The following is a review of just some of the ways the CEP is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic: 

Get. Gather. Go. 

Hopefully, you saw our efforts around the marketing blitz to GET businesses informed on the Paycheck Protection Program, have them GATHER the necessary information, and GO apply. We ran radio, billboards, social media, cable, and print. The social media campaign reached more than 50,000 people. We created a dedicated website (GetGatherGo.com) in addition to our COVID-19 response page. The goal was to get as many local businesses as possible to apply. We hosted a webinar on filling out the application and filled it to our 100-seat capacity. The webinar was recorded, posted on our website, and was viewed more than 1,000 times. Finally, actively engaged with all of our lending institutions to make sure businesses had the latest tips on applying.

Local Loan Fund 

The City and County have both approved funding for a local loan fund. The Paycheck Protection Program has moved much faster than anyone anticipated and is much more attractive to borrowers than originally promoted (the loan is forgivable and any portion not forgiven carries a 1% interest rate). This is a much better option for our businesses and we are encouraging those who were interested to pursue this instead. However, the CEP finalized the agreement with both the City and County so that we can activate this program should we need to in the coming days. As a note – the CEP is taking no fees or admin on this program. Continue reading →

The purpose of the CEP is to be the One-Stop Shop and Voice of the Business Community. We are the designated economic development organization for all of the Ocala Metro. While many focus on our Business Attraction successes (bringing in new major employers like McLane, Dollar Tree, and FedEx) or our Business Services programs (such as Business After Hours, TuesdayTalks, and Leadership Ocala Marion), it is our Business Retention and Business Creation efforts that really have the ability to impact the business community. This is especially true as we go through a difficult crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Business Retention efforts are focused on assisting existing businesses throughout the community with a particular focus on primary employers (manufacturing, distribution, and large office). We work with approximately 200 businesses every year REGARDLESS of their partnership with the CEP. In other words, a business does not have to be a CEP partner to receive assistance. Much of this work is focused on removing barriers to their growth. Sometimes this means connecting them existing resources on the local, state, and federal level. Other times it means we are connecting them with other businesses to the benefit of both. Continue reading →

The Ocala MSA ended the year with a run of national rankings which will frame the state of the local economy quite well. The area ranked #3 on U-Haul’s List of the Top 25 Cities for Growth. This ranking aligns well with previous analysis which showed the 25-34-year-old segment as the fastest growing demographic locally. Additionally, the area ranked among the top mid-sized metros in rankings for manufacturing (Advisor Smith) and entrepreneurship (Cloud Kitchen). All of these accolades reflect the area’s continued significant growth along with a diversifying economic base.

Two major primary employment announcements occurred during the year. Dollar Tree announced plans to construct a 1.7 million sq. ft. distribution center in the new Florida Crossroads Commerce Park which will result in a capital investment of more than $210 million and will create 700 new jobs. This will be the first facility in the new Florida Crossroads Commerce Park seeking to ignite growth in the southwest portion of the community. GTI, a publicly traded company in Canada, announced that an affiliate had purchased the former Mark III complex and would begin redevelopment efforts in the first quarter of 2020. The company is a major player in the medical cannabis industry and the complex will be a cultivation and processing facility. The first phase of the project will result in a $20 million investment and the creation of 100 new jobs. Continue reading →

The mission of the CEP is to be the catalyst for a prosperous community and one of the primary ways we seek to deliver on this mission is by actively working to recruit new primary employers. The Ocala Metro recently reported an unemployment rate of 3.4% which is lower than the national average. More importantly, our job growth rate has been averaging 3% which is nearly double the national average. Our wage growth has also been greater than the national average. In other words, our unemployment rate is decreasing, our workforce is increasing, we are creating more jobs and they are paying higher wages.

This growth can be directly tied to the CEP’s current five-year goals. These goals include impacting the announced creation of 4,500 new jobs which pay an average wage which is 15% above the current County average and will result in a direct capital investment in our community of $400 million. Through the first two years (17 & 18) of this current strategic plan, we have announced 2837 new jobs paying an average wage 17% above the County average with a capital investment of $318.6 million. While this is a great start, we believe year 3 is going to end as one of the best for these measures. Continue reading →

I am not sure how one could view 2019 as anything but an incredibly successful year for the Ocala Metro. The CEP is excited to review how our community continues to grow, diversify, and prosper.

