SCVEDC Blog

In a major stride towards a sustainable future, Six Flags Magic Mountain, located in the heart of the Santa Clarita Valley, has embarked on a groundbreaking initiative that not only elevates its status as a premier entertainment destination but also solidifies its commitment to environmental stewardship. Breaking ground on California's largest single-site commercial solar energy project, Six Flags continues to advance their ESG-related initiatives, as well as significant contributions to both the economy and the environment. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is a framework used to evaluate an organization's business practices and performance on various sustainability and ethical issues. Magic Mountain will be the third solar installation for Six Flags, following Discovery Kingdom in Northern California and Great Adventure in New Jersey. These three sites will rank as the largest volume of onsite Solar PV systems for any U.S. organization.

The SCVEDC is proud to celebrate the recent achievements of two of its team members: Dr. Jey Wagner (President & CEO) and Ondre Seltzer (VP, Workforce & Economic Development). Dr. Wagner's appointment to the Board of Directors for Team California highlights his dedication to the growth and retention of businesses in the Golden State. With a strong background in Foreign Direct Investment and working closely with international clients, Ondre Seltzer's addition to the Maple Business Council further strengthens the SCVEDC's commitment to fostering global relationships. These appointments reflect the SCVEDC's ongoing efforts to attract and retain businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, showcasing the team's dedication to driving economic growth and innovation in the region.

After 13 years of collaborative efforts within our community, the work of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC) continues to be crucial to our region's growth. SCVEDC continues to focus on business assistance, business attraction and retention, community marketing, and information and data. Despite the numerous obstacles of the past few years, there are many bright spots; most notably, the incredible support, innovation, and resiliency of our business community.

Last Tuesday night Dr. Jey Wagner, President & CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, released the 2023 SCVEDC Annual Report to the City Council. It featured our organization's business attraction and retention, business assistance, economic information & research, and workforce development initiatives. 

Click here for the presentation slides, and read below for more details. To see the presentation to the City Council on SCVTV, click below and skip to 12:00 minutes.

On Tuesday night Holly Schroeder, President & CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, released the 2022 SCVEDC Annual Report to the City Council. It featured our organization's business attraction and retention, business assistance, economic information & research, and community marketing efforts.

Click here for the presentation slides, and read below for more details!

The SCVEDC is happy to announce the release of our newest resource to help Santa Clarita Valley businesses succeed and grow.

The focus of economic development has expanded over the past months to include talent attraction and workforce development. In todays labor market, companies are doing everything they can to maintain their current staff, while simultaneously competing with other businesses for top talent.

SCV Companies: Business Climate in SCV is Robust

Local companies positively rate the business climate and quality of life in the Santa Clarita Valley. That’s the key takeaway from the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation’s 2022 Business Survey of 155 companies.

2021 Annual Report

The COVID-19 pandemic brought both health implications and serious economic ones, extending into its second year in 2021 as the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation celebrated its 11th anniversary. The SCVEDC continued supporting SCV businesses as they navigated public health orders, supply chain snarls, hiring challenges and the emergence of inflation. SCVEDC continues to focus on business assistance, business attraction and retention, community marketing, and providing quality information and data. The vast diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley has established a strong foundation for its future economic security.

After snagging the last available building at the IAC Commerce Center in January, LA North Studios has not slowed down in their drive to meet the fervent demand for production space. On Tuesday last week CBRE announced that the company has signed yet another long-term lease at the previous headquarters of MechanixWear Gloves. Just down the street from their most recent acquisition, this striking building adds 70,550 square feet of industrial space to their inventory. 

The Santa Clarita Valley continues to grow its footprint of local production facilities, with Newmark Knight Frank (“NKF”) announcing Monday that LA North Studios signed a pre-lease for the final available building at the IAC Commerce Center. Expected to be ready in Q1 of 2022, Building 8 will add an additional 113,400 square feet to LA North's already substantial amount of production space. Film industry companies have been busier than ever during the spike in production the last few years, giving credit to SCV's moniker of "Hollywood North". There is no doubt that SCV is a happening location for filming, and with soundstage space at a premium, our region has added several more over the past years to accommodate the demand.

As we approach the end of 2021, most of our businesses have re-opened, with events and gatherings restoring slowly but surely. We have come a long way since March 2020, and people are eager to return to as close to a pre-COVID normal as possible. There are unfortunately still lingering problems from the lockdown that continue to be felt. Especially by our local employers. With normal supply chains still facing big delays, it’s more important than ever to support the local businesses and manufacturers in the SCV this holiday season.

The Santa Clarita Valley has long been known as an ideal location to live, work and play. From theme parks and historic house tours to outdoor recreation and sporting events, you can fill your days with plenty of fantastic experiences for all ages. As the third largest (and still growing) city in the county, it’s no wonder Santa Clarita has been dubbed the “Gateway to L.A.”. Here you’ll find everything you value in one outstanding Southern California destination that's central to everything. Santa Clarita is the hub for family entertainment and a short drive to beaches, snow and other nearby attractions. Not to mention home to the thrill capital of the world: Six Flags Magic Mountain!

