HOOVER – Hoover has enjoyed “great” recent economic news with the announcement of two corporate headquarters and two retail developments in the city, and the future could be even brighter.

That was the message Hoover’s first economic developer, Greg Knighton, presented to the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Aug. 16.

Knighton discussed site selection factors—such as highway access, labor costs and the availability of skilled labor, which have been identified as the most important—and the site selection screening process.

“It’s more of a site elimination process,” Knighton said about how sites are narrowed down by not meeting criteria.

Quality of life was traditionally not a critical factor but has become one, ranking as high as fourth on a list of importance.

Economic development is a process that requires a plan, Knighton said and identified four “key elements”: human capital, physical capital, financial and industrial capital and marketing opportunities.

Knighton said the city has short- , mid- and long-term objectives.

Some short-term objectives include documenting skills of the workforce, cataloguing and marketing available property, exploring sites for future development, creating/expanding existing industry relationships, building a web presence and partnering with the Chamber.

Though new business coming to area usually attracts more attention, the expansion of existing industry is vital, Knighton said.

“The more a business puts down roots in a community, the less likely they are to leave,” he said.

And though residents might only see economic development during a ribbon cutting or the opening of a new business, economic developers know it is an ongoing process.

“There’s so much work that goes on behind the scenes to get to that point,” Knighton said.

After Knighton’s presentation, Hoover Community Services Officer Dee Nance discussed the planned EXPLORE Playground and Splash Pad to be built at the Hoover Met Complex.

Nance said the $2 million project will be “universally designed,” or accessible by all regardless of age, development or special needs.

$1.85 million has been raised for the project, Nance said.