Economic Growth

The local economy continues to demonstrate very strong fundamentals. As of the time of this writing, the local unemployment rate was a record seasonal low of 3.5%. But more importantly, the area recorded a Job Growth Rate of 3.1%. This number is not only strong but it is higher than the state average and nearly double the national average! The Ocala Metro is recording job growth while at the same time seeing wages report health gains.

Our newest major employer opened in February when McLane Company opened their new 400,000 sq. ft. distribution facility at Ocala International Commerce Park. The company now employs more than 500 people at this facility. Red Rock Development began construction this summer on a new 620,000 sq. ft. spec building in the Ocala/Marion County Commerce Park along the interstate. This new facility is significant in a couple of ways: 1) it will result in a $43 million investment in our community and 2) it represents a major investment in the growth of Ocala as a distribution hub. That a major developer like Red Rock was willing to make this investment on spec (or speculation meaning they do not have a tenant already lined up for the building) has further enhanced the community’s reputation as a place to do business. Continue reading →

The mission of the CEP is to be the catalyst for a prosperous community and one of the primary ways we seek to deliver on this mission is by actively working to recruit new primary employers. Our current five-year goals include impacting the announced creation of 4,500 new jobs which pay an average wage which is 15% above the current County average and will result in a direct capital investment in our community of $400 million. Through the first two years (17 & 18) of this current strategic plan, we have announced 2837 new jobs paying an average wage 17% above the County average with a capital investment of $318.6 million. While this is a great start, we believe year 3 is going to end as one of the best for these measures. Continue reading →

By Louisa Barton

The equine industry is a really big deal here in the Horse Capital of the World. In fact, it is worth over $2.6 billion a year in the Ocala Metro and our public and private leadership appreciates the importance of this industry to our community.

A few years ago, the CEP commissioned a study showing the incredible number of jobs and revenue created in the Ocala area by the horse world. With this study, came a new realization of a need to find ways to bring the horse world and the non-horse world together. The CEP began its Equine Engagement Initiative with this goal in mind.

A new project from this initiative is a partnership between the CEP and the City. Bronze plaques will be created and placed in the new or re-done sidewalks downtown to celebrate a variety of horse breeds. The plaques will name thoroughbreds or other breeds who were either born here or who had strong ties and connections to this area. Perhaps, they were trained here or spent some major part of their lives here on one of the farms. Any horse born, weaned, conditioned, competed, trained or who learned to be a racehorse here, could be eligible for a plaque or a brick. It was decided an App would play a major role in sharing the details with visitors, so that the famous horses’ names could be located on this App and interested parties could learn all about the equine history and how these horses were tied to the area. Over then next year or so, one should start to see this plaques around the square. Continue reading →

No one is surprised today that social media is literally everywhere. If your business is not thinking about and tackling this issue, odds are you are struggling. While we can laugh at Millennials and GenZ about their obsession with their phones and social media, I don’t think any of the rest of us are any different. I am proudly GenX but on more than one occasion just this week I have chosen where to eat based on an Instagram post (that ramen bowl at Big Hammock was almost as good at the picture!

We get our news, current events, latest happenings, restaurant updates, etc. all from social media. More than likely, your business needs to have a specific and deliberate effort on how to make this incredibly medium work for you. The CEP recently hosted a forum on social media use and one of the three big takeaways – your social media communication needs to be purposeful. Just throwing a lot of posts up will not drive opportunity. In fact, it will probably drive away your audience. At the CEP, we are constantly refining our strategy to ensure that we are being very purposeful with our posts and tweets. Continue reading →

Marion County, Florida [Monday, September 16, 2019] – Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) detectives have confirmed that they have located and identified the body of Casei Jones (DOB: 12/23/1986) near Brantley County, Georgia.

Casei Jones’ family reported her missing Saturday night, September 14th along with her four children, Cameron Bowers (DOB 9/12/2009), Preston Bowers (DOB 8/22/2014), Mercalli Jones (12/09/2016), Aiyana Jones (DOB 8/10/2018). Her family had not seen her for six weeks. Detectives are continuing their investigation regarding the missing children. Casei Jones’ husband, Michael Waye Jones Jr. (DOB: 5/1/1981), has also been located in Georgia and is currently being questioned in connection to Casei’s death. At this time, a warrant has been issued for his
arrest for 2nd Degree Homicide.

Public Information Office Director
Office: (352) 368-3527
Cell: (352) 299-7186
pbloom@marionso.com