OTHER PART TOO WAS THE NEW LOGO, THE OPPORTUNITY PART AND RISE, UM, AND EVERYTHING WITH THE WATERFRONT, I MEAN, IT GIVES US A LOT MORE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE, NOT ONLY HERE LOCALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT I THINK REALLY ON A NATIONAL STAGE. SO, UM, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK IN THAT AREA. OKAY. UM, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, SEEING NONE, ANY OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY. UM, CAN WE DO A VOTE TO ACCEPT AND FILE THIS REPORT? COMMISSIONER NOVIN? YES. AND VICE CHAIR THOMAS? YES. THERE WE GO. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, WHY DON'T WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM THEN, IF YOU COULD READ THAT OUT. ITEM [3. 25-56586 Recommendation to receive and file an update on the Department of Economic Development and Opportunity 52 Priorities.        Suggested Action:  Approve recommendation. ] NUMBER THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE ON THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY 52 PRIORITIES. SO DID YOU INCLUDE THAT IN THE LAST PRESENTATION OR DID YOU HAVE MORE? THERE'S NO POWERPOINT. OH, OKAY. OKAY. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT BOTH. THANK YOU. . OH, DO WE HAVE TO DO THE MOTION, MOTION TO RECEIVE THE POWERPOINT IN YOUR BACK? OH, DID, DID YOU RECORD THE WHO MOVED? AND SECOND. AND THEN WE HAVE A FIRST FROM COMMISSIONER SMITH AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER MATOYER. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, CHAIR COMMISSIONERS AGAIN. UH, BEAU MARTINEZ, DIRECTOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE, 52 STRATEGIES. AND THESE STRATEGIES REALLY ALIGN WITH A LOT OF OTHER, UM, UH, PROGRAMS AND PLANS THAT WE HAVE TO DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY FORWARD IN THE CITY. UM, THIS INCLUDES OUR, UH, STRATEGIC STRATEGIC VISION 2030, WHICH ALSO HAS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, UH, PART OF THAT PROGRAM. AND IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR GROW LONG BEACH, UH, ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT. AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE. AND SO WHAT WE WANNA DO IS JUST KIND OF COVER ALL THE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES AS IT RELATES TO OUR INTER TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS, AS WELL AS GROW LONG BEACH TOGETHER, AND JUST SHARE WITH YOU KIND OF WHERE ALL THESE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES [00:45:01] ARE, WHETHER THEY'RE IN PROGRESS, THEY'RE UNDERWAY, OR THERE'S FUTURE PLANNING TO, UM, MOVE THESE, UH, INITIATIVES FORWARD. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, AS A DEPARTMENT, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY BUSY. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN SAY THAT IT'S, IT'S A FAST-PACED ENVIRONMENT AND WE'RE SO, UM, LUCKY TO HAVE, UH, A GREAT STAFF TO HELP LEAD THE WAY. AND NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT THEM. BUT ALSO MAKING SURE WE HAVE GREAT PUBLIC AND PRO PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO CARRY IT FORWARD. UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, IN JANUARY, 2023, UH, MAYOR RICHLAND OUTLINED SOME KEY STRATEGIES TO GROW THE LOCAL ECONOMY. AND THAT INCLUDED WAYS TO LOOK AT, AT HOW WE LOOK TO DIVIDE, DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE STREAMS, AND REALLY START TAKING OURSELVES OFF OF, UH, OIL RELIANCE AND THE, AND THE REVENUE THAT COMES WITH THAT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOCUS ON HOW WE DELIVER ON THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE AND THE, UH, SIX TARGET INDUSTRY SECTORS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON. AND SO, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE BENCHMARKS THAT WE WANTED TO, UH, LOOK AT AS WE CREATED THESE 52 STRATEGIES WAS ON HOW DO WE PROPEL, UH, UH, GROWTH SECTORS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH? HOW DO WE, UH, SECURE LONG BEACH'S FINANCIAL FUTURE BY DIVERSIFYING OUR CITY REVENUE STREAMS? HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND RECRUIT AND GROW, UH, BUSINESSES AS WELL AS THE CITY ECONOMY AND JOBS THROUGHOUT THE CITY? HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE CITY'S TAX BASE, UH, BY PROVIDING GOOD PAYING JOBS, UH, TO OFFSET THE REVENUES THAT WE ARE GONNA BE, UH, LOSING THROUGH OIL REVENUES? AND THEN ALSO, HOW DO WE BOLSTER AND GROW KEY SECTORS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY? AND SO WITH THAT, UM, YOU GUYS ARE VERY, VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING WITH THAT. UM, YOU, UM, ALSO ARE VERY, UH, FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE SIX INDUSTRY SECTORS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON FROM AEROSPACE AND AVIATION TO, UH, TRANSPORTATION LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN TO ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT THROUGH HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION. AND THEN, UH, UH, CREATE AN ECONOMY WHERE, UH, THROUGH MUSIC, ATHLETICS, TOURISM, HOSPITALITY. AND SO I'LL, I'LL BE COVERING EACH OF THOSE AREAS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND WE'LL START WITH, UH, FUELING AEROSPACE AND AVIATION. UM, YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF, UH, SPACE SPEECH. I MEAN, IT IS THE FASTEST GROWING AEROSPACE ECOSYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY. UM, WE CONTINUE TO SEE A LOT, ONLY A LOT OF OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES EXPAND, BUT WE ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO RELOCATE IN OUR COMMITTEE, BOTH, UH, REGIONALLY AS WELL AS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. AND SO THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, A GREAT SUCCESS STORY THAT WE CONTINUE TO, UH, SHARE OUT, NOT ONLY THROUGH OUR, UH, DIFFERENT NEWS CHANNELS AND MEDIA, BUT ALSO ALONG, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVERY ONE OF YOU CHAMPIONING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT CAME OUT OF THE 52 STRATEGIES. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE SEVEN OF THEM THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS IN ON AS PART OF THE, UM, AEROSPACE AND AVIATION INDUSTRY. UH, THE FIRST ONE IS ACTIVATE THE FORMER 16 AC ACRES, UH, SITE LOCATED AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT. AND THAT WAS WITH JET ZERO, WHICH HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS FOR US. SO THEY DID, UH, RELOCATE THEIR HEADQUARTERS AND CONTINUE TO GROW HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF, UH, COMMERCIAL AIRLINES AND FIGHTER JETS, BUT THEY ALSO BE, HAVE BECOME AN INCUBATOR FOR OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY AT THEIR LOCATION. UM, THERE'S ALSO, UH, ANOTHER ONE THAT JUST ACTIVATE THE 15 ACRES AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT. I KNOW THAT THE AIRPORT RECENTLY COMPLETED AN RFP PROCESS FOR THAT. AND WE CAN PROBABLY CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU TO KIND OF GET A STATUS UPDATE ON THAT. BUT THAT'S IN PROGRESS. UM, I CAN SAY STRATEGY 1.1 IS COMPLETED. AND THEN, UH, STRATEGY 1.3, IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL LEASE SPACE TO GROW SPACE INDUSTRY. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING WITH OUR PROPERTY OWNERS AND REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FIRM TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT BUSINESSES TO LONG BEACH, ALONG WITH OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES LIKE APP AIR, WHO ARE TALKING WITH OTHER AEROSPACE AND AVIATION COMPANIES AND CONTINUE TO MARKET AND GET THEM TO LOCATE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS IDENTIFY AND ATTRACT ADDITIONAL SPACE COMPANY HEADQUARTERS. I VIEW SEEN ALL THE NEWS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST YEAR AND MORE TO COME AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE. UH, 1.5 IS EXPLORE EXPLORATION ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICTS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, HOPEFULLY IN THE OCTOBER MEETING, BUT NO LATER THAN THE NOVEMBER MEETING. AND SO THIS IS REALLY A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY TO BRING IN WHAT WE CALL, I'M SURE YOU ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE FORMER REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES. IT'S TECH INCREMENT FINANCING, BUT WITH A NEW NAME AND A, AND A DIFFERENT LOOK. AND SO THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING WE'RE BEING, BEING FORWARD, FORWARD TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE COMPLETING A DRAFT TFF, AND ONCE THAT'S COMPLETE, THAT'LL GO TO MARY CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE MADE PUBLIC. AND SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT. AND THEN 1.6 IS CONTINUED EXPLORATION OF FUTURE ADVANCE AIR MOBILITY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, CONTINUE TO WORK, UH, WITH ALONG A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS. [00:50:01] I KNOW THERE'S A BIG PUSH FORWARD TO THIS HAPPEN BY THE ALLEY 28 OLYMPICS, BUT MORE TO COME ON THAT. UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IN PROGRESS. AND THEN 1.6 IS ACTIVATE THE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY BUILDINGS WITH MAJOR EMPLOYERS. UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING ON AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE A LOT MORE, UH, BUSINESS RELOCATION AND EXPANSIONS, UM, HAPPENING AT THAT PROPERTY. AND THEN THE, UH, LAST ONE IS SPECIFIC POINT WEST AT DOUGLAS PARK. SO AGAIN, THIS IS KNOWN AS SPACE BEACH, AND I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU TOO MUCH MORE ABOUT THAT STORY. BUT, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MARK AND PROMOTE AS A, A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES INVESTMENT IN JOBS. THEN THIS, UH, THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU SOME OF THE DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT ARE WITHIN, UH, SPACE SPEECH. AND THE SECOND ONE IS BUILDING THE TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN, UH, OF THE FUTURE. AND REALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY HERE, WE ARE VERY UNIQUE AS A CITY. