A hot real estate market in Durango is something especially beneficial, he said. He noted many corporate leaders are looking to move from urban areas, and Durango is among rural locales benefiting from that trend.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany cities I have worked with in my consultancy aren\u2019t experiencing any kind of growth during the pandemic. In fact, they\u2019re looking at people leaving,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
With many high-income business leaders looking to move their personal residences to the Western Slope, Madrigal said it\u2019s important to examine how the region can also persuade them to move their businesses as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to look at what it will take to convince them to make their permanent business home in Durango,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Michael French, executive director of the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance, said Madrigal\u2019s interest in building on the region\u2019s hot high-end real estate market dovetails with a new program the alliance is beginning to attract remote workers.<\/p>\n
COVID-19 has led to a boom among corporations allowing employees to work from home, and that\u2019s something the alliance hopes to take advantage of with a program designed specifically to attract remote workers, French said.<\/p>\n
The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated an already strong trend toward increased remote work, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking at remote-worker recruitment,\u201d French said. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at how we can integrate them into the existing community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finding a better accommodation than the temporary campsite at Purple Cliffs for the city\u2019s homeless residents and finding the right person to serve as finance director as the city finalizes its budget, Madrigal said, will be at the top of his to-do list when he arrives Monday in Durango.<\/p>\n