Market Report from the MLCC, MAF, & EA: please be sure to allow images to fully enjoy this newsletter.
May 2015
                 

Upcoming Events

Employment Numbers 

 

 

Labor Force        
Feb 2014 = 76,100
Feb 2015 = 76,700
Mar 2014 = 76,700
Mar 2015 = 76,700
Apr 2014 = 75,400
Apr 2015 = 77,000


Employment     
Feb 2014 = 69,300
Feb 2015 = 72,100
Mar 2014 = 70,000
Mar 2015 = 72,200
Apr 2014 = 70,100
Apr 2015 = 73,000

 

Goods Producing Jobs
 
Feb 2014 = 14,500
Feb 2015 = 
14,800
Mar 2014 = 14,500
Mar 2015 = 14,900
Apr 2014 = 14,600
Apr 2015 = 15,100

 
Service Providing Jobs

Feb 2014 = 46,300
Feb 2015 = 47,600
Mar 2014 = 46,800
Mar 2015 = 47,800
Apr 2014 = 46,600
Apr 2015 = 48,400

 

 

Business Counseling Appointments 

 

SCORE & MI-SBTDC
Feb 2014 = 28
Feb 2015 = 28
Mar 2014 = 36
Mar 2015 = 65
Apr 2014 = 26
Apr 2015 = 52 

 

 

 

Muskegon County Housing Data

 

Number of Homes Sold

Feb 2014 = 129
Feb 2015 = 168
Mar 2014 = 157
Mar 2015 = 197
Apr 2014 = 186
Apr 2015 = 186

 

Average Sale Price  

Feb 2014 = $97,720
Feb 2015 = $100,057
Mar 2014 = $86,326
Mar 2015 = $114,816
Apr 2014 = $108,221
Apr 2015 = $113,032

 

 

Muskegon Airport Traffic

Takeoffs & Landings 
Feb 2014 = 1,835
Feb 2015 = 1,448
Mar 2014 = 3,069
Mar 2015 = 2,977
Apr 2014 = 3,184
Apr 2015 = 2,965


Airport Cargo in lbs.  

Feb 2014 = 7,930
Feb 2015 = 197
Mar 2014 = 10,080
Mar 2015 = 5
Apr 2014 = 2,860
Apr 2015 = 9,140

 

Commercial Passengers  
Feb 2014 = 2,832
Feb 2015 = 2,374
Mar 2014 = 2,854
Mar 2015 = 3,041

Apr 2014 = 3,085
Apr 2015 = 2,957




MI Works! Muskegon Employment Stats

Jobs Filled
Jan 2015 = 91
Feb 2015 = 180
Mar 2015 = 119
Apr 2015 = 249

 

Job Seekers (Unique Visitors)

Feb 2014 = 1,828
Feb 2015 = 1,601
Mar 2014 = 1,932
Mar 2015 = 1,856
Apr 2014 = 2,070
Apr 2015 = 1,835

 

Top Industries Advertised Online Demand 

Industry
April
2015
April
2014
Healthcare and Social Assistance163120
Manufacturing7661
Retail Trade5953


Top Muskegon Job Occupations Advertised Online (April 2015)
Occupation
New Postings
Registered Nurse65
Truck Drivers48
General Labor41
Certified Nursing Assistant38
Retail Salesperson22


Statistics provided by:

The Department of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth; Local Municipalities, The Michigan Association of Realtors, Muskegon County Airport, Muskegon Area First, the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Works! Muskegon/Oceana and the Michigan Small Business Development Center.
Economic Indicators Report

Muskegon Area First and Muskegon County have teamed up to create the new Economic Indicators Report.  Learn about new developments in the West Michigan region, events, programming and view the Economic Indicators Dashboard.  Click here for more information. 

 

It's okay to watch... 

watch muskegon launch

WATCH MUSKEGON is the message being conveyed through a campaign coordinated by stakeholders along the Muskegon Lakeshore.

"The area has undergone many changes in recent years and it's time people learned about the positive changes taking place," said Cindy Larsen, President of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce. Muskegon County has a low unemployment rate, millions of dollars in capital investment and exciting new businesses such as the Farmer's Market, breweries and others.


This WATCH MUSKEGON message will be seen throughout West Michigan and beyond the next three years.  This marketing campaign is just one of the strategies currently underway to change people's perception of the Muskegon Lakeshore community. In a 14-point image improvement plan authored by the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce it reads, when people appreciate, promote and invest in a community, the local economy grows. The community attracts residents, visitors, businesses and workforce talent. 