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE LARGEST PORTS IN THE AMERICAS, WHICH IS THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND THE BUSINESS PORT IN AMERICAS, WHICH IS THE PORT OF LONG BEACH. AND WE REALLY SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE THIS ASSET WHEN IT COMES TO THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE AND PROACTIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BOTH ON A REGIONAL NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE. UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, THE PORT OF LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO BE HUGE, UH, JOB CREATOR, UM, AS WELL AS JOB RE RETENTION. ONE IN FIVE JOBS IN LONG BEACH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PORT OF LONG BEACH. UM, OVER 575,000 JOBS IN THE FIVE COUNTY REGION ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE, UH, PORT OF LONG BEACH AND, UM, OVER 2.6 MILLION JOBS IN THE US. AND SO THIS JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU HOW IMPORTANT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH IS TO OUR LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY. UM, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, STRATEGIES THAT ARE COMING OUTTA, THIS IS ALL PORT RELATED, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UH, CURRENT INVESTMENT AS WELL AS FUTURE INVESTMENT AROUND ELECTRIFICATION, BRINGING IN NEW, UM, NEW PROGRAMS SUCH AS, UH, THE, UM, LET ME JUST GO THROUGH EACH OF 'EM. SO $2.2 BILLION IN PORT INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO FUEL WITH THE GREEN CARGO MOVEMENT AND LOGISTIC BUSINESSES. AND, UH, PROBABLY IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA FOR, UH, UM, THE CHAIR AND THE COMMISSION TO PROBABLY INVITE THE PORT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, RATHER THAN ME GIVING YOU THAT. UM, THE SECOND ONE IS, UH, PEER B ON DOCK RAIL INVESTMENTS OVER 1.5 BILLION IN STATE OF OUR, OF A STATE, OUR FACILITY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY INVESTED IN AND CONTINUE TO INVEST IN, UH, CONDUCT A, UH, REVIEW OF THE UUT USED TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE COLLECTION, UH, THAT'S UNDERWAY. 2.4 IS IDENTIFY AND ATTRACT ADDITIONAL SPACE COMPANY HEADQUARTERS IN THE CITY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING ON. UH, 225, UH, MILLION DOLLARS INVESTMENT IN ZERO EMISSION PROJECTS. I KNOW IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PORT THAT THEY CONTINUE TO WORK ON AND CONTINUE TO, UH, REQUEST MORE FUNDING FROM THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND THEN YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT WHAT WE CALL THE PEER WIN PROJECT. AND SO THAT'S A REALLY BIG PROJECT THAT WE FEEL CAN PLAY, PAY HUGE DIVIDENDS, NOT ONLY FOR, UM, THE CLIMATE, BUT ALSO BRINGING IN NEW INDUSTRY TO THE CITY AND JOBS AND INVESTMENT. AND THEN, UH, HYDROGEN HUB ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCE FOR, UH, SHIPPING ENGINES. SO THIS IS ALL SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING IN THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PORT ON THAT. AND THEN, UH, THE NEXT ONE IS UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY THROUGH MUSIC, ATHLETICS, TOURISM, HOSPITALITY. UM, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THROUGHOUT THE PRESS PRESENTATIONS, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THIS AREA AS WELL. AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS SECTOR, IT'S THE SECOND LARGEST JOB SECTOR IN LONG BEACH. IT REPRESENTS THIR 13% OF OUR, OUR JOBS IN 15, WHICH IS 15,000 PLUS JOBS AND GROWING. UM, THE, UH, VISIT LONG BEACH AS WELL AS OUR CONVENTION CENTER CONTINUES TO BE RECOGNIZED AS BEST OF THE WEST FOR SEVEN STRAIGHT YEARS. AND WE'RE PROBABLY GOING FOR, UH, NUMBER EIGHT AS WE GO TO, UH, FINISH UP THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR. AND, AND NEXT YEAR, UM, 2023 HAD RECORD BOOKINGS WITH A 65% INCREASE IN 2022. UH, THE QUEEN MARY AND THE WATERFRONT CONTINUED TO BRING IN MORE LIVE MUSIC EVENTS AND REALLY MAKING IT A SPECIAL DESTINATION FOR THE CITY. UH, WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE CONVENTION CENTER, AS YOU ALL KNOW. WE RECENTLY, UH, ISSUED BONDS FOR 50,000, I MEAN $50 MILLION INVESTMENT, UM, TO THE, UH, CONVENTION CENTER FOR LIFE SAFETY, A DA, UH, UPDATED, UH, ELEVATORS, UH, ESCALATORS, HVAC, AS WELL AS SOLAR. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE SEEING HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW. UH, WE ALSO LOOK FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT, RECREATION THROUGHOUT, UH, NOT ONLY THE WATERFRONT, BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND THEN LOOKING AT A, A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AROUND TOURISM, UH, AND DEV TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS DESTINATION. AND SO HERE'S OUR SOME, UH, LET ME JUST CONTINUE TO, UH, LOOK AT THAT. SO, UM, JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHAT OUR HOTEL INVENTORY LOOKS LIKE. UM, SO CITYWIDE, CITYWIDE, WE HAVE OVER 6,200 ROOMS AND CONTINUE TO GROW THAT. UM, THE INVENTORY IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH IS A LITTLE OVER 3,400 ROOMS. AIRPORT INVENTORY IS OVER 1800 AND THE GOAL FOR US IS TO ADD ADDITIONAL 1000 ROOMS BY 2030. AND I KNOW THAT'S AN AMBITIOUS [00:55:01] GOAL, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I HOPE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE, ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, UH, CURRENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED IS THE, UH, FAIRMONT BREAKERS, WHICH WILL BE SHOWN ON THE NEXT PAGE. UH, CITY CENTER HOTEL. WE HAD A GROUNDBREAKING IN THE HARD ROCK HOTEL. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FINISH UP, UH, UH, SOME GAP FINANCING AND HOPE TO SEE THAT PROJECT, UH, MOVE OVER, HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT SIX TO 12 MONTHS. AND THEN JUST REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE INCREASE VISITOR SPENDING AND BUSINESS TRAVEL IN, IN LONG BEACH, ATTRACT CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS 'CAUSE THEY'RE VERY, UH, UNIQUE AND SPECIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR CONVENTION CENTER. BUT ALSO VISITORS COME TO OUR, UH, OUR CITY TO SPEND, UH, THEIR MONEY NOT ONLY DOWNTOWN, BUT ALSO NEAR DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORS AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND AS YOU ALL SAW THAT, IT'S, IT'S A HUGE JOB IN, IN ECONOMIC GENERATOR FOR THE CITY. UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON. THE GOAL IS 1000 HOTEL ROOMS BY 2030. UM, WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY THERE WITH THE FAIRMONT BREAKERS AND CITY CENTER HOTEL. AND, UM, MORE TO COME EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH CARNIVAL CREWS TO OPERATE CRUISE SHIPS, UH, UH, UH, HAS HOTELS DURING THE, UH, MAJOR EVENTS SUCH AS THE OLYMPICS. SO THAT WILL BE THE MAJOR EVENT. SO WE'RE IN DISCUSSION AROUND, AROUND THAT, UH, COMPLETION OF AN UP OPENING OF, UH, FAIRMONT BREAKERS HOTEL THAT'S COMPLETE, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF THE HARD ROCK HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN, UH, THAT'S IN PROGRESS. UH, BRING NEW SPORTY EVENTS TO THE CITY THAT'S IN PROGRESS, UH, CULTIVATE LONG BEACH HAS THE MOST HAUNTED PLACE FOR HALLOWEEN. I THINK WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED THAT WITH THE QUEEN MARY, UH, VICE CHAIR. AND AS YOU, IF YOU ALL HAVEN'T BEEN TO, UH, DARK HARBOR, PLEASE GO. IT'S COOL, IT'S UNIQUE, IT'S SPECIAL AND IT'S DEFINITELY SCARY. UM, AND THEN COMPLETION OF A NEW AMPHITHEATER PROJECT. SO YOU ALS UH, KNOW THAT THAT PROJECT IS UNDERWAY AND HOPE TO BE COMPLETED BY, UH, THE END OF THE YEAR AND THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR. UH, LONG-TERM, UH, QUEEN MARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA BE PLANNED PRETTY QUICKLY HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO THAT'LL DEFINITELY BE A PARTNERSHIP, UH, AMONG MANY DIFFERENT, UH, GROUPS INCLUDING CARNIVAL QUEEN, MARY, EVOLUTION, HOSPITALITY, THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, AS WELL AS MANY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, INCLUDING LONG BEACH TRANSIT. SO THIS IS GONNA BE A HUGE UNDERTAKING AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT NEXT ITERATION IS FOR THE QUEEN MARY ISLAND AND CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THAT ASSET. AND THEN THE FINAL ONE IS TO INVEST IN THE ARENA TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL SPECIAL PROJECTS. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEGENDS GLOBAL TO AND GENSLER TO PUT TOGETHER A ROUGH ORDER AND MAGNITUDE AND A SCHEMATIC PLAN AND WHAT IT WOULD COST TO RENOVATE AND UPDATE OUR, UH, LONG BEACH ARENA SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ATTRACT MORE SPECIAL EVENTS, SPORTING EVENTS, AS WELL AS MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW. AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS, UH, PURSUE, UH, SPECIAL ADVERTISING DISTRICTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. UM, THERE'S TWO PROJECTS THAT, UH, I MENTIONED EARLIER ON WAS, WHICH IS THE, UH, KIOSK PROJECT, WHICH, WHICH IS CLOSED AN RFP ON THAT. SO WE HAD ONE BIDDER FOR THAT PROJECT, AND THAT WAS IKE. AND THEN THE, UH, SECOND ONE WAS THE, UM, LONG BEACH, UM, IN THE, UH, LONG BEACH, UH, LIKE QUAR TOWER, UH, RFP THAT CLOSED, WE HAD ONE BIDDER FOR THAT, THAT WAS INTERSTATE OUTDOOR ADVERTISING. SO THOSE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO DO DILIGENCE AND NEGOTIATIONS ON THAT. AND THEN THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH CONVO CREWS TO CONTINUE TO GROW THEIR PASSENGER COUNTS. AND AS YOU ALL SEE, THEY CONTINUE TO BRING BIGGER VESSELS TO, UM, OUR CITY. AND THAT MEANS MORE PEOPLE COMING INTO LONG BEACH AND SPENDING THEIR DOLLARS. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS CONTINUED REVENUE GROWTH AT THE QUEEN MARY. WE KNOW THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US. AND SO, UH, THE FORTUNATE THING FOR US THAT QUEEN MARY CONTINUES TO OPERATE IN THE BLACK AND WE CONTINUE TO SHOW PROFIT, BUT I THINK IN FUTURE YEARS THERE'S GONNA BE SOME CHALLENGES. I MEAN, 'CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH AROUND WAGES. UM, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME LOST PARKING REVENUE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE UP WITH THE, UH, CREATION OF THE, UM, LONG BEACH AMPHITHEATER. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE THAT ASSET WITH, UH, MORE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT. UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, MAIN, UH, MAXIMIZING LEASES ALONG THE WATERFRONT. SO EVERY LEASE THAT WE ENTER INTO INCLUDING EXTENSIONS, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO, LOOKING AT IT FROM A FAIR MARKET VALUE PERSPECTIVE AND HOW NOT ONLY TO SEE THAT PROJECT ARE THAT, UH, OPERATIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT ALSO LOOKING FOR REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY. SO, AND IF THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO OFFSET IT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS THE, THE ELEPHANT LOT. UH, WE KNOW THAT'S BEEN IN TALKS FOR MANY, MANY DECADES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE AS WE COMPLETE SOME OF THE WATERFRONT PLANNING AND PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE NEXT STEP IS REALLY TO POSITION THAT FOR, UH, DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE. AND SO OUR THOUGHT IS ONCE WE GET PAST THE 2028 OLYMPICS, UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY LEG LEVERAGE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE REALLY PLANNING FOR THE OLYMPICS AND THE GAMES THAT'LL BE ON THAT LOT, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, REALLY MARKET THE OPPORTUNITY DURING THAT TIME. AND THEN THE [01:00:01] OTHER ONE IS, UH, SHORELINE VILLAGE PARKING STRUCTURE. WE KNOW THAT UM, THAT WENT AWAY. UM, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PARKING AND ADD A COUPLE MORE SPACES WITH THEIR, UH, RENOVATION OF THE SHORELINE VILLAGE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS FOR US IS BECOME THE LIVE MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION ON, I WOULD SAY, NOT JUST THE WEST COAST, BUT THE WORLD. AND SO LET'S, LET'S GO BIG. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON NOW GOING FORWARD. AND THAT STARTS WITH THE OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER. RIGHT NOW WE JUST, UH, CLOSED IN ON THE ENTERTAINMENT STRATEGIC PLAN. SO THAT RFP CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, AND WE HAD 11 PROPOSALS FOR THAT. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH PROCUREMENT RIGHT NOW TO REVIEW EACH OF THE, UH, BIDS THAT CAME IN. THEN WE WILL, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THEY QUALIFY. AND THEN WE'LL START INTERVIEWS AND THEN HOPEFULLY, UH, SELECT SOMEONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, AND GOING BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR THAT. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE VERY BUSY AND WE'RE NOT DONE YET. SO, UH, THE NEXT ONE IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS. AS WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TALENT, TALENT IS REALLY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE ALSO HAVE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. AND THAT INCLUDES LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH, AS WELL AS OUR TRADES AND UNIONS TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUCCESSFUL GOING FORWARD AS A CITY. AND PART OF THAT, UM, IS STRATEGIES OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE $1 BILLION MEMORIAL CARE MASTER PLAN. UH, WE KNOW HOW CHALLENGED HEALTHCARE IS RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MEMORIAL, UH, CARE ON, ON THEIR OVERALL MASTER PLANNING. UH, WE ALSO WILL LOOK TO FUEL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH A LOT OF OUR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE FOCUS ON MAKING SURE WE'RE PREPARING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE AROUND HEALTHCARE AND INNOVATION. 'CAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS A GROWING SECTOR THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO, UH, PROVIDE A LOT OF BENEFITS TO OUR, OUR RESIDENTS AND CREATION OF THE NORTH LONG BEACH HIGHER EDUCATION AND, AND HOUSING HUB. SO THE NORTH LONG BEACH HIGHER EDUCATION IS COMPLETE. THE HOUSING HUB IS, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH LONG BEACH, UH, CITY COLLEGE TO, UM, UM, ACTIVATE AND BUILD HOUSING PROJECT AT THE OBAMA PROPERTY NEXT TO THE, UH, LIBRARY AND REALLY LOOKING, THAT HAS AN EDUCATIONAL DISTRICT FOR THE NORTH LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. AND THEN A CHARTER REFORM TO CREATE PATHWAYS FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT FOR LOCAL STUDENTS. AND THAT'S COMPLETING, THAT'S THROUGH THE LONG BEACH PATHWAYS THROUGH, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE. AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD STUDENT HOUSING AND ADVOCATE MAJOR CENTERS THROUGHOUT CORRIDORS AND, UH, THAT WE CREATE VIBRANT, UH, COLLEGE HOUSING. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH BOTH, UH, LONG BEACH, UH, CITY COLLEGE AS WELL AS CO SHALL BE ON, ON, UH, HOUSING PROJECTS, NOT ON CAMPUS, BUT ALSO AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE LOWER LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. AND THEN MAXIMIZING THE VISION AND, UH, ENERGY OF SEA SHALL BE ATHLETICS THAT HAVE THE OLYMPICS. I KNOW THE MAYOR'S BIG, VERY BIG ON THIS AS WELL AS CITY COUNCIL. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, ONGOING. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS, UH, BUILDING A CLIMATE, UH, FORWARD ECONOMY. AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES HERE. I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF 'EM, BUT KNOW THAT WE'RE WORKING ALONG WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC, UH, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, UH, ON A LOT OF THESE, UH, STRATEGIES HERE. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS GROW LONG BEACH TOGETHER. AND THIS IS REALLY, UH, FOCUSING ON HOW WE CONTINUE TO BUILD UP THE CITY. UM, FROM A, UH, COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE. UH, WE WANNA PERFORM ADDITIONAL BUSINESS LICENSE AUDITS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE, UM, PAYING THEIR BUSINESS LICENSE AND THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT ERRING TO THE RULES. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON GOING FORWARD. WE DID, YOU KNOW, GIVE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY A BREAK BECAUSE OF COVID-19, BUT WE'RE WELL PAST THAT NOW. AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S OPERATING UNDER THE SAME RULES. UM, WE ALSO WANNA HOST, WE DID HOST THE ALREADY HERE SITE ELECTRIC CONFERENCE, UH, TWO YEARS IN A ROW. SO THAT'S COMPLETED A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF CITY PARKING ASSETS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ONGOING AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY JUST TO GENERATE REVENUE, BUT ALSO, AS I ALWAYS SAY, WHEN YOU HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM, THAT MEANS YOU ARRIVED. AND I THINK IN MANY PARTS OF OUR CITY, WE HAVE A PARKING PROBLEM. AND SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT THAT FROM, FROM A TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY PERSPECTIVE. UH, WE ALSO WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF OUR UN STREET PRODUCTING APPROACH, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT ZONES, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT THE EIDS, UH, ADOPT ZONING CHANGES AND EVENT CITYWIDE LAND USE ELEMENT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES TO LEAD, NOT ONLY CITYWIDE, BUT ALSO IN, UH, TARGETED AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND THEN PROMOTE HOME ADDITIONS. AND YOU ALL HEARD ABOUT ADUS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE A LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO ADUS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND ACTIVATION LARGE PROPERTIES IN THE, UH, TO GENERATE PROPERTY, UH, UM, PROPERTY AND SALES TAX, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND AGAIN, SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS IN THE CITY. SO YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF WHAT WE HAD TO, UH, SAY AROUND OUR [01:05:01] TARGETED ENTRY SECTORS AS WELL AS, UH, SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS INITIATIVES WERE IMPLEMENTING AND NEW ONES THAT WE'RE CREATING, UH, FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE NEIGHBOR MARKETPLACE PROFILE PROJECT. AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO ACTUALLY COMPLETE OUR FIRST, UH, PHASE OF THAT PROJECT. AND WE'RE GOING TO, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE SHARING THAT AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE OTHER DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ACTUALLY HAS OUR OWN REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GROW AMERICA. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA, UH, TALK ABOUT ALL THESE PROGRAMS 'CAUSE WE WENT THROUGH IT WITH PAST PRESENTATIONS. JUST GONNA SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND GOING FORWARD. AND THEN AS WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LONG BEACH IS REALLY, ITS TALENT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SUCCESS OF OUR CITY. AND WE TOO WANT TO BE A MAGNET FOR 21ST CENTURY TALENT. AND I THINK IT SHOWS WHEN YOU TALK TO OUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE RELOCATING OR EXPANDING TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR BUSINESS AT SPACE BEACH, I'M ALWAYS ASKING, AND I'VE I'VE EVEN ASKED KEVIN THIS, THIS, THIS QUESTION, WHY LONG BEACH? AND EVERYONE'S GONNA TELL YOU IT'S ABOUT THE TALENT, TALENT AND TALENT. