Do Business Here

Central Oregon businesses have received assistance, advice and support since 1981 from EDCO, a nonprofit corporation supported by private and public members and stakeholders. EDCO’s mission is to create a diversified local economy and a strong base of middle-class jobs in Central Oregon. To do this, we focus on helping companies: 

Move. We guide employers outside the region through the relocation process as a resource for regional data, incentives, talent, site selection and more. 

Start. We mentor and advise scalable young companies from concept to exit on issues such as access to capital, critical expertise and strategy. 

Grow. We help local traded-sector companies expand by finding suppliers, workforce sourcing, permitting and incentives. In addition, EDCO also works to improve the region’s business climate by influencing state legislation and local policymaking, improving our transportation and information links to the rest of the world (air service, telecom) and catalyzing other critical infrastructure or community development needed to be prepared for successful business development.

Every region in Central Oregon has a direct to guide businesses. Patricia Lucas, CEcD, is the Interim Director of SLED. She can be reached at  (248) 693-3049 or businessasst1@aol.com.

SLED can guide businesses through the process of starting or expanding a business in a variety of ways, including:

• The requirements and timelines for constructing a new building;
• Providing information on available industrial and commercial properties for sale or lease;
• EDCO has a venture catalyst on staff to mentor and advise scalable young companies from concept to exit on issues such as access to capital, critical expertise and strategy;
• Providing information on assistance with the available financing programs that can be tailored to meet the needs of a business project;
• Referral to resources that can assist with business planning, developing a marketing plan and cash flow projections in order to obtain financing;
• Providing information on available tax incentives for traded sector businesses; and
• Providing information on available workforce development programs for hiring new employees.

Why Sunriver/La Pine?

• Business Incentives – Deschutes County and La Pine offer easy permitting, affordable land that is buildable with minimal obstructions and a state-qualified Rural Enterprise Zone, which provides for up to 15-year property tax relief for qualifying businesses.  Various government and private programs offer enhanced financial incentives for rural communities, which may take the form of subsidized lending or matching grants, depending on the project impact.
• Commercial/Industrial building and land vacancy – Retail and service business building units and extensive buildable land within the surrounding landscape.
• La Pine Industrial Park – The park makes an ideal host to industries in the sectors of advanced manufacturing, high technology, specialty food and beverage, data center, and call center operations.
• Transportation Advantage – La Pine and Sunriver parallel U.S. Hwy 97 running from Northern California to the Canadian border. From 2015 to 2020, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has invested millions in roadway and landscaping improvements along this corridor.

Infrastructure – Running approximately parallel to La Pine are energy transmission lines from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Cascade Natural Gas. Burlington Northern Railroad runs nearby with a side rail into the industrial park. Midstate Electric Cooperative connects to low-cost BPA hydroelectric power. Highly available power is both plentiful and reliable with uptime estimated at greater than 99.999%. At least 30 megawatts of service is available now to tenants in the industrial park. The La Pine Industrial Park is covered within the Bend Broadband fiber loop surrounding Central Oregon. The park is provided with high-speed Internet from any of three Internet Service Providers for redundancy.

Sunriver and La Pine are known for their unspoiled beauty and access to the great outdoors. The communities are the perfect hub for multiple outdoor recreational activities, including skiing, hiking, fly-fishing, golfing, biking, kayaking, ATV riding, camping and snowshoeing. La Pine and Sunriver are growing and are open to new businesses and endeavors, as well as a strong sense of family and community values. Sunriver and La Pine area, also known as South Deschutes County, provides access to a vast playground: 

∙ Mt. Bachelor Ski Area 

∙ Sunriver Resort and Sunriver Village 

∙ Newberry National Volcanic Monument 

∙ Cascade Lakes: Paulina Lake, East Lake, Diamond Lake, Crescent Lake, Devil’s Lake, Waldo Lake, Wickiup Reservoir, North & South Twin Lakes, Crane Prairie Reservoir, Cultus Lake, Sparks Lake, Todd Lake and Elk Lake 

∙ The High Desert Museum 

∙ Sunriver Nature Center and Sunriver Observatory 

∙ Little Deschutes, Big Deschutes and Fall River 

∙ Camping at Paulina and East Lakes, as well as La Pine State Park, home to the nation’s largest ponderosa pine. Nicknamed “Big Red,” the tree is 162 feet tall and 28.9 feet around and is estimated to be more than 500 years old. 

South Deschutes County 

• South Deschutes County is located less than 60 minutes from the Redmond Municipal Airport, which is among the fastest growing regional airports in the nation with 30 daily direct flights available to international airports in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver and Chicago.  
• Central Oregon’s business environment is typified by innovative, small companies, producing niche-market products and services. Small companies are crucial to rural communities and it fair to say that the business environments in Sunriver and La Pine are dominated by small employers, with a few exceptions. That means new and relocating businesses get lots of attention and assistance to incentivize choosing either of these communities to set up shop. 
• Tourism and hospitality are a major economic driver and source of employment in Sunriver and La Pine.

Founded in 2006, La Pine is the newest city in Oregon and in the Bend-Redmond MSA. 

A few facts include:

• La Pine is located 30 minutes south of Bend on U.S. Highway 97, 
• The City of La Pine has 1,900 residents and a labor force of more than 89,000 people within the Bend-Redmond MSA. 
• La Pine is the youngest incorporated city in Oregon, 
• It is primed for business growth and vitality. 
• La Pine offers a diverse mix of commercial and industrial business opportunities with a 300-acre industrial park and business park to the east of U.S. 97 with direct access to the BNSF mainline.

• Sunriver’s population is about 4,000 year-round residents, and it can host 20,000 visitors on any given weekend during the summer months.
• Sunriver prides area prides itself on being family friendly and business friendly. 
• It is focused on quality of life for individuals, families and business enterprises.
• Sunriver has a thriving business park, upscale alpine homes and world-class resort and conference facilities. 
• The Sunriver Resort Airport is a general aviation airport located in the heart of the critically acclaimed Sunriver Resort. With a recently upgraded and refinished 5,500’ long paved and lighted airstrip, the airport is the third busiest in the state and has one of the longest private airstrips in the West. The airport serves a wide range of aircraft from small private planes to corporate jets.

Patricia Lucas, CEcD
Executive Director
Sunriver La Pine Economic Development
(248) 693-3049

In collaboration with: