Over three hundred business owners and leaders gathered at the Neinhaus Recreation Facility in Broken Arrow Monday to see the economic plan for the city.  Prepared and presented by Angelos Angelou of AngelouEconomics, the plan targeted five specific goals including image, an advanced city web site, workforce development and access to Broken Arrow's services and information for outside businesses.  "Angelou's reputation as a world class economic planner lends tremendous credibility to the report."  Angelou is known for his work with cities such as Austin, Texas and Santa Fe, New Mexico who created robust economic environments with the help of his expertise.

Findings of the report included:

1. Broken Arrow is a robust market with a strong labor force and population growth dynamics.
2. Economic development of the city is inhibited by the State's high worker's comp premiums
3. Broken Arrow offers companies a highly educated workforce
4. Skilled labor availability is an issue for employers seeking to expand or relocate in Broken Arrow.
5. Negative/Neutral perceptions of Oklahoma and Tulsa adversely impact Broken Arrow's economic development efforts.
6. Broken Arrow and Tulsa region possess a highly competitive labor cost structure.
7. With an aging workforce, the city's share of the critical 25-44 age demographic is in decline.
8. Broken Arrow boasts low crime, low cost of living, and a high degree of housing affordability.

Mickey Thompson, president of the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce said to attendees of the luncheon "This is our plan for the City of Broken Arrow.  Make it your plan and help us implement these projects."  Thompson injected his own bit of humor into his talk with the suggestion that not everyone embraced the changes that made Broken Arrow the great city it is and asked those who did not like some part of the new plan to simply choose another part to work on.  The plan was well received.  Thompson is scheduled to make media appearances on The Future of Real Estate television show in April with Darryl Baskin on KWHB Channel 47.

Event sponsors included McGraw Realtors, Mullin Plumbing, and Nelson Nissan

Broken Arrow, economic development, Angelos Angelou, AngelouEconomics, Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce