Economic Development Week: Partnerships

Partnerships are an integral part of economic development. The Port partners with many other agencies to ensure the success of our community and its projects. We appreciate these partnerships with other ports, cities, counties, state agencies, TRIDEC, PNNL, DOE, Hanford Contractors, SBA (Small Business Association), SBDC (Small Business Development Center), downtown associations, the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce, West Richland Chamber of Commerce, Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Visit Tri-Cities just to name a few.

One of the most closely managed partnerships is that which we have with the City of Richland. Half of the City of Richland resides within the Port’s boundaries and creates a natural partnership from this geography. This collaboration has brought many projects and advocacy efforts to reality such as:

• Tri-Cities Research District, a Washington State Innovation Partnership Zone (a district with geographic boundaries in North Richland but membership that expands throughout the Tri-Cities) creating an alliance of businesses in fields related to and supporting Research and Technology Commercialization
• Discover Richland an outward facing website designed to promote real estate and development in Richland along with the recruitment of large industrial businesses nationwide
• Infrastructure and development of strategic plans and initiatives in the Horn Rapids Industrial Park and the 1,641 acres of future industrial area received from TRIDEC and DOE
• Shared messaging and advocacy with the legislature and state agencies for new programs, projects and funding to support our small business and economic development efforts

This partnership manifests in many ways depending on the project or time of year but is always pursuant to the betterment and growth of our economies and community. For more information on economic development with the City of Richland please click here. For more information on the Port of Benton, please visit our website.