Posted on 04/06/2016 6:17:35 AM PDT by SandRat
A new effort launched by local businesses to attract retirees to Sierra Vista is starting to see success.
This month, the Retire in Sierra Vista Program (RSVP) will welcome its first guests to the community.
Launched late last year, RSVP is a privately funded endeavor to bring retirees to the region, as part of a wider effort to diversify the local economy.
In the past few months an advertising campaign, paid for by area business owners, has promoted Sierra Vista as an ideal retirement location.
As a result, the Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce, which is acting as the contact point for people interested in relocating here, has seen an increase in requests for more information.
And one couple is planning to come and see the community soon, said Chamber Executive Director Mary Tieman.
“The goal of RSVP is to showcase Sierra Vista as the premier location in the U.S. for retirees,” she said. “So we are delighted to see this effort is starting to pay off. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our first couple from Colorado Springs in late April, and we know they will be the first of many as interest in our community continues to build.”
The advertising campaign, which targets upcoming and current retirees in colder climate states like Illinois and Wisconsin, as well as retired veterans across the country, offers potential new residents the chance to sample what Sierra Vista has to offer during a three-day visit.
The $199 ‘pretire’ sampler is what the group hopes will entice people to consider the city as their retirement destination.
The deal includes discounted hotel rates and meals, as well as free admission to Ramsey Canyon Preserve, a free round of golf, and a guided tour based on their interests.
“We hope to spend a few hours with visitors to show them what Sierra Vista has to offer,” said Jack Blair, chief member services officer for Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, and a member of the RSVP steering committee. “We also want to match them up with retirees here who have similar interests. Those are folks who have moved here, who have enjoyed and liked it. That’s a big advantage.”
The group says it is not planning to turn Sierra Vista into a retirement community, but rather complement a broader economic development effort being spearheaded by the City of Sierra Vista.
This is just one component of the economic development toolbox, explained Rick Coffman, Vice President and General Manager of Castle & Cooke, which is also a RSVP contributing business.
“What we really need to think about is population growth,” he said. “Population and job growth was negative last year so we need to do something to offset that.
“Retirees who come here, and move here, buy homes, they go to restaurants, they go to ACE Hardware, they go to Lowe’s, and they do work on their homes. So they really contribute to the economic growth of the community. They come here and contribute their dollars and their volunteer efforts, and they become an integral part of our local community.”
A newly launched website, together with a Facebook page, is also helping RSVP to reach an audience beyond Cochise County.
The site contains a wealth of information about Sierra Vista, including the average price of a home, quality of life features, recreational opportunities and testimonials from those who have already retired here.
The effort also received a boost when “Where To Retire” magazine featured Sierra Vista as a top retirement community in its January issue.
Coffman added that the group is happy with the robust start of the program, which he believes could eventually lead to 100 couples or more relocating to the area on an annual basis.
“This has really got up and going quickly for a private initiative,” he said. “This has been driven by the private sector and that is really terrific.
“This is not a six-month or nine-month effort. This is going to take the continuing commitment of local businesses and it only builds on its own success as the word begins to get out there. It’s an ongoing effort that we need to be thinking about for several years, at least.”
Businesses interested in participating in the RSVP program can contact the Chamber at (520) 458-6940.
To learn more about RSVP visit www.RetireSierraVista.com
Does Sierra Vista AZ need taxpayers to balance non producer illegals?
Weather-wise, you can’t go wrong with Sierra Vista. The one negative is that it is a fair distance out of Tucson (an hours drive). Some say it might be a plus.
Ping,ping,PING !
-works fine also for the hospital and funeral homes--they now have the highest number of deaths per capita for most of SD and eastern Wyoming----
Very nice, but will they give tax breaks like they give to corporations?
Hopefully, this program will attract a lot of liberal California escapees. Anything to intercept them before they get to Texas!
In the late 80s and all through the 90s and some of early 2000s, I spent a lot of time in SV. Primarily doing contracted work for Ft. Huachuca. It took a while, but I grew to enjoy the place. A nice area IMO.
The weather thing is the plus. In July, when it’s 110 degrees in Tucson...it’s usually 94 degrees in SV. There might be three or four days a year when it does hit 100, but it’s rare. Add on the fact that it rarely ever gets snow, and the January day-time temp is around 35-40 degrees....makes it a pretty acceptable location. The one negative is employment opportunities...which it’s really marginal. So, you need to think about it in terms of retirement and a relaxed atmosphere. Plus side is that there are three golf courses in the region, and another dozen around Tucson.
Don’t know.
Arizona will give them one big state tax break.
No “you must exceed 5% of your income” limit on the deduction for medical expenses.
Mexico is a stone’s throw away. :(
God’s waiting room,, I can think of worse placespecially.
Like TEXAS !
Maybe after the Great Wall of Trump..... :^)
Maybe at the Great Wall of Trump Rump..... “8^}
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.