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT OUR LOCATION AS WELL, AND ALL ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET, NOT THE RED TAPE. AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU. SO WE DO, UH, JOBS IN LONG BEACH. WE HAVE OVER 230,000. OUR LABOR FORCE IS 219,000. OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, IT FLUCTUATES BETWEEN THE HIGH FOURS AND LOW FIVES. AND THEN THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT YOU'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UH, SINCE, UH, JAIME GAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE LAST, UH, COMMISSION MEETING. AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE PAST, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AND WE'LL CONTINUE GOING FORWARD. AND THEN THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA CONTINUE TO DO. AND, AND THAT'S CREATING QUALITY OF PLACE INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY AMENITIES. AND I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE ABOUT ELEVATE 28 AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN AND THE $1 BILLION INVESTMENT WE'RE MAKING THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN PREPARATION FOR THE OLYMPICS AND ALSO, UH, POST OLYMPICS. AND THEN THESE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AS WE THINK ABOUT, UH, DIVERSIFYING NOT ONLY BUSINESS INDUSTRY, BUT PUTTING THE CITY ON THE WORLD STAGE. WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, OUR SALES TAX AND, UH, TRANSIT ORIENTED, UH, UM, TAX THAT, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY. AND THEN AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD, WE'LL LOOK AT DIVERSIFYING, EXPANDING THE CITY'S REVENUE SPACE, UH, BASE ADVANCING TARGET INDUSTRY SECTORS, UH, THE ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. UM, ALSO FURTHERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 52 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. SO YOU CAN SEE WE ARE VERY, VERY BUSY. A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED, THEY'RE UNDERWAY OR THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD AND THEN DELIVERING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND JUST CONTINUE TO TELL OUR STORY AND LEVERAGE PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS. SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE PROBABLY LIKE, MAYBE YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT TIRED OF HEARING FROM ME NOW, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BO NO, IT'S GREAT PRESENTATION. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL NEED TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION ALSO. UM, I KNOW THAT WE WENT THROUGH AN EXERCISE OF, UH, PROBABLY ALMOST A YEAR AGO, IT WAS MAPPING SOME OF THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVES TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT. AND IT'D BE GREAT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAP THESE 52 PRIORITIES TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT. SO I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH JULIAN ON THAT. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER MATOYER? YEP. UH, BOTH. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I DID HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND IT POPPED UP. I BELIEVED WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MAKE SURE I HAVE THE RIGHT ONES. THERE'S SO MANY BULLETS. ONE, UM, I'LL JUST GO INTO IT. UM, BUT THERE, THERE WERE TWO POINTS THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP AND, AND GET CLARITY ON. ONE, UM, WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BUSINESS LICENSE AUDIT. UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE TALKED AND I'VE TALKED TO, TO PLENTY OF BUSINESSES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WHILE THEY WERE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THE, UM, PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THEY HAD A BIT OF A REPRIEVE ON THE PERMITS, UM, I THINK THERE WAS A BIT OF CONFUSION ON CLOSING THEIR BUSINESS IN THAT PROCESS OF CLOSING IT DOWN AND THEN STILL GETTING CHARGED FOR A LICENSE THAT WASN'T ACTIVE. UM, AND SO AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT AUDIT, I WOULD JUST, UM, THINK ABOUT THE STEPS THAT ARE GONNA BE IN PLACE FOR WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BUSINESS ACTUALLY CLOSED IN 2022, BUT WE'VE STILL BEEN CHARGING THEM AS IF THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING. UM, THAT'S JUST BEEN SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD FROM A FEW CLOSED BUSINESSES THAT THEY'RE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THEY, THEY OWE $3,000 TO THE CITY WHEN THEY'VE GIVEN COMMUNICATION THAT THEY'VE, THEY CLOSED. RIGHT. UM, AND THE SECOND PIECE IS ON, ON THE ZONING CHANGES THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, AND WORKING IN TANDEM WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UM, [01:10:01] AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE FOCUSED A LOT, PROBABLY 15, 20 YEARS AGO ON THE ZONING CHANGES AROUND, UM, DOUGLAS MACARTHUR PARK TO REALLY FOCUS ON, UM, CURATING AND CLUSTERING AEROSPACE, UH, IN THAT AREA. BUT, UH, IS THERE, FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM SIDE, UH, ARE YOU GUYS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO THINK ABOUT OTHER CLUSTERS AND HOW THAT CHANGE IN ZONING WORKS FOR THEM? OR IS THE ZONING, BECAUSE I KNOW THE CITY HAS GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF ZONING CHANGES THROUGH ITS DIFFERENT PLANS, BUT, UM, DOWNTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? LIKE WHERE DOES IT FIT IN THE INDUSTRY CLUSTERS? WE TALKED ABOUT HOTEL ENTERTAINMENT, CREATIVE ECONOMY. AND SO HOW DOES THAT REFLECT IN THE ZONING CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN PLAN OR SHORELINE VISIONING PLAN? RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, THINGS AROUND MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE LIKE, ARE, ARE THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING AND IS THAT BEING MAPPED OUT ON THE CITY ABOUT WHERE WE WANTED TO CLUSTER THESE INDUSTRIES BASED ON THE ZONING THAT WE'RE CREATING? UM, YEAH, THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION. YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT, UM, UH, QUESTION. UH, UH, COMMISSIONER MATOYA. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE REALLY SEE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, WHERE MEMORIAL CARE IN ST. MARY'S TO REALLY CREATE WHAT WE WOULD WANNA CALL A HEALTHCARE, HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS CLUSTER. AND SO I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, IT, A LOT OF THAT HAS COMING AROUND LAND USE AND ZONING AND REALLY CREATING THAT VISION AND PLANTS JUST LIKE WE DID FOR SPACE BEACH. AND SO I THINK DOWNTOWN'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT USES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO EVERY INDUSTRY SECTOR THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED HERE. AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO BE FLESHED OUT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT PLANNING PROCESSES THAT ARE GOING ON. SO, NO, THAT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT. AND THE NICE THING IS WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT EXAMPLES THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM AND HOPEFULLY CARRY FORWARD AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE, UH, LEVERAGE, UH, TARGETED ENTRY SECTORS AS WELL AS NEW AND EMERGENCY SECTORS LIKE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT AS A CITY COMMISSIONER WENCH, HI, GREAT PRESENTATION. YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN BUSY AND, UH, I MOVED HERE IN 1986 AND, AND THE LANDSCAPE WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. THIS IS AMAZING. UM, THERE WASN'T EVEN AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, DIVISION AT THAT TIME, AND YOU GUYS DONE A GREAT JOB. THE ONLY THING I AM CONCERNED WITH IS, UM, HOMELESSNESS AND THE ISSUE AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT IS GONNA HAVE ON HOUSING AND ON BUSINESSES. I KNOW RECENTLY IN OUR OWN BUILDING, WE, UH, HAVE HAD AN INCREASE OF INCIDENTS AND THE REALTORS SAID HE'S HAVING A HARD TIME SELLING SOME OF THE UNITS. SO I DO KNOW THAT IS GONNA START IMPACTING THE CITY. UM, AND COMMISSIONER, ONCE WE, WE CONTINUE TO BE VERY PROACTIVE AND WORK WITH ALL OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS TO ADDRESS THE ON HOUSE AND REALLY LOOKING AT IT FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT STANDPOINTS FROM MAKING SURE WE ARE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE. BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET THE ON HOUSE INTO TEMPORARY, OUR PERMANENT HOUSING. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT'S GONNA HAPPEN OVER TIME AND IT'S GONNA TAKE, TAKE A LOT OF RESOURCES, PEOPLE, INVESTMENT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. BUT, YOU KNOW, I AM ALSO VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AS A CITY, UH, AND ALSO WITH OUR PARTNERS, INCLUDING OUR COMMISSIONS TO ADDRESS THAT CHALLENGE. BUT WE KNOW THE WORK IS NOT DONE FAR FROM BEING DONE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON NOW AND GOING FORWARD. UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, FOUR DIFFERENT PRIORITIES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OUTLINED, UH, NOT ONLY THIS YEAR, BUT PROBABLY GOING FORWARD IN, IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AND MIDTERM IS, IS PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE SECOND ONE IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE THIRD IS, UM, THE ON HOUSE HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING. AND THEN THE FOURTH AREA IS INFRASTRUCTURE. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S IT'S PLACE MAKING INVESTMENTS. AND SO CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL ARE VERY AWARE WITH IT AS WELL AS CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO ADDRESS THAT. I DO KNOW WE WORK WITH A, A GROUP CALLED BILL DE ZERO, AND THAT THEY WERE HONORED BY THE WHITE HOUSE 'CAUSE THEY DID HELP. UM, THEY STARTED WITH THE VETS AND HAS BUILT THAT TOO, BASICALLY ALMOST ZERO, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT. AND I THINK THEY'RE STILL ON BOARD. I HAVEN'T TALKED TO THEM FOR A LONG TIME. I KNOW WE HAD A PRESENTATION A COUPLE YEARS FROM THEM. YES. AND DEFINITELY SHARE OUT, AS YOU KNOW, RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND INVESTMENTS, UH, AROUND THE, ON HOUSING HOMELESSNESS AND, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE CITY. COMMISSIONER, NOR THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, SO I MEAN, ANYTIME I SEE THAT THERE ARE 52 STRATEGIES, I'M THINKING MAYBE THIS IS, UH, DISORGANIZED, BUT IT'S PHENOMENALLY WELL [01:15:01] ORGANIZED, IT SEEMS AND SO I, I MEAN, IT IS, RIGHT. IT, IT, IT ALL ALIGNS WITH THE HIGHER LEVEL OBJECTIVES AND THEN SPECIFIC ACTIONS TOWARD THOSE OBJECTIVES. SO THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT TO SEE. UM, I DID HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH ABOUT WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGE VOLUME OF ACTIVITIES, IT'S, IT'S OFTENTIMES DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO TRACK. AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE ARE LIKELY A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT GO UNSEEN. UM, FOR, AND JUST AS ONE, ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS FOR THE SPECIAL ADVERTISING DISTRICT ON THE KIOSKS, THERE'S ONLY ONE BIDDER FOR EACH OF THOSE. AND, AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT GOES ON THERE, BUT MAYBE THAT'S INDICATIVE OF A, OF A BROADER CHALLENGE AROUND COMMUNICATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND CONNECTING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THEM. UH, I I FIND IT SURPRISING EVERY TIME I LEARN SOMETHING, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT HOW THE CITY IS FOCUSED ON AEROSPACE AND I'M STILL LEARNING, UM, WHEREAS I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE A, A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT. SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE HELP THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE ACCESS INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE INITIATIVES, UH, BECAUSE MAKING THOSE LINKS ARE REALLY HOW WE, WE, WE GET THE ACTION TAKEN. Y YEAH. AND THAT, THAT'S, UH, A, A, A GREAT QUESTION. