After what tourism officials here say was a banner 2010, with a number of big-impact events, convention activity in the Inland Northwest is expected to undergo a dip next year."Spokane has had, from a convention standpoint, with a large number a
The health-care sector here faces major hurdles and uncertainty in the coming year, due partly to eroding patient volumes, pressure on government funding sources, and the continuing consolidation of hospitals and physician groups."I think it be
In a mixed outlook for 2011, Kootenai County executives say tourism and manufacturing likely will begin to lead the economy there out of its downturn. Meanwhile, they're hoping that residential home sales will at least maintain their higher level a
This year has been better than 2009, and 2011 should be better than 2010, but the economy won't completely turn around until 2012, bankers here believe."We anticipate that 2012 will be the turnaround year for the economy," says Jack Heath, and a
While many industries expect to plod through another year of a still-slogging economy, the mining industry expects a repeat of what has been a stellar 2010.Metals prices continued to be strong this year, and in some cases jumped significantly, a
High-tech manufacturers here generally expect strong growth in 2011."This year will go down as the best year in our history on all fronts," says Mike MacKay, president of MacKay Manufacturing Inc., of Spokane Valley. "Looking forward, I think a
Construction industry sources here are somewhat optimistic that a construction turnaround has started in the residential market and that the nonresidential construction market is at or near its bottom. No one is expecting, though, that 2011 will to
The residential and commercial real estate markets here are expected to turn around slowly in 2011, perhaps finally curbing protracted recession-related sales declines, industry sources here say.In the first 11 months of 2010, 3,913 homes were a
The two halves of 2010 were like two different job markets, with unemployment here peaking at 11.2 percent in February, but private-sector employers increasing their hiring in the second half of the year, says Doug Tweedy, regional labor economist
After difficult 2010, most industry sectors here expect gains
December 16, 2010
The light at the end of the tunnel to economic recovery remained dim this year for most industry sectors here, but greater optimism about 2011 is providing a new glow. Expect improvements, albeit from lower levels of activity than we're used to, as
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