Spokane tourism officials are optimistic that visitor numbers and expenditures will increase in 2014, including among those here for conventions, sports events, and leisure travel. Cheryl Kilday, president and CEO of Visit Spokane, says that organizatio

Health care, manufacturing, tourism, and real estate are among current growth industries in Kootenai County that are expected to continue to improve in the new year, sources in North Idaho say. Alivia Metts, Post Falls-based regional labor economist for

The wood products sector is expecting continued, steady improvement next year, largely due to anticipated ongoing recovery in the U.S. housing market, industry observers say. Shawn Church, editor of Eugene, Ore.-based Random Lengths, a publication that t

Following an upswing in building activity here in 2013, some construction industry observers are optimistic that forward momentum will carry through the coming year. Jan Quintrall, director of business and development services for the city of Spokane, sa

In one of the brighter real estate sectors, Spokane-area residential sales improved for the second consecutive year in 2013, and Ken Lewis, owner of Spokane Valley-based Prudential Spokane Real Estate, says he expects the spring of 2014 to be the best spr

In some sectors of the Inland Northwest economy, activity levels are returning to prerecession levels, welcome news that comes none too soon for economic observers. In overall employment, Spokane-area economists are expecting job growth next year, though