JULY 2019



Economic Development
Partnership Program
2019 MID-YEAR UPDATE
Prepared by: Joe Meyer

2019 Economic Development Partnership Updates 
In June 2016, the Port of Seattle  (POS) Commission created the Economic Development
Partnership (EDP) program to advance local economic development in partnership with cities in
King County. The Commission authorized a third round of EDP program funds in 2019. POS has
allocated $795,900 to 25 King County cities through the EDP program during the 2019 funding
cycle. Additionally, cities have allocated almost $584,000 in monetary and in-kind matching
resources. 
Projects undertaken in 2019 are classified under five different categories based on the type of
economic development activities undertaken. Several cities are conducting multiple projects and
some cities' projects crossover into multiple categories. 
Number of economic development projects by category are: 
Business Recruitment: 14 cities, 
Business Assistance and Retention: 13 cities, 
Planning/Feasibility Studies: 10 cities, 
Tourism: 9 cities, 
Buy Local Initiatives & Marketplace Development: 4 cities. 
The projects highlighted below offer a sample of the ways cities are leveraging the EDP program
to create jobs and advance the regional economy. 









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Exhibit 1. Participating cities by project category, 2019 
City                   Business             Business      Planning &    Tourism       Buy Local &
Recruitment        Assistance   Feasibility                 Marketplace
and        Studies                 Development 
Retention 
Auburn                                                                   
Bellevue                                                            
Bothell                                                        
Burien                                                              
Covington                                   
Des Moines                                             
Duvall                                                                       
Enumclaw                                                              
Federal Way                                                        
Issaquah                                 
Kenmore                                                   
Kent                                                   
Kirkland                                    
Maple Valley                                                     
Newcastle                                               
Normandy Park             
North Bend                 
Pacific                                                          
Redmond                           
Renton                                                     
SeaTac                                                                        
Shoreline                                                                                 
Snoqualmie                                                      
Tukwila                                                
Woodinville                                               
Total                         14                13             10              9               4 





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CITY PROJECT SUMMARIES 
Regional Partnerships 
Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland 
Continuing  to grow and market the Innovation Triangle   a regional economic
development partnership between Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland. In 2019, the cities 
plan to attend several international tradeshows, expand social media marketing, and
update key sector profiles for prospective companies. 
The Innovation Triangle also added a business retention component to work with firms at
risk of leaving the region. 
Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, and Renton 
Startup425, a partnership with the Cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, and
Renton, is continuing to support entrepreneurs through business classes hosted through
the King County Library System including the Spring Business Foundations Series. 
Cities in the partnership signed interlocal memorandums of understanding in 2019
formalizing and solidifying the partnership. 
Duvall, North Bend, and Snoqualmie 
The "Savor Snoqualmie Valley" tourism promotion initiative, coordinated by the
Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust in partnership with the business community,
facilitates tourism marketing activities for participating cities in the Snoqualmie Valley to
cooperatively encourage tourism and outdoor recreation in the region. 
Kent, Tukwila, and Pacific (Renton and Auburn are taking part using separate funds) 
Creating a shared business recruitment website, with real-time property and
demographic data, to market the Kent Valley as a real estate sub-market. 
Increasing the visibility of the Kent Valley using regional and national media and defining
the Kent Valley as a center of aerospace innovation and high-tech manufacturing. 
Kent and Pacific 
The "Interurban Trail Intermodal Opportunity Study" will identify new Kent-Pacific area
trail connections, trail improvements, and connections to other transit options. The
study looks to expand multi-modal transportation networks and improve transportation
choices in the industrialized areas of South King County. 



