2023/03/15 Council Agenda Packet

EASC was one of the many chambers and non-profit organizations nationwide that found their business thrown into a state of uncertainty. During the pandemic, EASC had two interim CEOs and laid off most of our staff. With the best of intentions, one interim CEO signed a new 10-year lease at our current location in South Everett — not knowing that EASC intended to move to downtown Everett to improve accessibility to our businesses, reestablish the Everett Chamber of Commerce, and enhance our presence for our investors who rely on us for advocacy and leadership. We have spent years building a solid community here in South Everett, but we need to move on for the good of our organization. We are excited about creating a downtown presence where we can delight international dignitaries and delegations, site selectors, CEOs, business development leaders, and local, county, state, and federal officials. A downtown Everett location will also provide us a better opportunity to connect with the business community by providing an accessible space where people can come together to learn how they can do business better in Snohomish County, whether they're an entrepreneur dreaming up their first idea or an established business looking for new opportunities. The site we have identified for relocation is 2822 Colby Avenue, also known as Pioneer Place. This location has many advantages including: • Prime location. At the heart of Hewitt and Colby, EASC would be an anchor tenant providing foot traffic and economic vitality to the downtown core. • A new home for the reestablished Everett Chamber of Commerce • Large conference rooms for EASC investor and community board meetings • Incubator space for business technical assistance • A Sky Lounge for hosting networking meetings and community events • An outside patio for hosting networking meetings and community events Our activities and advocacy initiatives have helped to attract start-ups and angel investors as well as dreamers, makers and doers who are interested in starting new businesses. With offices in downtown Everett, EASC can better provide the technical assistance programs we are known for, such as: • Business plan review • Mentoring • Financial Literacy/Credit Counseling • Specialized Coaching • Business Incubation • Business Training Everett Chamber of Commerce EASC has an opportunity to reestablish the Everett Chamber of Commerce. At its peak, the chamber had over 700 members and an established reputation of sound advocacy on behalf of its investors. The new Everett Chamber will bring companies together to collaborate, offer resources and support, and work together to attract new customers and investment. Our partners at Engage Everett will provide networking opportunities, and EASC partners will offer business -related technical assistance. Though the Everett Chamber will represent both north and south Everett businesses, the desired downtown location is still more accessible than our current site. 2