Business Development Center

Marana prides itself on being one of the most business-friendly towns in the state of Arizona, and now measures are being taken to make it even more business-friendly.

The 2nd floor of the Marana Municipal Complex is under consideration for a redesign in business customer services. Currently there is a place to go to apply for permits and business licenses, but Marana has plans for a one-stop resource where both new business owners and experienced veterans can go for their specific needs. Assistance will be provided to walk them through all the steps, and talk to them about great town-relationship opportunities, such as ribbon cutting event, what to do about getting signs on their buildings, etc.

I sat in on a brainstorming meeting today to discuss what needed to be done to begin this process, as well was what should be considered in terms of services. I thought it was important to provide a walk-through of starting a business, because many times people are not sure what steps they should take (particularly what steps apply to their specific situation!). It is very important to provide a strong foundation for new businesses in town, because the overall local economy will benefit from a healthy business environment.

We are working with the Marana Chamber of Commerce on this project because of their expertise and knowledge of the local businesses. Ed Stolmaker, CEO of the chamber, emphasized the importance of making people feel welcome and excited about working with Marana, which I think is one of the biggest contributing factors to why a town is business-friendly.

I think this is an exciting project and look forward to when we can start 'breaking ground' and making some changes.