San Diego Metropolitan - The Connection

It is said that the formula for success in business is quite simple — plan for it. The problem with the word “plan” is that it must be done in present time, but it’s for future use, be it tomorrow, next month, next year or in five years. For too many businesses it’s difficult to do such planning.

Well, yes and no. Which brings me to a point:

The 13th annual Economic Summit presented by the South San Diego County Economic Development Council is set for Oct. 24. An annual presentation of knowledge and available tools for planning, this year’s theme is “Regional Business Opportunities — Planning Ahead.” The planning to be discussed represents both sides of the border region: San Diego’s and Baja’s coastal municipalities of Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada.

The San Diego Association of Governments has a 20-year plan, while Tijuana and Rosarito have a joint 25-year plan. Ensenada is expanding its seaport and planning a railroad line to Tijuana/Tecate. It will meet with the soon-to-reopen east rail line crossing from Tecate to Imperial Valley and then hook into the United States national rail network. What opportunities does reopening the rail line provide the Port of San Diego and the region’s businesses?

Great possibilities are being discussed. Great questions are being, and should be, raised. What about the infrastructure, and financing, needed on both sides to make all these plans viable? What is the business potential for enterprises on both sides of the border? In other words, how do these various long-term plans affect or help businesses in both regions?

Questions like water availability are key, even though most businesses do not use water in production. What would happen if the price of water doubled or tripled due to its scarcity? Both sides of the border use the same underground water table, so what are the plans to assure a continued supply? On the subject of energy, all businesses need to be sure there will be affordable electricity and natural gas. So how does Baja play into those plans?

The question of housing, or affordable housing, is a serious one. The Tijuana region is fast becoming a housing alternative to the high cost of San Diego. This means more housing units and more border crossings. It also brings up the subject of border-security plans and whether they will interrupt the flow of trade and commerce. Remember, the annual expenditures of Baja visitors is greater than that of those who attend all of the conventions in San Diego.

The Economic Summit brings together, in a series of break-out sessions, panels of experts on each of these subjects. Much will be learned.

For instance, how many are aware that all of San Diego County is included in the definition of Border Region? This includes Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido. As such, all regional cities are eligible for NADBank infrastructure projects financing –—like water reclamation, waste treatment, public transportation, air quality improvement. It would seem that city administrators and private sector consultants would want to know about NADBank and its document processing. A break-out session deals with NADBank, plus a second for one-on-one meetings with their visiting personnel.

Also noteworthy:

Businesses that ship or receive goods to the Midwest and Eastern United States may want to know about the reopening of rail service to the interior. Expansions of commercial operations in the ports of San Diego and Ensenada will create opportunities for businesses on both sides of the border.

Sempra has obtained the necessary Mexican permits to install a liquid-to-natural gas operation in Ensenada. Marathon Oil is working through the permit process for a multipurpose gas plant in Tijuana to include producing electrical energy, natural gas, sewer treatment and desalination of sea water. How do the projects affect both sides of the border and what opportunities do they present?

Homeland Security presents both a challenge in keeping us safe and for high-technology security systems — some developed, most to be developed. This challenge brings with it many previously unidentified opportunities for development, contracting and subcontracting for a relatively new industry.

As can be appreciated, the Economic Summit represents a day of intense fact and future plans gathering.

SCEDC’s summit partners are once again the Tijuana EDC, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Sandag, Southwestern College Small Business Development & International Trade Center, the cities of National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and Coronado as well as the County of San Diego and the Port of San Diego.

Cost is $95 for members of any partnering organization; $135 for others. Hosting the event is the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. For information, call (619) 424-5143, or click on www.economicsummit.com. Hope to see you there.

Columnist Patrick Osio Jr. is a member of the South San Diego County Economic Development Council board and chair of its Events Committee. Contact is posiojr@aol.com — He will be there to sign autographs.