Manhattan City Commissioners heard updates Tuesday from the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce on economic development throughout the community.
Chamber Director of Economic Development Daryn Soldan said 2023 has been a successful year with multiple projects on the horizon, recent business attraction and significantly improved labor statistics.
Black Entrepreneurs of the Flint Hills Founder Sheila Ellis-Glasper also updated the board on organization activity throughout 2023 and said one notable change this year is a collaboration with Hy-Vee.
Ellis-Glasper said it isn’t just specific programs within the organization that are receiving interest and recognition.
The board also heard from the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau.
CVB Director Marcia Rozell updated the board on tourism activity so far this year and said Manhattan is now meeting, and exceeding, occupancy and revenue numbers from before the pandemic.
Rozell said these numbers are not only significant for Manhattan but compare well to other neighboring communities.
Before concluding the presentation, the chamber presented their 2024 budget request for economic development in the amount of $543,080, the same allocation for 2023. For tourism promotion and
visitor attraction, they requested $1,382,820, a 6.39% increase from last year’s approved amount.
