A glossy magazine is part of a multimedia pitch to bring business to Ulster
KINGSTON – Ulster County Executive Michael Hein hopes his administration’s new business resource guide – released Thursday in Kingston – helps shine investment attention onto this part of the scenic Hudson Valley. “Your Business Here,” reads the 48-page full-color economic opportunity guide book.
Hein said a primary focus was to build modern media industries locally, attracting lucrative skilled jobs to the region. Initiatives toward that goal include an expanded upstate tax incentive for film companies; public-private banking investment partnerships; plus bringing in sprawling entertainment production facilities.
“Getting tax incentives flipped the economics, and the results are crystal clear,” Hein said of the deal, which increased regional film shoots by 50 percent in 2017.
Suzanne Holt, director of the county’s Office of Economic Development, works closely with the county Industrial Development Agency to drum up more momentum. Stockade Works, established last year in Midtown Kingston, answered the call, wishing to train tomorrow’s workforce of creative professionals.
The promotional effort includes a website in addition to a fancy booklet.
County Legislator James Maloney, who worked with Hein’s team, is proud of the booklet guide that was created to promote the effort.
“It outlines funding sources, labor statistics, it gives you demographics on all aspects of Ulster County, and how you can either expand, or start a new business here,” Maloney said.
The next online portal will be dedicated exclusively to promoting movie industry attention, UlsterCountyForFilm, is also scheduled, Hein said.
“It all started with an idea,” explained Jeremy Ellenbogen, president of Ellenbogen Creative Media, which 12 years ago became the anchor for 721 Media Center on Broadway, built out of a vacant television studio.
“The roof was leaking, the place was dark, it had no life to it at all,” Ellenbogen recalled. Today 721 Broadway is a thriving hi-tech mecca enjoying full occupancy. “Whew, it was quite an experience for us. This is not our last frontier, we are looking into expanding,” Ellenbogen said, noting that some of his business tenants were lured upstate with promotional bus tours, such as Catskill Conf, which pitched Hudson Valley as a lifestyle.
