Fresno Mayor Lee Brand focused on job creation as he delivered his first state of the city speech today at the Fresno Convention Center. Brand says he wants to build upon this year’s announcements of new fulfillment centers for retail giants Amazon and Ulta Beauty, which are both now under construction.
The plan is to create 10,000 new jobs in the city in the next 10 years with similar operations, and another 10,000 spillover jobs in other sectors.
BRAND: “The goal is to make Fresno the e-commerce capital of the west coast.”
To do that Brand says he wants to focus city economic development efforts on ensuring Fresno has 1,000 acres of “shovel ready” industrial land to accommodate future e-commerce centers.
Brand says if that happens the city could see its budget boom, and unemployment rate drop.
BRAND: “This is the game changer. And the fulfilment of my vision for Fresno and forever change that narrative to one of community-wide prosperity.”
Brand also honored National Spelling Bee winner Ananya Vinay during the event, and presented the key to the city to his predecessor, former mayor Ashley Swearengin.