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING HARD AT. AND WHEN IT COMES TO FOR PROPOSALS, OPPORTUNITIES, WE ARE OUT THERE MAKING SURE WE'RE TALKING NOT ONLY WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO PEOPLE THAT ARE SUCH EXPERTS IN THE, IN THOSE FIELDS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR. UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN WE DO, UH, PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE. AND IF IT'S NOT A PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY ROUND A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, IF WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GET, GO TO OUR VENDOR LIST, WE'RE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, PUTTING LONG BEACH BUSINESSES FIRST. AND, UM, COURTNEY, YOU PROBABLY CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, NOW AND IN THE PAST AND GOING FORWARD. UM, YEAH, WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED A LOT WITH OUR INTERNAL PROCUREMENT TEAM THROUGH BIZ CARE, AND THEY ACTUALLY HIRED MAYBE ABOUT A YEAR AGO SOMEONE TO FOCUS ON OUTREACH TO LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SO WHEN THERE'S AN RFP THAT COMES THROUGH THAT WE SEE, WE DON'T HAVE LOCAL VENDORS IN THE SYSTEM, THEY LOOK AT OUR BUSINESS LICENSE DATA AND WE HELP THEM NAVIGATE WHAT, WHAT VENDORS CAN THEY REACH OUT TO. UM, AND THEN WE ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT THROUGH BIZ CARE. WE'RE ALWAYS TELLING, UH, OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WE ENGAGE WITH THEM TO SIGN UP TO LONG BEACH BIDS OR LONG BEACH BUYS, AND WE HELP THEM, UM, WITH ANY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO GET THAT DONE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS STRAIGHTFORWARD FOR A FIRST TIME VENDOR. LIKE, WHAT IS A NIX CODE? WHAT DO I, WHAT, WHAT DO I PUT IN HERE FOR MY SERVICES? WE HELP THEM KIND OF FIGURE SOME OF THAT OUT. UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD AS FAR AND WIDE AS WE CAN, AND WE WORK WITH SCORE AS WELL. THEY HAVE DONE A, A LOT OF GREAT, UM, WORKSHOPS AROUND PROCUREMENT AND TRYING TO PREPARE LOCAL VENDORS FOR OPPORTUNITIES WE SEE COMING FOR OLYMPICS TOO. AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU OUR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF GREAT WORK AROUND IT. THEY'RE LOOKED AT AS A NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE WHEN IT COMES TO PROCUREMENT, OUTREACH AND MARKETING. UM, AND YOU CAN NEVER STOP DOING IT. SO WE'RE NEVER COMPLACENT. SO IF THERE'S IDEAS OR THINGS THAT YOU SEE THAT CAN BE A BEST PRACTICE, WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO LEARNING AND, AND SHARING AND, AND, AND UPLIFTING OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO OUR BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. COMMISSIONER SANDAL, UH, THANKS AGAIN FOR THIS PRESENTATION. UH, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD, UH, ESPECIALLY AS WE PREPARE FOR THE OLYMPICS. I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL READY TO KIND OF GET INVOLVED AND, AND, AND COMMIT TO CERTAIN AREAS OF THE, OF THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE HERE. UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU ATTRACT, UH, INVESTMENT, AS YOU IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO BUILD OR FOR, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES, BIG CORPORATIONS POTENTIALLY TO RELOCATE, UM, AND MAYBE THEY WANNA BUILD OR MAYBE THEY JUST WANNA MOVE INTO A FACILITY, THEY RE REDEVELOP THAT OR, OR, OR RETROFIT IT, HOWEVER THEY, THEY PLAN TO DO THAT. DOES, DO YOU, ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT, OR DO YOU ALREADY HAVE LIKE CONTINGENCY PLANS IN THE, IN, IN, IN THE CASE IN WHERE THERE IS A DEVELOPER OR DEVELOPMENT GROUP OR A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING, UM, BUT MAYBE GET STALLED AND, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE HAVE REALLY HARD AMBITIOUS GOALS TO PREPARE FOR THE OLYMPICS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE PREPARE, UH, IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY SO THAT THERE'S BACKUP PLANS TO THEN HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UH, OR THOSE COMPANIES, UM, MEET THOSE DEADLINES. RIGHT. UM, AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S BEEN REALLY PROACTIVE WITH THE QUEEN MARY AND THE AMPHITHEATER AND, AND THAT'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW THINGS CAN GET DONE. BUT SOMETIMES THERE ARE SHORTFALLS AND SOMETIMES, UM, THOSE PARTNERSHIPS CAN, CAN FALL APART. AND SO, UM, AND I IMAGINE MAYBE THIS IS THE, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR RISE TO KIND OF HAVE A ROLE TO, TO CREATE A NETWORK AND, AND, AND FURTHER PARTNERSHIPS TO, [01:20:01] TO COME IN AND, AND SAVE THESE PROJECTS. BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A SUSTAINABLE, UH, PROCESS THAT YOU ARE ALL THINKING ABOUT WHEN A PROJECT DOES GET STALLED, UM, WHETHER IT BE A HOTEL NEW DEVELOPMENT, UM, OR A NEW FACILITY. UH, AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR YOU IS, IS THE CITY. I KNOW I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'RE SELLING OFF ASSETS AT THE MOMENT, BUT ARE YOU CONSIDERING BUYING NEW LAND OR NEW PROPERTIES TO CONVERT AND TO RUN AS PILOTS IN PREPARATION FOR THE OLYMPICS AS WELL? SO, GREAT QUESTION. UM, I CAN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM A CITY OF LONG BEACH PERSPECTIVE, I MEAN, WE REALLY, UH, TOOK A PROACTIVE APPROACH WHEN IT CAME TO PLANNING FOR THE LA 20 OLYMPICS AND US BEING THE LARGEST VENUE CITY AND A LOT OF THE GAMES HAPPENING ALONG OUR WATERFRONT. AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, HIRED KPMG TO PUT TOGETHER A STRATEGIC, UH, VISION AND PLANNING PROCESS FOR US. WE'VE CREATED A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT REPRESENT, UH, CITY STAFF, UM, THROUGHOUT THE, UM, ORGANIZATION. AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY, WHETHER IT'S A SHORT TERM INSTALLATION JUST FOR OLYMPICS OR MORE LONG TERM IN A LEGACY PROJECT, THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TEAM IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS IT FROM A EASE, SPEED, AND PREDICTABILITY STANDPOINT. AND SO WE'RE APPROACHING IT JUST LIKE WE APPROACH BUSINESS, RIGHT? IF SOMEONE'S COMING INTO THE CITY, THEY HAVE AN ISSUE. UM, WE ASSIGN SOMEONE TO IT, ESPECIALLY FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, TO KIND OF BE THAT GO-TO PERSON TO HELP NAVIGATE THE CITY PROCESS. AND WE'RE TAKING THAT SAME APPROACH FOR THE OLYMPICS. UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I HAVE, UH, STAFF THAT ARE CHAMPIONS, UH, FROM OUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, INCLUDING MYSELF AND THE REST OF THE CITY TEAM THAT ARE ALL WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE NOT ONLY OUR SMALL BUSINESS, UH, SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HOPEFULLY, AGAIN, ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET, NOT THE RED TAPE WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. AND THEN, UM, YOUR SECOND QUESTION WAS, I'M SORRY, ARE YOU, UM, IS THE CITY CONSIDERING, UM, YOU KNOW, PREPARATION FOR THE OLYMPICS TO PUR PURCHASE ADDITIONAL LAND OR PROPERTIES TO CONVERT, UM, INTO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT OR TO PILOT, UH, TO DRAW A NEW INVESTMENT? OH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO ACQUIRE, UM, NEW PROPERTY 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ASSETS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND ANYTHING THAT'S ALONG THE WATERFRONT, IT'S STATE OWNED LAND AND WE, YOU KNOW, OWN THAT ON BEHALF OF THE STATE. AND WE, AND TYPICALLY AS, YOU KNOW, ENTER INTO LONG-TERM LEASES, UM, FOR THOSE PROPERTIES. AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS ALONG THE TIDELANDS AND WORKING WITH THE COASTAL COMMISSION. SO, UH, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE LOOKING TO LEVERAGE, UM, ASSETS ALONG THE WATERFRONT BECAUSE IT'S, WE'RE GONNA BE ON THE RURAL STAGE AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT OUR WATERFRONT AND DOWNTOWN, BUT WE'RE ALSO PURSUING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S WORKING WITH EXISTING BUSINESS TO DO, UH, WATCH PARTIES OR TO ACTIVATE VACANT LOTS AND SPACES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY FOR THE OLYMPICS, BUT BEFORE AND PAST THE OLYMPICS. AND SO, UM, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO ACQUIRE NEW PROPERTY, BUT IF SOMETHING DOES COME OUR WAY AND IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, WE'RE NOT GONNA SAY NO. COMMISSIONER NOVIN AND THEN VICE CHAIR THOMAS. THANK YOU. AT A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON, UM, THE BUSINESS PERMIT LAPSING POINT THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED IS THAT SEPARATE FROM OR BEING DRIVEN BY THE FOOD VENDOR ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING, I I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THEM EITHER NOT OBTAINING OR RENEWING THEIR LICENSES OR PERMITS. AND THEN, UM, I GUESS I'LL ASK THAT FIRST AND THEN I'LL HAVE A FOLLOW UP. YEAH. UM, SO THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE, UM, UM, UH, INITIATIVE. AND SO, UH, THE STREET VENDOR IS UH, UH, AN ORDINANCE THAT WE JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED. AND, UH, TO START UP WITH THAT ORDINANCE, WE DID A LOT OF EDUCATION TO MAKE SURE THE VENDORS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS. AND NOW WE'RE MOVING ON FROM EDUCATION NOW TO ENFORCEMENT. AWESOME. WE, WE AS A COMMITTEE, UH, I HAD TO LOOK IT UP, IT WAS BACK IN MARCH OF, UH, 23, SO BEFORE YOU'RE JOINING US, UM, REVIEWED THAT WITH CITY STAFF AND I KNOW STAFF WAS ESSENTIALLY UNDER THE DIRECTION FROM THE STATE REGULATION TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND WE TRIED TO SHAPE IT AS BEST AS WE COULD AT THE TIME, AND IT WAS PROBABLY OUR BUSIEST COMMISSION MEETING, UM, FROM THAT TOPIC. AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES. I'M WONDERING IF WE AS A COMMISSION MAYBE COULD GET AN UPDATE ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE PROMISED TO OUR BRICK AND MORTAR OPERATORS WERE, IT WAS A VERY RARE INSTANCE OF BUSINESS OF THE CITY SAYING, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN ON THE BEHALF OF BUSINESS UNDER THE MANDATE. AND WHAT WE SAID IS, MAYBE WE CAN LOOK BACK IN A YEAR OR TWO AND SEE IF THERE ARE LEARNINGS FROM THAT PROCESS THAT WE COULD APPLY TO OUR BRICK AND MORTAR RESTAURANT OPERATORS. 