The cities of Marysville, Arlington and the Tulalip Tribes last month held a North Snohomish Economic Summit at Tulalip Resort to reinforce our message to prospective business ventures that our governments are working collaboratively to create a more prosperous and thriving future for our businesses and families.

The summit concentrated on sharing the assets that give the North Snohomish County a competitive edge in attracting new business investment as the economy revives and employment rates rebound. Myself, Tribal Chairman Mel Sheldon, Arlington Mayor Margaret Larson and key staff members provided plenty of local examples of joint planning on land use, transportation, infrastructure and economic development strategy. Our commitment to partnerships creates the kind of political and economic environment that can help sway a major employer’s decision on where to build or relocate.

Foremost is the area’s abundant availability of commercial, industrial and business park acreage. Marysville and Arlington combined have more than 3,250 acres of manufacturing and light industrial-zoned land clustered within the Smokey Point area (1000-plus) and the Arlington Airport (2,251 acres).

With speculation that Boeing may build a manufacturing “supersite” for its next generation 737, with new plane assembly at Boeing’s Everett plant a possibility, the acreage available in north Marysville and Arlington would be a solid candidate for a supplier supersite.

The 675-acre Smokey Point Master Plan area in particular was a frontrunner for a proposed NASCAR speedway and a leading contender for a University of Washington branch campus. While these projects didn’t materialize, they point to the value that this property along Interstate 5 holds for future corporate investment, which will only become more attractive over time.

The Smokey Point Master Plan area is Marysville’s key future employment center. The area represents the largest developable concentration of commercial and light-industrial-zoned land along I-5 from the U.S.-Canadian border south to Olympia-Lacey. The area is master planned with the potential to create 10,000 jobs in aerospace, manufacturing, high-tech and other light industry. Two I-5 interchanges at 116th and 172nd provide access to the master plan area, and the 156th Street overcrossing, funded through a partnership of the city and property owners, will begin construction this summer to provide even better access between Lakewood and the Smokey Point area. The latter two projects both serve as examples of transportation improvements that occurred through partnerships with the Tribes and Arlington, respectively, and Marysville will continue to work with lead agency Tulalip to expand 116th to a Single Point Urban Interchange as the next phase of that project.

The Tulalip Tribes’ land inventory includes a 2,000-acre “shovel-ready” parcel with roads in place and available utilities. The Tribes just recently announced the great news of a deal reached to build a 110-square-foot Cabela’s sporting goods store north of Home Depot in Quil Ceda Village. Cabela’s presence will bring more jobs to our area and spur further business growth that compliments the new store.

During the economic summit, we also talked about another “hot spot” in Marysville primed for new corporate investment along I-5: the downtown area and Ebey Waterfront. Redevelopment remains the focus of our long-term intentions to create a more park-like, pedestrian-friendly environment downtown, incorporating an estuary trail, managing storm water and improving streetscapes, while blending high-rise housing with a mix of new retail and office space. We are working diligently to attract public and private sector investment to make these plans a reality.

Marysville has a great story to tell.

It is built around three major themes:

• Our focus on partnerships and collaboration that are central to how we do business. We have forged strong relationships with the Tulalip Tribes; Snohomish County; and the cities of Arlington, Everett, Lake Stevens and other neighboring cities. City government officials meet regularly with these groups through venues such as the City-Tribes Governmental Affairs breakfast, and North County Mayor’s group monthly meetings, and staff interact in their areas of expertise.

• Marysville as the “hub of opportunity” and full-service city ideally situated on I-5, with easy ground, rail, air and waterway access to major employment centers in Snohomish and King counties. The second-largest city in Snohomish County (pop. 60,020), Marysville offers a well-trained workforce;  expedited, streamlined permitting process; and favorable corporate tax structure – no city B&O tax, low retails sales tax (8.6 percent) and property tax rates.

• Responsive government leadership that takes into account the full gamut of traits that corporate citizens look for, from ease of getting a venture off the ground, to the quality of life considerations that matter most to employees and their families. We recognize that when a company becomes a corporate citizen, it should expect consistency in rules and regulations that apply to the business community. It is rightfully a deciding factor in any company’s decision to move.

Opportunities exist in Marysville, Tulalip and Arlington. This is a place where jobs are welcome, where taxes are low, and regulations are predictable.

As partners in creating a diverse economic climate conducive to helping businesses succeed, we have come a long way. The economic summit provided a great forum for tying it all together.

Mayor Jon Nehring can be reached at mayor@marysvillewa.gov.