It is for this reason that numerous community stakeholders are allocating resources and staff time to projects which promote Muskegon's image as a premier waterfront community. Check out the Watch Muskegon website and follow the facebook page to see what's happening along the Muskegon Lakeshore. 

Global Aerospace Leader Expands AGAIN!
 
Aloca HIP investment
Alcoa Power and Propulsion's momentum in the aerospace industry took another giant leap with the announcement of a $22 million investment in Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) technology at the company's global headquarters in Whitehall, MI.  This announcement comes on the heels of a $16.7 million, 7,700-square-foot expansion at the company's Thermatech plant also located in Whitehall.

The investment will enable Alcoa to capture the growing demand for advanced titanium, nickel and 3D-printed parts for jet engines and process its largest jet engine parts in-house.


"As aerospace growth soars, Alcoa continues to invest in the latest technologies, creating added capacity to capture fast-growing demand," said Olivier Jarrault, Executive Vice President and Alcoa Group President, Engineered Products and Solutions.

 
Alcoa Power and Propulsion is expected to generate $2.2 billion in revenues by 2016 as a result of its organic growth expansions.
 
Click here to read the full story.

New Festivals and Attractions Expected to
Spur Tourism Growth

New and Growing Festivals

The Muskegon community is averaging more than 1.5 million visitors each year, with business travel increasing significantly in 2014.  The Michigan Economic Development Corporation estimates that these 1.5 million visitors bring an economic impact of nearly $250 million to the community. 


Muskegon County Community Development Director, Bob Lukens is expecting a great year. "This summer promises to be strong with a variety of new and expanding festivals, events, and attractions," says Lukens.  "Visitors are looking for new experiences, and by offering variety and excitement, Muskegon County is continuing to grow as a premier lakeshore destination."

EXPANDING AND RETURNING FESTIVALS:
Muskegon's Fourth of July Celebration is expanding to include both the popular Lakeshore Art Festival on July 3 and 4 and also RockStock Music Festival at Heritage Landing featuring live music, beverages, food and 4th of July Fireworks.  


Bike Time is expanding to its new location on Harvey Street.  Meanwhile, bikers will also enjoy Rebel Road, a Michigan Motorcycle Rally taking place in Downtown Muskegon the same weekend as Bike Time July 16-19. 

Moosefest is also returning to Muskegon's Heritage Landing on August 18.

NEW FESTIVALS AND ATTRACTIONS:
Standup for the Cure is coming to the shores of Muskegon Lake on July 11. This standup paddling (SUP) event features champion instructors, clinics, demonstrations, live music and more.  The event takes place in Newport Beach, London, Miami and Muskegon! 

Burning Foot Beer Festival, the community's first craft beer festival, will take over Pere Marquette Beach August 29. Forty craft breweries and brewpubs are expected to gather on the sand for this event.


Michigan's Heritage Park, a 19-acre trail and open-air historical park in Whitehall Township opens June 6. Also, if you have not yet seen or heard about the Avian Avatars that landed in Muskegon, click here to check them out. 

Donations Lead to College Expansion

Masonic Temple

Generous donations from two area entrepreneurs are allowing Muskegon Community College (MCC) to expand their downtown footprint and entrepreneurial studies program. Local developer Jonathan Rooks announced that he will donate the former Masonic Temple in Downtown Muskegon to Muskegon Community College as the new home for its Entrepreneurial Studies program and related business-generating activities.
 

Rooks and Sarnicola
Ashley and Nick Sarnicola pose with Jon Rooks and Patricia DuBois, in the former Masonic Temple building.
Rooks then contacted Nick Sarnicola, a West Michigan native and highly successful entrepreneur, encouraging him to support the College's Entrepreneurial Studies Program. Nick and his wife, Ashley, generously responded through their NextGen Foundation with a $200,000 permanent endowment to the Foundation for Muskegon Community College. The fund will support an annual $10,000 cash for the best business idea generated by an MCC entrepreneurial program graduate.

"Jon and Nick are making history at MCC with these incredibly generous gifts," explained Tina Dee, Director for the Foundation for Muskegon Community College.  "The total value of $550,000 is larger than any other single past contribution and will have an enduring and positive impact on our students and the greater community we serve."

Built in 1948, the 23,790 sq. ft. Masonic Temple will now be known as the Rooks Sarnicola Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and is set to re-open in Fall 2017.  Click here to read the full story.


 

Frontier Business Edge
watch mUSkeGOn