'CAUSE THEY'RE WORKING IN A WORLD WHERE IF THE WATER'S ONE DEGREE OFF, THEY'RE GONNA GET WRITTEN UP. AND THEN THERE COULD BE SOMEONE DOWN THE STREET WORKING OUT OF A FOOD VENDOR. [01:25:01] SO MAYBE THERE'D BE A LOOK BACK ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM IT, MAYBE HOW WE CAN MAKE OPERATING A BRICK AND MORTAR RESTAURANT MORE STREAMLINED. AND I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY DOING THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO THAT COMMUNITY AND KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEIR VOICES WERE HEARD AND WE CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER ACROSS THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY FOR AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS A PROBABLY THE HIGHEST FAIL RATE OF ANY BUSINESS THAT OPENS UP IN THE CITY. YEAH. AND THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK, UM, NOT ONLY THROUGH THE ORDINANCE, BUT ALSO WITH THE STREET VENDORS AND OUR BIG MORTAR UH, BUSINESSES. I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EASY SOLUTION AND THERE ARE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT WE COULD DO FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE. BUT AGAIN, I WOULD SAY THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THAT AREA. AND, UM, WE DEFINITELY CAN BRING, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND WHO'S BEEN LEADING THAT INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE AND NOT ONLY LOOK BACK, BUT LOOK FORWARD IN WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, RIGHT NOW AS, AS WE, UH, EDUCATE AND ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR THOMAS. THANKS AGAIN. GREAT REPORT. APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION. UM, COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. FIRST OF ALL, JUST A STATEMENT. I'M SO PLEASED TO HEAR TIFF COMING BACK. I WAS OUR LAST CHAIR OF RDA IN 2013 WHEN IT WENT AWAY. AND I WATCHED THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR ECONOMY IN HERE IN LONG BEACH COMING OUT OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 2008, 2009. JOBS WERE ELIMINATED, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HALTED, UM, AND ONLY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA CAN BE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT TELLS YOU TO BUY HIGH AND SELL LOW . AND THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE DOING AT THE TIME. IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY BAD TO SEE, BUT I'M GLAD IT'S COMING BACK. UM, CAN YOU AND I LOVE THE FOURTH PI ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT, UH, THE PEOPLE ARE IMPORTANT, WHO WE DECIDE TO ALIGN OURSELVES WITH FOR PROJECTS OF THE LAST GENERATIONS HOPEFULLY BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT. UM, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE PROPERTY, THE FORMER CITY HALL PROPERTY AS AN, AS AN ASSET OR A POSSIBLE ASSET? OR IS THAT PROJECT LOOKING TO BE REALIZED? RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CURRENT PROPERTY OWNER WHO WAS LOOKING, ALSO LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT OF THAT, UH, PARCEL. UM, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY COVID-19 HIT AND THEN POST COVID-19, WE SAW INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES AND THE MARKET TO BUILD, UH, WHAT THEY ENVISIONED, UH, JUST WASN'T THERE. AND SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO SEE IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NEW DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, JOINT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY AND BRINGING IN A NEW DEVELOPER. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE AND SOMETHING THAT'S A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE CITY AND ALSO HIGH PRIORITY FOR DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE AND, AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE SEE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER, SO THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE SEE SOMETHING ACTIVATED FOR THAT LOCATION. AND, AND IT'S A GREAT LOCATION. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHERE, WHERE THE ECONOMY IS RIGHT NOW IN THE MARKETPLACE IS. SURE. AND, UM, REGARDING THE QUEEN MARY ISLAND, WE ALL KNOW THE, THE M WORD MOBILITY, GETTING PEOPLE OVER THERE, GETTING PEOPLE PARKED AND ACCOMMODATING THESE, THESE VISIONS OF FUTURE GROWTH AND PD 87, THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT 87, WHICH KIND OF TIES TIED OUR HANDS SOMEWHAT WITH THE AGREEMENTS WE MADE WITH THE COASTAL COMMISSION BACK IN 87 WHEN WE, UH, ALIGNED OURSELVES WITH THEIR REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR THAT PLAN DEVELOPMENT. SO, UM, I CAN TELL YOU SHARE A BIT IN, UM, 2012, 2010, THE, AS PART OF THE QUEEN MAYOR AT THAT POINT, AS A VOLUNTEER SUPPORTER, WE WERE LOOKING AT TITLE 21, FEDERAL FUNDING FOR MOBILITY. AND THEN WE WERE LOOKING AT, UM, BROUGHT IN A CONSULTANT. WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW WE COULDN'T REALIGN THE SEVEN 10 FREEWAY WHEN THERE WERE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT YOU'RE SMILING , I'M JUST, YOU'RE SPEAKING MUSIC INTO YOUR EARS. YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD THIS, I'M SURE. BUT HOW WE COULD AT TIMES CHANGE THE MOBILITY PLAN FOR SEVEN 10 TO GIVE US MORE ACCESS AND MORE FREEDOM OF, UH, GETTING PEOPLE THERE ON TIME, UH, TO THE ISLAND OR TO THE, THAT AREA IN PARTICULAR. UM, PLEASURE TRAVEL'S A BIG DEAL. IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, MY LOVE AND HISTORY FOR THIS CITY AND, UH, AND UH, PROJECT TRAVEL WAS A BIG DEAL HERE, MIDWESTERNS BY THE SEA, UH, HIGHLANDS BY THE SEA, COMING HERE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR GREAT CLIMATE. SO AS A VISIT LONG BEACH BOARD MEMBER, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT, THAT OUR GROUP AS WELL, WHEN WE VISION THE CONVENTION BUSINESS AS WELL AS PLEASURE TRAVEL TO TIE IT IN WITH OUR ARTS AND OUR NON-PROFIT PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, UM, I THINK IS A BIG DEAL. FINAL, JUST A, A, A PITCH FOR OPT-IN LB WITH OUR NEW OPPORTUNITIES. UH, THE, OUR LAST WORD, UH, I KNOW WE'RE REALLY HIP ON, ON THE LOGOS AND THEMES, SO LONG BEACH COMMUN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES [01:30:01] OPT-IN LONG BEACH MIGHT BE A GOOD TAGLINE. AND THANKS. HOW FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK? THANK YOU. VICE SHARON. KNOW THAT, UH, ON THE QUEEN MARY ISLAND, AS WE THINK ABOUT EXISTING AS WELL AS FUTURE, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND PLANS FOR, FOR THAT DISTRICT IS TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY IS GONNA BE HUGE, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE AT THE AMPHITHEATER PROJECT AND, YOU KNOW, THE QUEEN MARY CARNIVAL CRUISE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM, YOU KNOW, AUTOMOBILE, BUS, TRA I MEAN, TRANSIT, WALKING, BIKING. I KIND OF LIKE TO LOOK AT IT FROM A COMPLETE STREET PERSPECTIVE. AND SO THAT INCLUDES ALL THOSE USES. AND SO, AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF INVESTMENT AND RESOURCES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BOTH AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. SO ANYTHING YOU ALL CAN DO TO CONTINUE TO PITCH AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE OPPORTUNITIES THERE, BUT ALSO IT TAKES A LOT OF INVESTMENT TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU. OF, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION. UM, SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. AS, AS ALWAYS, IT'S ALWAYS SO COMPREHENSIVE. UM, SO I WAS TALKING TO SOME BUSINESS OWNERS AND SOMEONE BROUGHT UP, WHICH WAS SO INTERESTING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CITY'S POLICY IS. SO I'M ASKING IS, DOES THE CITY HAVE A BACK TO WORK POLICY? BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING THAT IF THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AND IF THE GOVERNMENT BROUGHT BACK THE EMPLOYEES INTO THEIR JOBS, THAT POSSIBLY WE COULD HELP, IT COULD HELP TO REVITALIZE LIKE THE DOWNTOWN AREA. SO I WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOES THE CITY HAVE A POLICY AROUND BACK TO WORK? UM, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO FIGURE OUT HOW MORE BUSINESSES COULD ALSO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR? UM, GREAT QUESTION. UM, UH, CHAIR. SO, UM, THE BACK TO WORK POLICY, UM, I CAN TELL YOU FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, UM, THE CITY MANAGER REALLY FOCUSES ON, UH, LETTING THE DEPARTMENT HEADS DETERMINE WHAT THAT POLICY LOOKS LIKE. UM, I CAN TELL YOU FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT PERSPECTIVE, UM, WE LIKE TO HAVE OUR STAFF IN THE OFFICE MORE THAN NOT. UM, WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE IN THE OFFICE. WE ALSO PROVIDE WHAT WE CALL R DOS WHERE YOU WORK, NINE 80 SCHEDULES ARE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU WORK FOUR TENS. UM, BUT OUR DEPARTMENT'S PUBLIC FACING, SO MY EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU'RE IN THE OFFICE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO THAT'S OUR APPROACH. BUT, UM, THERE'S SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE NOT PUBLIC FACING THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE OFFICE FULL TIME. