GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) – A report from Wallethub, a finance platform, found that Colorado ranks in the top 10 for one of the Best State Economies in the United States.
Executive Director for the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, Curtis Engleheart, said the Grand Valley has seen record success in its economy since 2022.
“It’s really powerful when you start seeing that economic growth really across the board, across multiple industries, you know it’s not one or two industries here and there that are doing well,” said Engleheart.
Engleheart said Mesa County has been diversifying its economy since 2016, meaning it’s focused on supporting new and existing Grand Valley businesses.
“The number one thing is being business friendly to our businesses that are here, helping them not just to be here or get here but to thrive here long term,” said Engleheart.
The Mayor of Palisade, Greg Mikolai, has been in the Grand Valley for upwards of 30 years and has seen the ebbs and flows of the economy.
“We put too many eggs in one basket. We depended too much on their uranium mining or we put too much emphasis on oil and gas exploration,” said Mikolai. “If there was something that happened in the economy to affect that particular industry, it affected the Western Slope very much, to the detriment.”
However, he has also witnessed this growth. On top of locally made businesses, one of the most notable factors to him is outdoor recreation.
“We don’t look at our public lands just as something for extraction. We look at it as a commodity that people enjoy, can enjoy day-to-day on a long-term basis,” said Mikolai.
Success doesn’t come without struggle. Engleheart said that national economic uncertainties, such as tariffs, have slowed down growth, but an economic downfall is still far off.
“We are seeing a bit of a pause when it comes to some businesses who are looking at either expanding or relocating to the area,” said Engleheart.
Engleheart and Mikolai agree that supporting the emerging workforce, from university and high school graduates to newcomers to the Grand Valley, is essential to keep the local and state economy thriving.
“As long as we keep looking for opportunities to keep people employed and to keep people here in the Grand Valley, especially in Palisade. If we can look for opportunities to employ people directly in our town, that’s going to help our economy in the long run,” said Mikolai.
“An opportunity is a good-paying job, and so we’re continuing to work with businesses when it comes to that expansion and relocation and retention to help them create those opportunities,” said Engleheart.
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