The question for Mesa County business owners and managers isn’t only whether the upcoming holidays will be merry and bright. That’s important, especially for retailers. But what about 2022?

Fortunately, there are some encouraging words in the latest business and economic forecast for Colorado. While the COVID-19 pandemic sidetracked business and economic growth in Mesa County, the area is recovering. Moreover, the outlook is mostly upbeat.

Here’s the summary from the section of the forecast about Mesa County: “While the pandemic has had an impact on all aspects of the community, the county is recovering and outperforming other counties and the state. The community in the Grand Valley is resilient and will continue to forge ahead in the face of adversity.”

Rich Wobbekind, senior economist at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said a number of factors bode well for Mesa County, including higher natural gas and commodity prices. While home prices have appreciated, housing remains less expensive in Mesa County than many other areas of the state. 

The business research division at the Leeds School of Business compiles the annual business and economic forecast for Colorado with sections for various industry sectors and geographic regions. Business, industry and government officials contribute to the report. 

Stories on this very website afford an opportunity to read all about it.

Here are some of the highlights to keep in mind:

The unemployment rate in Mesa County has dropped to 4.7 percent.

Tax collections, a measure of sales, have increased in 2021 by double-digit proportions over 2020 and moved even higher than the pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Hotel occupancy rates have increased along with lodging tax collections. 

Real estate activity has continued to trend upward, with year-to-date dollar volume for 2021 surpassing the $2 billion milestone en route to a record level.

Businesses are still interested in relocating to the Grand Valley, even in the midst of a pandemic. If anything, the pandemic has prompted companies and individuals with the ability to work anywhere to move to a place like the Grand Valley that offers high quality of life and ample outdoor recreation.

Plenty of challenges persist and could, God forbid, get worse. But there are also words that offer encouragement.

Phil Castle is editor of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or phil@thebusinesstimes.com.