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Individual City Projects 
Auburn - $65,000 
Supporting the Auburn Innovation Partnership Zone Business Incubator through inperson
and virtual business support classes, new virtual membership options targeted to
home-based businesses, and a new partnership with WeWork and Dublin, Ireland based
DogPatch Labs. The "international soft-landing" business program with DogPatch Labs
emerged from a Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce trade mission to Dublin,
Ireland. 
Enhancing the Auburn Buy Local website to new customers, a business-to-business supply 
chain tool with listings that uses city business licenses to promote local purchases. 
Identifying, then recruiting new companies or growing local companies, to fill market and
supply chain voids in the aerospace, composite, and additive manufacturing industries. 
Bellevue - $65,000 
Continue to promote and grow the Bellwether Arts Festival, a 10-day multidisciplinary
event which takes place in downtown Bellevue, by updating the website and growing the
advertising of the event. 
Encourage tourism and after-hours local visitation to the Grand Connection corridor in
downtown Bellevue by testing interventions (like tables and chairs, improved wayfinding,
buskers, etc.), which increase the sense of place encouraging people to linger along the
route, and ultimately increasing sales at local restaurants, bars, and shops. 
Participating in the Startup425 and the Innovation Triangle regional partnerships. 
Bothell - $18,000 
Conducting a feasibility assessment to determine if a public-private partnership could be
used  to  develop  a  revenue-generating  destination  boutique  hotel,  brewery,  or
performing arts center  that complements a new open space  area in Bothell.  The
development area is a 4-acre "active use area" within an 89-acre former golf course that
was recently purchased and converted to open space. 
Burien - $51,850 
Promoting Burien dining and shopping excursions to tourists, including SeaTac
International Airport travelers, by working with the Seattle Regional Tourism Authority to
deploy a mix of public relations, TV advertising, and print advertising. 
Offering business education training series, in English and Spanish, to local businesses
through the Highline College Small Business Development Center and Ventures.
Multilingual business education was identified as a city need based on a survey of local
businesses in 2018. 
Working with the Burien Business and Economic Development Partnership to identify
industry clusters to target for business attraction. 
Hosting a property owners and property investor match-making event to promote the
new federal Opportunity Zones and connect real estate buyers and sellers. 

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Covington - $7,250 
Providing 75-hours of one-on-one business advising services to local businesses through
the Green River Community College Small Business Development Center. 
Des Moines - $31,140 
Completing a third phase of the Marina Redevelopment Plan focusing on developing the
Marina Steps to create an area design that includes a water feature; mixed-use retail;
and office space, hotel, and maker-space  similar to the Seattle Harbor Steps. 
The project includes a 100 percent monetary match by the city. 
Duvall - $7,665 
Creating or updating the Snoqualmie Valley Arts and Culture yearly events brochure,
"Arts and Culture" map, and "Eat, Drink, and Explore" map to encourage local tourism
as part of the "Savor Snoqualmie Valley" tourism promotion initiative. 
Enumclaw - $11,660 
Creating promotional materials and running a digital marketing campaign promoting the
"Sunday's on Cole Street" weekly street fair and weekly Enumclaw Farmers Market. 
Providing one-on-one business advising services to local businesses through the Green
River Community College Small Business Development Center. 
Federal Way - $65,000 
Hosted a June Foreign Consulates of Washington State lunch and tour highlighting
businesses and investment opportunities in Federal Way. 
Supporting an intern to facilitate city interaction with the Korean American National
Sports Festival, an event estimated to bring 5,000 attendees traveling through Sea-Tac
International Airport. 
Conducting a market analysis study of the development potential of downtown Federal
Way, based on planned light rail service, and creating marketing profiles promoting the
development opportunities for potential investors. 
Issaquah - $37,110 
Supporting regional workforce retention and diversity by hosting an Outdoor Recreation
Forum with stakeholders, a Regional Business Forum with Eastside Chambers, and
expanding the "Cultural Conversations Program" to Issaquah. According to the program
application, "The goal of Cultural Conversations is to support minority workers and their
spouses as they enter the United States workforceit is essentially a welcoming tool for
our future workforce." 
Hosting 3 "Chamber University" workshops for small businesses covering marketing,
accounting, workforce retention, and owner "work-life balance." 
Marketing the first Issaquah Sports Medicine Combine as part of the Issaquah Sports
Medicine Innovation Partnership Zone. According to the program application, "the idea is

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to market sports medicine regionally in 2019" and then to promote the event nationally 
in 2020. 
Participating in the Startup425 regional partnership. 
Kenmore - $22,920 
Running the Kenmore Business Incubator and Business Accelerator training for the third
year. The program won the Association of Washington Cities 2018 Municipal Excellence
Award in Economic Development. 
Building on the Port funded Commercial Development Capacity report (a 2017-2018
project), the city is hiring a consultant to work on attracting office development to key
sites and evaluate development incentives. 
Marketing downtown Kenmore with new professional photographs for economic
development marketing and new street banners for the Kenmore Town Square and
Hangar. 
Kent - $65,000 
Conducting a regional employment analysis as part of the "Rally the Valley" long-range
planning study. Port of Seattle program funding is limited to supporting the employment
analysis part of the study. 
Leading the "Interurban Trail Intermodal Opportunity Study" and the  Kent  Valley
marketing, media positioning, and website project. 
The projects include a 242 percent monetary match by the city. 
Kirkland - $65,000 
Supporting the growth of Startup425 by creating a strategic plan for the organization and
providing program administration support. 
Participating in the Innovation Triangle. 
Maple Valley - $25,280 
Hosting a real estate showcase with FAIBCI's Seattle Chapter and enhancing Maple
Valley's economic development website to provide more current information. 
Printing and distributing 7,000 Maple Valley visitor guides and purchasing ads in tourism 
focused publications promoting visitation and recreation. 
Providing one-on-one business advising services to local companies through the Green
River Community College Small Business Development Center. 
Newcastle - $12,000 
Conducting a feasibility study to understand the redevelopment potential of downtown
Newcastle given current market conditions and new downtown development standards. 
Normandy Park - $6,595 
Creating economic development marketing materials promoting hotel development and
other business development on 1st Avenue in Normandy Park. 
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North Bend - $6,825 
Creating city economic development marketing materials and parcel-specific marketing
materials targeted at attracting niche companies that enhance the livability and outdoor
recreation potential of North Bend. 
The project includes a 100 percent monetary match by the city. 
Pacific - $6,875 
Participating in the Interurban Trail Intermodal Opportunity Study and the Kent Valley
marketing, media positioning, and website project. 
Redmond - $64,000 
Promoting Redmond at 3 international business recruitment tradeshows. 
Outreaching and working with existing businesses in the Marymoor Village to plan for a
potential, long-term redevelopment of the area. 
Developing a quarterly "economic update" newsletter and virtual GIS Story Map to
promote positive economic development stories happening in Redmond. 
Participating in Startup425 and the Innovation Triangle regional partnerships. 
Renton - $65,000 
Conducting a food incubator business plan, in partnership with UW-Bothell School of
Business, to identify local assets, potential partners, and potential start-ups that could
use the space. 
Hosting multiple entrepreneurial training workshops as part of Startup 425 and hosting a
series of 6 workshops offered in Spanish and English targeting businesses in key retail
districts. 
Continuing a multi-year retail business attraction campaign by adding an updated market
analysis and new marketing materials for main retail districts. 
Creating a downtown attraction map and mobile application highlighting points of
interest to tourists. 
Supporting downtown events that increase local commerce and attract out-of-city visitors
including Renton Wine Walks, Food Truck Rodeos, and Summer Concert Series. 
SeaTac - $29,130
Expanding the "Business Synergy" supply chain mapping and local buyer-seller match-
making program to new industries like hospitality and tourism, aerospace, and logistics. 
Communicating with community members, property owners, potential developers, and
company owners as part of the SeaTac City Center 20-year vision  a vision for the
commercial corridor next to Sea-Tac International Airport. 
Shoreline - $23,000 
Promoting the Shoreline Place Farmer's Market through direct-mail, print ads, and digital
marketing to attract new customers and increase repeat visitors to the market and
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Shoreline Place. Increasing commerce activity at Shoreline Place, formerly the Searsanchored
Aurora Square, is part of a strategy to redevelop the site. 
Adding Farmers Market activities and programs, including a new chef demonstration
cooking program, live music, and a Power of Produce family engagement program, to
increase participation and spending by families and visitors. 
The project includes a 206 percent match by the city. 
Snoqualmie - $13,000 
Training businesses to leverage the Savor Snoqualmie event calendar, social media
channels, and various marketing campaigns to amplify their business's marketing. 
Converting the digital Historic Snoqualmie Walking Tour into displays for downtown
kiosks. 
Creating re-usable heritage display boards highlighting attractions to encourage event
visitors to explore other Snoqualmie Valley attractions. 
Growing and supporting the Savor Snoqualmie social media channels and websites. 
Updating and printing the Locals First Guide, the Snoqualmie Valley Trail Brochure, and
the Arts and Culture Map. 
Tukwila - $19,800 
Creating a city economic development plan based on community and business
engagement, current market conditions, and other data sources. 
Participating in the Kent Valley marketing, media positioning, and website project. 
Woodinville - $11,830 
Conducting a feasibility study to assess creating an adult beverage incubator to support
the 120+ wineries, breweries, and distilleries within 6 square miles around Woodinville. 
The city envisions the incubator would include an educational partnership with a college
or university, a community space for events and incubator produced product tastings, and
equipment and facilities needed for adult beverage production. 
Allocated (awarded) funds are calculated based on the program applications provided by
participating cities. 





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