Desert Hot Springs Studies Ways To Lure Retailers

Crime is down in Desert Hot Springs, and now the city council is looking at ways to boost the economy, city officials said.

The city hired a consultant to draft an economic development strategy to bring new business to town and put people work.

“The city needed to clean itself up first,” said Scott Matas, a councilmember.

Gang sweeps through the years, which have taken violent criminals off the streets, have now made focusing on the economy possible, city officials said.

“We’ve all wanted to get into economic development,” said Rick Daniels, the city manager. “But, I don’t think we’ve been ready until at this point, and I think that now is the time.”

Daniels said that 75 cents of every dollar spent in Desert Hot Springs goes to public safety.

But authorities are alarmed by the fact that 52 cents of every dollar earned by a Desert Hot Springs resident is spent at another city.

“We felt that if we moved here, other people would follow,” said Lorraine Becker, who lived in Palm Springs for 12 years before moving to Desert Hot Springs in June.

Becker is the President of the Cabot’s Pueblo Museum Foundation.

She said she moved to Desert Hot Springs because the city cleaned itself up.

The shorter commute to the museum has made her life easier, and Becker said the city has a lot of potential to grow.

“I would love to have more retail experiences here,” she said. “We do shop locally whenever we can.”

Michael Bracken was hired as a consultant to produce an economic development strategy that would help bring more hotels, restaurants and retailers to town.

The plan he shared for the first time with the city council on Monday is looking 5 to 10 years down the road.

He said the city should strengthen it’s relationship with organizations like the Inland Empire Film Commission, which could help Desert Hot Springs with marketing and promotions.

“Victoria Secret shoots up here. Lincoln shoots up here. Ford shoots up here, and it goes on and on,” said Bracken. “In the last two years, we’ve had, I think 20 (or) 25 film productions here in the community.”

Matas also owns a UPS store.

He listened to Bracken rattle off more than 75 recommendations to the Economic Development Committee.

He said the revitalization of the area of Palm and Pierson will be key to bringing people to Desert Hot Springs.

“Not very many cities have a main street that you can really say, ‘hey, lets go have lunch here,’ said Matas. “A lot of cities are spread out in different types. Our city is very streamlined.”

Matas said reaching out to small businesses and private investors is also essential to a successful execution of the plan, “And, the larger businesses will follow,” said Matas.

Bracken said his plan could generate $196 million in retail sales per year, which amounts to $2 million in sales tax revenue.