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ON A DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT, UH, PERSPECTIVE. UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE CITY, THE PORT, AS WELL AS THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO LOOK AT EXPLORING, INCLUDING THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO LOOK AT BRINGING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK. AND SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE. BUT I THINK, UH, HYBRID, UH, WORK SCHEDULES ARE HERE TO STAY AND WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD IS STILL TOO DEEP TO RENT. YEAH, I, UM, AND I WANNA JUST ECHO THAT I THINK THAT PEOPLE LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY GET FLEXIBILITY. THEY ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT IT WORKS FOR THE WORKFORCE. UM, BUT ALSO I THINK A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES ARE SUFFERING IN CERTAIN AREAS. AND SO WHATEVER WE COULD DO TO THINK ABOUT CREATIVE WAYS OF CONSIDERATION OF TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE BACK INTO AN AREA WHERE IT MIGHT HELP REVITALIZE THE ECONOMY, UM, CAN BE HELPFUL. SO I'M JUST BRINGING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A DISCUSSION AMONG SOME BUSINESSES. YEAH. AND IT'S, IT'S A BIG DISCUSSION, UM, AMONG THE CITY AND YOU KNOW, EVEN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, UH, LIKE THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS VERY BI AND MISS TEAM ARE VERY BUSY OUT THERE DOING A LOT OF SPECIAL ACTIVATIONS EVENTS. AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU BRING MORE PEOPLE BACK TO DOWNTOWN AND THROUGH OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IS YOU'VE GOTTA GIVE THEM A REASON TO BE HERE. AND IT'S ALSO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF PROPERTY OWNERS TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW THEY AMENITIZE THEIR SPACES TO WANT PEOPLE TO COME BACK. 'CAUSE PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANNA COME BACK TO THE OFFICE. THEY WANT AMENITIES TO COME BACK TO THE OFFICE TOO. AND SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S A WORK OF ART. IT'S ALSO AN INVESTMENT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE AND PROPERTY OWNERS AND, AND USERS HAVE TO MAKE. AND SO I THINK IT'S AN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT. YEP. AND MOST CERTAINLY. SO I MEAN, THAT DISCUSSION, I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE, THAT'S AN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ENGAGE BUSINESSES IN FINDING SOME OF THOSE SOLUTIONS, UH, BECAUSE IT IS A NEW WAY OF THE WORKFORCE WANTING TO WORK. SO, UM, BUT THERE IS THAT BUZZ OUT THERE . OKAY. OKAY. UM, I HAVE SOME ACTION ITEMS FOR US. UH, ONE OF 'EM IS AN ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT THAT WE'LL BRING BACK IN OCTOBER. THE OTHER ONE IS THE 2.2 BILLION 10 YEAR FUEL GREEN CARGO MOVEMENT. WE'LL BRING THE PORT IN TO TALK ABOUT THAT. AND THEN AN UPDATE ON THE STREET VENDORS, UH, PROGRAM. UM, WE, I HAVE THOSE AS ITEMS FOR A FUTURE MEETING. UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR BEAU, FOR COURTNEY? OKAY. THEN ANY OTHER PUBLIC [01:35:01] COMMENT? GREAT. PLEASE COME FORWARD. HI, I DIDN'T PLAN IT. ONE MOMENT PLEASE. . OKAY. HI, I AM KATHLEEN ADAMS. I JUST, THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING AND I DIDN'T PLAN TO MAKE ANY COMMENT, BUT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION. AND OF COURSE IT SPARKED ALL KINDS OF CURIOUS QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL REALLY LIMIT MYSELF. UM, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A YOUNG PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY SAID THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A JOB. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, BUT I'LL GO CHECK IT OUT MYSELF. IS THERE A REALLY EASY CONNECTION FOR YOUTH TO FIND JOBS ON THROUGH OUR LONG BEACH WEBSITE? SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THE ANSWER'S YES AND I APPRECIATE THAT IF THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. UM, ALSO IT MADE ME THINK OF MENTORS. UM, IS THERE EDUCATION FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO WANNA MENTOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO HELP THEM FIND JOBS OR CONNECT THEM? 'CAUSE IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? SO I'M HOPING I'LL FIND ON THE WEBSITE THERE'S A WAY FOR MENTORS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE OR MAYBE IT'S ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. SO ANYWAY, UM, I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO SEND AN EMAIL. BUT, UM, I JUST LEARNED ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. AND IT'S A WAY THAT A COMMUNITY THAT'S IMPACTED BY A LARGE BUSINESS GOING IN HAS ALREADY IN PLACE LIKE A COMMUNITY GROUP THAT IS INVOLVED. AND, UM, THEY BUILD A COMMUNITY AGREEMENT. SO IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE BUSINESS AND THE COMMUNITY. I'M PROBABLY PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, BUT IT'S NEW TO ME. SO I HOPE OUR, OUR CITY IS DOING THAT. UM, AND IT PREVENTS, UH, EXTRACTIVE CAPITALISM FROM HARMING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND ALSO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE MY WATER BILL'S HIGH. UM, AND THAT'S ANOTHER, I KNOW I GOTTA GO TO WATER DEPARTMENT FOR THAT. BUT, UM, IF COMPANIES COME IN AND USE OUR RESOURCES, THAT COULD BE, UH, HARMING THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND THE OTHER THING, UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BACK TO JOBS. UM, I'M HEARING THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SUPPRESSION RIGHT NOW OF JOB OPENINGS, JUST GENERAL COMMENT. AND THEN IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THE NURSES I REMEMBER WERE HARMED. I GOT THE PERCEPTION THE NURSES WERE HARMED BY MEMORIAL CARE AND THAT RELATIONSHIP WAS HARMED. SO I'M HOPING OUR CITY'S DOING SOMETHING TO DO, FACILITATE REPAIR OF THAT HARM AND, UM, SHIFTING. SO WE'RE NOT A HARMFUL COMMUNITY FOR NURSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. DID YOU WANNA ANSWER THE JOBS RESOURCES? YES. UM, UM, WE'LL BE CONNECTING YOU WITH, UH, OUR LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK. UM, DEFINITELY WE ALWAYS ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE MENTORSHIP. AND THEN TWO, WE ARE VERY WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH MEMORIAL CARE AROUND THE IMPACT TO THE, UH, TO, TO THE NURSING PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE THERE. AND WE ALSO ARE PROVIDING RAPID RESPONSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE IMPACTED EMPLOYEES. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT PARTNERSHIPS TO, YOU KNOW, UH, GROW JOBS IN THAT SECTOR. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS CELESTE. I AM THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MANAGER FOR THE LONG BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, UM, I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS. BO WOULD IT BE EASIER FOR ME IF I JUST LIST THEM OFF OR IF I KIND OF DO ONE AT A TIME? SO YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES SO YOU CAN USE THAT. OKAY. JUST LIST THEM OFF? YES. OKAY. BECAUSE THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY DIALOGUE A AMONGST EACH. OKAY. SO, UM, THE FIRST QUESTION IS, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST DO A QUICK DEEP DIVE INTO THE TARIFF RELIEF FUNDS THAT WERE LINE ITEMED IN THE BUDGET, WHICH BUSINESSES CAN ACCESS THEM, HOW THEY CAN DO THAT, WHETHER IT'S MORE IMPACTFUL FOR IMPORTERS OR EXPORTERS. UM, SO THAT'S KINDA THE FIRST ONE. UH, THE SECOND ONE IS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO SEE CSU LONG BEACH'S ACQUISITION OF THE COMMERCIAL SPACE DOWNTOWN THAT'S GONNA BE TRANSFORMED INTO DORMS. UM, AND WE WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WAS GONNA BE LIKE ANYTHING THAT WAS GONNA BE LIKE, WHETHER THAT WAS GONNA BE USED AS A PILOT PROGRAM FOR DIFFERENT PRIVATE SPACES OR, UM, COMMERCIAL SPACES, YOU KNOW, AS IT PERTAINS TO REZONING, YOU KNOW, UPDATING THE FIRE CODES, UM, UPDATING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, AND JUST MAKE THAT A RESOURCE AVAILABLE BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF VACANT LARGE BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN. UM, SO JUST KIND OF WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT. AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE CITY IS REALLY CHAMPIONING SMALL BUSINESSES AND PUTTING THEM AT THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR MISSIONS. BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF INVESTMENTS AND COMMITMENTS THE CITY IS MAKING TO THE ESTABLISHED LARGE INSTITUTIONS [01:40:01] WITHIN LONG BEACH, SUCH AS THE UNIVERSITY OR SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HISTORIC ORGANIZATIONS THAT EMPLOY, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE. UM, YOU KNOW, JUST 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR MEMBERSHIP. THANK YOU. DO, DO YOU WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT OR IS THAT, DO YOU WANNA JUST TAKE THEM AS A FOLLOW UP? WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT? UH, CHAIR, I CAN DEFINITELY RESPOND BACK TO THOSE QUESTIONS. UH, BE IT THROUGH THE CHAIR AND THE COM COMM COMMISSION MEMBERS, SO THE CHAIR FOR LEE FUND. SO WE DO HAVE, UH, 500,000 THAT'S GOING TO BE INVESTED IN THAT FUND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PORT OF LONG BEACH. UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A PROGRAM, UM, FOR, FOR THAT, UM, THAT INVESTMENT. SO MORE TO COME ON THAT, UM, SINCE WE JUST STARTED THE FY 26, UH, FISCAL YEAR. AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION, UM, THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, SPACE TO DORMS. UM, I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROJECT, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY CIRCLE BACK WITH C-S-U-L-B TO FIND OUT MORE. UM, AND I DUNNO IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS MAY WANNA WEIGH IN, BUT, UH, UM, WE CAN CHECK IN AND FOLLOW UP ON THAT. AND THEN, UH, CHAMPIONING, UH, LONG BEACH, UH, LARGE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP, WHETHER IT'S THE CHAMBER, THE LONG BEACH ACCELERATOR, LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP, OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATION AROUND. UM, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE VERY LIMITED, UM, ON OUR BUDGET, UM, THIS YEAR, AND WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE EVEN MORE CHALLENGING NEXT YEAR, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANNA TAKE FOR GRANTED BECAUSE OUR SUCCESS IS BASED ON THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH. OKAY. THANKS. I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING COMMENT ON THAT. YEAH. OH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. OH, GO AHEAD COURTNEY. JUST TO ADD TO THE LIST FOR LARGER EMPLOYERS, ONE OF THE BIG RESOURCES IS TRAINING DOLLARS. SO WE DO HAVE FUNDING THROUGH WORKFORCE GRANTS THAT CAN SUPPORT TRAINING OF NEW EMPLOYEES. IN SOME CASES THERE COULD, THEY COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR INCUMBENT EMPLOYEE TRAINING. AND, UM, I'M HAPPY TO HELP BUSINESSES CONNECT WITH THOSE RESOURCES. YEAH. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA ADD ONTO THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THAT RESOURCE IS JUST WE WORK WITH ALL BUSINESSES TO BECOME A CERTIFIED WORK SITE. AND SO THAT WAY YOU ARE ACCESS, YOU ARE, YOU CAN BE, UH, GET ACCESS TO THOSE, THOSE, UH, TRAINING DOLLARS. AND I, WE ENCOURAGE ALL BUSINESSES TO DO THAT, INCLUDING BIG BUSINESS. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. PUBLIC. ANY? OKAY. SEEING NONE, WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT CHAIR SHEET SHEET? YES, THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. WHY DON'T WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR. ITEM NUMBER [4. 25-56587 Recommendation to receive and file Executive Director’s Report.       Suggested Action:  Approve recommendation. ] FOUR IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. OH, YOU'RE ON AGAIN, . DO YOU WANT MORE FOR US? NO, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS. UM, I THINK I, OH, SORRY. OH, OH, YOU'RE RIGHT. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION? SORRY. UH, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER NORDIC AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ONCE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, CHAIR SIAMA. YAMA, UH, AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS. UM, I THINK I'VE GOT MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT THROUGH THE PAST TWO, UH, PRESENTATIONS, BUT JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UM, IMPACTS IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND IMMIGRATION, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH A LOT OF OUR OTHER PARTNERS, INCLUDING OUR BUSINESS NAVIGATORS TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES. AND SO KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO AS A CITY. AND, UH, THE OTHER ONE, UM, YOU PROBABLY HEARD A LOT OF NEWS AROUND THE SELF CHECKOUT ORDINANCE, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGERS AND CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE GROCERY STORE, AS WELL AS OTHER BIG BOX RETAILERS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT FALL UNDERNEATH THAT ORDINANCE. SO THERE'LL BE SOME MORE INFORMATION TO COME AS WE MOVE THAT ORDINANCE FORWARD. SO, UM, THOSE ARE KIND OF MY BIG TWO UPDATES. AND THEN THE FINAL ONE IS ON, UH, OCTOBER 30TH, UH, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30TH FROM TWO TO 5:00 PM WE'RE GONNA BE HOLDING THE, UM, LONG BEACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE INVITATION, YOU SHOULD BEGIN ONE PRETTY QUICK HERE. SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU THERE. WE'VE INVITED OUR ELECTED [01:45:01] OFFICIALS, MANY OF OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS WHO DO BUSINESS WITH US AS WELL AS RESIDENTS. AND JUST GET THE WORD OUT BECAUSE THIS ISN'T REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE GREAT RESOURCES, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN, UH, EDO. OKAY. CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND UPDATE. GREAT. OKAY. AND WHEN IS THAT, WHAT DATE IS THAT OPEN HOUSE? THE 30TH. AT WHAT TIME? IT'LL BE AT THE 30TH AT, UM, FROM TWO TO FIVE AT OUR LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION ADULT CAREER SERVICES CENTER. OH, OKAY. THAT SOUNDS REALLY GOOD. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? I OKAY. GREAT REPORTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I THINK THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ADD IS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN TODAY, SO PLEASE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR COMMISSIONERS ARE HERE TO BE OF SUPPORT. HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE SHORT TERM, RIGHT? UM, BUT IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE ANY DIFFERENT, THEN JUST KNOW THAT YOUR COMMISSIONER'S HERE. THERE'S NOT MUCH, I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S MUCH THAT WE CAN ALL DO. UM, BUT WE CAN ALL, MOST CERTAINLY MAKE PHONE CALLS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR LEGISLATORS GO BACK TO WORK. OKAY. UM, ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYONE OR ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON BOSE REPORT? OKAY. SEEING NONE, WHY DON'T WE TAKE A VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT. ? YEAH. HIROSHIMA. YAMA, YES. MY SCREEN IS SPINNING. THAT'S OKAY. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY. MOTION IS CARRIED. OKAY. UM, THEN [PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Economic Development Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.] FOR THE LAST, IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OF THE NON AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY. SEEING NONE, ANY [ANNOUNCEMENTS] ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? ANYTHING GOING ON YOU NEED PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT AUSTIN? YOU MUST HAVE SOMETHING MEASURE SANDOVAL. UM, THE, THE, THERE IS A, A FANTASTIC CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK CALLED THE LEAGUE OF CITIES. SO WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF DIFFERENT CITY MANAGERS AND, UH, UH, CITY STAFF FROM DIFFERENT CITIES HERE IN LONG BEACH. UH, THE CONFERENCE WILL BE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER FOR, I THINK, THREE DAYS FROM THE EIGHTH THROUGH THE 11TH. UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THE CITY, UH, TO OTHER CITIES. UM, A LOT OF, A LOT OF OTHER AREAS DO LOOK UP TO THE LONG BEACH FOR A LOT OF THE INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT THEY'VE HELPED BUSINESSES, UH, WHAT THEY BUILT. AND SO WE ARE A LEADER AMONGST OTHER CITIES, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. SO WHEN WE DO GET VISITS FROM OTHER LEADERS, UM, THEY ARE LOOKING TO MIMIC OR, YOU KNOW, TAKE SOMETHING BACK THAT THEY CAN IMPLEMENT IN THEIR CITIES, WHETHER THAT BE A BID, UH, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BID, UM, OR A NEW CIVIC CENTER. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT TAKE, THEY TAKE BACK. SO IF ANYONE, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CONSIDER GOING TO THESE CONFERENCES. UM, 'CAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAT THE CITY MANAGERS OR, OR, OR STAFF DOESN'T HAVE THAT IS SUPER HELPFUL TO THAT. SO AGAIN, JUST KIND OF PUTTING US ON THE STAGE, THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. OKAY. COMMISSIONER MATOYER, SINCE YOU'RE PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT. UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT NEW WAYS TO, TO, UH, ACTIVATE CORRIDORS, UM, THAT MAY NOT BE SEEN THE SAME LEVEL OF FOOT TRAFFIC THAT THEY DID PRE PANDEMIC, UM, I WANNA MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE THAT, UH, WE WILL BE DOING THE ENTERTAINMENT ZONE AGAIN OCTOBER 25TH, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN, WHICH WAS PART OF THE COUNCIL ACTION TO TEST OUT WHAT AN ENTERTAINMENT ZONE IS UNDER THE NEW OPEN CONTAINER LAWS BY THE STATE. UM, SO THIS WILL BE ON PINE AVENUE AND THE PROMENADE, UM, UTILIZING, UH, BROADWAY THE THIRD. UM, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO TEST OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT IN MORE OF A LONG-TERM FASHION SO IT ISN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY ON A MONTHLY BASIS BASED OFF AN EVENT, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S A WEEKEND THAT YOU COULD DO ALONG THE PROMENADE OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UM, CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS THAT COME THROUGH. UH, AS WELL AS PREPARING FOR, UH, THE WORLD CUP AND, UM, AND THE OLYMPICS. SO OCTOBER 25TH, IF YOU ARE AROUND FROM TWO TO 10:00 PM UH, THE ENTERTAINMENT ZONE WILL BE ACTIVATED FOR A HALLOWEEN BASED EVENT. OKAY. OKAY. I HAVE, OH, COURTNEY, UM, JUST ONE, UH, UPDATE THAT WE FORGOT IS 88 CITY SUMMIT HOSTED BY LA A DC IS COMING TO LONG BEACH IN TWO WEEKS. OH WOW. THAT'S GONNA BE AT THE, AT THE CITY HALL, UH, CIVIC CENTER. SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SIGNING UP, PLEASE DO. UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A [01:50:01] BUNCH OF OUR ED STAFF THERE SO YOU'LL SEE US. OKAY. AND THANKS FOR MENTIONING 'CAUSE SOMEBODY JUST MENTIONED THAT TO ME TODAY TO BE THERE. OKAY. I WANNA DO A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CITY, TO OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, SUNSTONE MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE THE CITY, WE HAVE CAL STATE UNIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH, AND WE JUST LAUNCHED LONG BEACH TECH WEEK AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE DOING MORE IN 2026 AND LOOK TO PARTNER WITH SO MANY MORE. UM, WE HAD OUR KICKOFF OVER AT AMP AIR KEVIN'S COMPANY, WHICH WAS GREAT. UM, WE DID CAL STATE UNIVERSITY, UH, LONG BEACH, DID A DEMO DAY AND THEN, UH, LONG BEACH ACCELERATOR DID OUR SUMMIT WITH INVESTORS. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE SEE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AS THIS TECH HUB THAT ALL OF US HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. AND FIND MORE WAYS TO GET, NOT ONLY GET THE WORD OUT THERE, BUT INTEGRATE THE STARTUP TECH COMMUNITY WITH THAT. SO, UM, WANNA THANK THE CITY VERY MUCH FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND WORK WITH US. OKAY. UM, ANYTHING ELSE? NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY. [ADJOURNMENT] THE MEETING A ADJOURNED THEN YOU MADE IT THROUGH. YEAH, MADE IT THROUGH. YOU'RE RIGHT. OKAY. THAT WAS GREAT. THANKS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.