Some businesses in Park City are encountering issues with staffing costs. Others want to ensure the retention of businesses that are already in the community. Elsewhere in Park City, businesses want better activation in the area where they’re located. The Park City municipal government rece ntly compiled comments from business groups and drafted a summary in preparation for a discussion held by Mayor Ryan Dickey and the Park City Council about economic development issues. The elected officials at the recent meeting did not support relaunching a grant program that assisted a variety of businesses and nonprofit organizations between 2006 and 2022. They also did not want to move forward with a concept for a program that would have made money available to assist the private sector’s planning for the 2034 Winter Olympics. The summary of the information provided by the business groups, though, was an intriguing inclusion in the materials that municipal staffers compiled for the meeting. The information highlights the wide-ranging opinions of some of the community’s most important commercial districts regarding the challenges of today. The groups, taken together, represent a wide swath of the tourism industry that drives the Park City economy. It was not clear whether the summary will eventually influence municipal economic development policies. There were comments, though, at the recent meeting about holding talks later about policies related to impact fees, which are designed to help offset the impact of projects on a community’s infrastructure. There was also mention of perhaps creating an alternative form of economic development, potentially via loans. It did not appear the elected officials would consider any of the possibilities imminently. There have been concerns for decades in the business community about issues like attracting and retaining workers in Park City’s difficult housing market and the impact of rising commercial leasing rates, particularly on small, independent businesses. The summary shows issues like those remain consequential to the business community even as other ones have arisen. There is a “wide array of obstacles ranging from marketing needs to employee retention,” municipal staffers wrote in a report that accompanied the summary. “The common theme tying feedback from each organization together is that businesses are feeling the weight of the long-term structural pressures that exist in Park City,” the report said. The summary includes references to the grant program that was not supported by elected officials, but it nonetheless has wider implications. Some of the issues the business groups relayed to the municipal government, as outlined in the summary, included: The Park City Chamber/Bureau: The organization said its “greatest concern was helping established local businesses manage structural operating and workforce costs, rather than primarily funding new-business recruitment.” It said, “Staffing and retention challenges tied to housing were central, along with rising insurance costs and impact fees.” The Chamber/Bureau also said, “The limited access to affordable accounting, human resources, marketing, and other professional services was noted as a constraint for small businesses.” The Historic Park City Alliance, which represents businesses in the Main Street core: The organization “emphasized the need for meaningful business-retention and capital assistance on Main Street, where rising rents, reduced customer parking, workforce housing challenges, and City or regulatory costs are placing pressure on local businesses.” The group also indicated, “The potential loss of anchor tenants was a particular concern because of the broader effects on surrounding businesses and foot traffic.” The Park City Area Lodging Association: The group “identified workforce housing as the area where grant support could have the greatest impact, particularly through employer-sponsored housing assistance, temporary housing, or other subsidies that improve employee recruitment and retention.” The organization also described that “High living costs make it difficult for Park City employers to compete with opportunities in the valley, especially when wages are comparable.” Prospector Square: The commercial area’s “primary need was district activation and placemaking support, rather than traditional occupancy or infrastructure assistance, because buildings are largely full and major infrastructure improvements have recently been completed.” The commercial area’s representation also “highlighted the need to simplify the special-event process and improve connections with Bonanza Park as development occurs without worsening existing parking pressures.” The EngineHouse Apartments just off Kearns Boulevard include income-restricted units. Business groups have expressed concern about the impact of Park City’s resort-driven housing situation. Credit: Park Record file photo by Jonathan Herrera Although the summaries generally address high-level, long-running issues like housing and business retention, the municipal government compiled the information at a time of economic uncertainty nationally and locally. The warm, dry weather of last winter led to weakened economic performance even as the summer and fall appeared solid. There are also unknowns regarding any potential economic impacts of the loss of the Sundance Film Festival. The tourism industry, meanwhile, is susceptible at some level to national issues like inflation. The post Park City business groups express concerns about employee retention, worker housing appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less