Santa Clarita ranks top 10 in safety, as well as the 4th most ambitious and business ready city in the nation.

Santa Clarita has recently been recognized as being one of the safest cities of its size in the country, and for being one of the most business ready. While it may not seem obvious at first, these two endorsements go hand in hand. They result from deliberate efforts to grow the number and quality of jobs in the Santa Clarita Valley in order to provide great opportunities for residents.

SCV Companies Making an Impact on Their Employees, Community, and Environment

Many people want to partner with, work for, buy from, and invest in companies they believe in. Two Santa Clarita Valley companies have become B Corporations demonstrating commitment to their employees, community, and the environment.   

B Corporations are for-profit companies, certified by a nonprofit called B Lab. In order to earn the certification, companies must achieve a 80/200 score on B Lab’s assessment, which is split into four parts – Governance, Workers, Community, and Environment.  

Mental Health Resources in the Santa Clarita Valley

The COVID-19 pandemic public health orders designed to protect our physical health have also affected mental health over the last year. In fact, 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, up from 1 in 10 adults from January to June 2019.

To complicate matters, people are often reluctant to discuss mental illness — especially at work. That’s why it’s critical for employers to create a work environment that is supportive of mental health, with relevant resources and a culture that prioritizes psychological well-being.

2020 Annual Report

The COVID-19 pandemic brought both health implications and serious economic ones. In 2020, the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation celebrated its 10th anniversary, and the work of the organization has never been more vital! SCVEDC continues to focus on business assistance, business attraction and retention, community marketing, and information and data. Despite the numerous obstacles of the past year, there are many bright spots; most notably, the incredible support, innovation, and resiliency of our business community, including the many SCV companies that quickly pivoted to manufacture PPE and sanitizers, or offered their teams in volunteer capacities.

Industrial Market in SCV Never Missed a Beat 

While the COVID-19 crisis initially gave many companies pause for good reason, 2020 was an exceptionally good year for industrial real estate across the board, the Santa Clarita Valley included. In 2020, the SCVEDC was pleased to announce that several new companies chose to locate in the Santa Clarita Valley including two Amazon fulfillment centers, DrinkPAK, a beverage manufacturer, and a state-of-the-art medical testing lab. Several SCV companies expanded as well, including P3 Inc., LA North Studios, Lief Labs, 24/7 Events and Mellady Direct Marketing.

Five Reasons Why the ‘Burbs are Better than Ever

Covid-19 has considerably altered daily life in the United States and around the Globe. These changes have upended the way we shop, how we educate our children, and how we work; this pandemic is also likely to affect where we live.

The City of Santa Clarita is Ranked One of the Most Business-Friendly in SoCal (Again)

The Kosmont-Rose Institute’s 2018 Cost of Doing Business Survey has again ranked Santa Clarita among the best cities in Southern California.

CalArts Joins Forces with SCV Business Community for a Digital Expo That's Going to be Better Than Ever

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), a world-class art institute in Santa Clarita, is teaming up with the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation (SCVEDC), the Santa Clarita Valley Business Journal (SCVBJ), and Pitch Globally Media at their upcoming Digital Arts Expo with a series of events to be hosted on campus during the annual Expo on Thursday, May 3, 2018. These events are part of CalArts’ continued effort to extend their reach into the local community and bring community members and business leaders to campus to showcase the phenomenal talent that is nurtured there.

The Stress Isn’t Worth It! 10 Benefits of Living Close to Work

Think about how long your workday is. If you’re counting the hours from the minute you sit down at your desk, you’re doing it wrong.

Your workday really starts the second you leave your home, and lasts until you’re back through your front door. Yes, you may only spend eight or nine hours in the office, but once you factor in the commute, what’s the grand total?

2018 - Live, Work, Play in SCV

January – a time to reflect on the previous year’s successes and set goals for the new year.  2017 was an exceptional year for the Santa Clarita Valley economy, and 2018 promises even more positive growth! Here are seven reasons for optimism:

Is SCV LA County’s Best Bet for HQ2?

According to a recent article in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, the Santa Clarita Valley (SCV) could be Los Angeles County’s best hope for catching Amazon’s attention for its second headquarters, aka Amazon HQ2. With millions of square feet of developable land, a long list of money-saving business incentives, and a fast-growing economy, the SCV has already made its mark as a great location for business.

Santa Clarita Named a Best City to Start a Family

Santa Clarita was recently named 27^th out of 350 Best Places to Start a Family by LendEDU. Their unique scoring system ranked cities by the quality of public education, cost of first home, crime and safety rates, and percentage of young families. This honor is added to a long list of accolades the city has received including Best Places to Live in California, Best Places to Retire, and Most Business-Friendly City in Los Angeles County.

Scorpion, one of the fastest growing website design and Internet marketing firms in North America serving legal, healthcare, franchise, and home service clients, broke ground today on their new corporate headquarters in the Santa Clarita Valley. Scorpion’s new headquarters will be the first creative office building of its kind in the area, and will prominently feature an environmentally conscious, employee-centric design.

November is a time to give thanks and a time for reflection as we approach the year’s end. I find myself reflecting on, among other things, my appreciation for our local economy.