Lompoc Valley enjoys a healthy and diversified economy. Home to Vandenberg Air Force Base, which contributes $1.7 billion to the regional economy and is the largest employer in Santa Barbara County, Lompoc Valley is the powerhouse driving the county's economy.
A University of California, Santa Barbara, Economic Forecast Project study of the economic impact of Vandenberg Air Force Base to Santa Barbara County confirmed that the military facility, with many high-skilled and high-paying jobs, accounted for an estimated 7 percent of the county's gross economic output and 8 percent of its jobs.
The study evaluated the impact of Vandenberg in terms of population, output, jobs, labor income and taxes generated using data from fiscal year 2004. The report accounted for both direct impacts created by the base and additional impacts that occurred in relation to base activity with a multiplier effect of 1.92, which means every dollar spent by Vandenberg generates another 92 cents in business.
Located on nearly 100,000 acres outside of Lompoc, Vandenberg's impact is stable due to its role as a classified military installation for rocket and missile launches. As of December 2007, Vandenberg had 2,919 military members, 941 civilian and 2,835 contract employees. Col. Steve Tanous, then Commander 30th Space Wing, affirmed that the base was scheduled to get 272 more military positions, 43 civilian jobs and 160 reservists through relocation of units, along with the growth of other programs. Construction activities on base include a $40 million Astrotech Space Operations payload processing facility, a $16. 8 million fitness center and a $13 million new home for the Joint Space Operations Center. See related feature article on page 14.
To enhance the role of Lompoc's space and technology workforce, the city partners with California Space Authority. One project includes a 3-year, $15 million grant that CSA won from the U.S. Department of Labor for its Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development initiative. Results are illustrated in the California Innovation Corridor asset mapping inventory and the Connectory.com portals.
The city now supports CSA's $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration for the proposed California Space Center, a 66-acre project to be built outside Vandenberg AFB gates. The California Space Education and Workforce Institute is developing the proposed edutainment center, which will include education and office facilities. The center will present a history of California's role in space enterprise and other aspects of the space industry. It will also feature a permanent launch viewing area, a historic rocket park and a Native American interpretive center that discusses Chumash references to the sky and artifacts found on the base.
The proposed center's business plan, environmental baseline survey and economic impact study have been completed and an Air Force lease contract is being pursued. The plan projects that the center will contribute $2.4 billion to the regional economy, create 3,000 local jobs, and attract 200,000 to 500,000 visitors annually. No doubt, Lompoc will be a major beneficiary of the center!
Another local workforce training project underway will relocate the Allan Hancock College fire, police and emergency services training academies to Lompoc Valley Center by 2011. The $46 million project includes a city donation of 39 acres of land adjacent to the college for a total of almost 100 acres that will be dedicated to the academies, a high speed driving course and further expansion.
Other major employers in Lompoc Valley include:
Lompoc Valley's agricultural roots have shifted to value-added products such as flower seed research and development and wine production. Over the past decade, Lompoc's affectionately termed "Wine Ghetto" has become a production center for some of the finest wines in the country, many featuring the new Sta. Rita Hills wine appellation. In less than five years, the number of Lompoc's premium artisanal wines grew from five to 30 labels. There are now 34 labels produced in 15 wineries across town. Local winemaker camaraderie continues to spawn innovation and de facto winery incubators continue to launch new wine labels.
As Lompoc's boutique wineries grow, they move into larger facilities and hire more employees. A few years ago, Brewer-Clifton moved into a new 12,000 square foot production facility. Last year Loring Winery and Pali Winery constructed a 30,000 square foot wine facility for processing, operational offices, case good storage, barrel rooms and fermentation rooms. More recently, Flying Goat Cellars purchased a 3,600 square foot industrial condo for wine production at JM Development's new industrial condos on West Laurel. Several other wine facilities in the works will create more growth opportunities with more available production space.
Other targeted industries for the city include Internet, entertainment technology and multimedia. Citywide broadband service has positioned Lompoc to develop as a media and communications center with at least three competitors offering service. The city seeks to attract production talent, digital production companies and pre-and post-production operations.
On the local level, Allan Hancock College Film & Video Production Program, with a 30+ year history, and the city's state-of-the-art TAP TV media studio provide training grounds for an emerging technology workforce. City sponsorship of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival also enhances student opportunities through the festival screenwriting and filmmaking contests and field trips to the movies.
The city partners with the Santa Barbara County Film Commission to promote the area for film locations. The production of commercials and films such as "Sideways" contribute to the community's economic vitality. Film location managers increasingly take an interest in business-friendly Lompoc and the surrounding area. Most recently, "There Will Be Blood" and "Grindhouse" were filmed on Jalama Road and used Lompoc facilities.
On the manufacturing side, Goleta-based Far West Technology recently expanded into Lompoc and created six new full time jobs for packaging of dosimetry products. In 2003, Raytheon Vision Systems opened a manufacturing division in Lompoc rather than expand its Goleta headquarters. The 55,600 square foot facility in Lompoc employs 30 workers who develop and manufacture infrared sensors for scientific, commercial and government applications. Expansion of the Raytheon facility in Lompoc is now underway.
Fagerdala World Foams also purchased Lompoc-based Pactuco in 2003. The company retained a number of former Pactuco employees and has a seasonally adjusted workforce of 60 to 93 employees. A privately held company with corporate headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Fagerdala manufactures polymer foam products used for insulation, packaging and decoration. It also produces thermoformed packaging and injection molded products used in the toy, food and electronics retail markets.
The population of Lompoc Valley is about 65,000, much of which is young and Hispanic. The recent housing boom attracted many young professionals from Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Non-residential investment is now paving the way for job opportunities with industrial, commercial and public infrastructure growth. Lompoc's comparative advantage in housing prices, information technology and overall quality of life will continue to attract a young, edgy technology workforce. Additionally, the city continues to develop a wide spectrum of workforce training opportunities in the valley.
