Editor’s Note: This is the second of three articles Gulf Coast Newspapers will publish regarding issues that will be examined at the Coastal Economy Outlook, set for Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Arthur Outlaw Convention Center. The half-day meeting is sponsored by the University of South Alabama Center for Real Estate Studies, Envision Coastal Alabama, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and the USA Center for Continuing Education.

MOBILE — A unique event discussing local economic growth will be offered to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in the Outlaw Convention Center. The focus of the Coastal Economic Outlook is to assemble five speakers to present facts, analysis and opinions on the local economy. It will be an annual program that offers the opportunity to hear specialists talk about the numbers.

Numbers place a face on the economic environment. They provide a means of assessing public economic development programs and policies. The discussion is not about economic development and potential firm recruitment that might bring more jobs and income. The discussion will concentrate on new numbers to account for the economic growth that has occurred as a result of economic development efforts. It provides an accounting to provide a picture of progress and strength of change.

Growth numbers are quoted regularly, are often discussed and become part of our decision-making. One good recent illustration is the announcement immediately prior to Mardi Gras that Forbes magazine ranked Mobile as the best choice to be the fastest growing small metro area in the U.S. Their estimate of 34 percent growth in the local economy by the year 2012 was about 7 percent annually. This amount and the No. 1 ranking became a frequently mentioned fact in casual conversation throughout the region. How many of us remember the numbers and repeated them with pride! The ranking was written into the script at the crowning of the Mardi Gras king!

Did the number and ranking become a part of any of your subsequent investment decisions? Was it a part of a decision to make a larger consumer purchase like a house, television, automobile, or boat? Did this information support a general feeling of euphoria that things were going to be better in the future? If “yes” is the answer to any of these questions, then growth analysis and the numbers it produces become much more important to our personal financial well-being.

A special unique feature of the event will be the speaker handouts. All program participants have been asked to provide a printed copy of their power point slides and any other data and analysis sheets that accompany each presentation. These will be assembled into a Coastal Economic Outlook reference book to be used as a source of information or an introduction of the local economy to any other party who has an interest in the well-being of the Coastal region. It is the attempt of the sponsors to tell the Coastal economic story and place this region on the national radar. This effort is unique in this objective as no other group has attempted this type of program.

The sponsors bring expertise to the program table. The Mobile Chamber of Commerce is heavily involved in growth issues as the lead institution in local economic development efforts. The Baldwin Economic Development Alliance is an assembly of organizations and institutions interested in economic development progress across the Bay. Envision is a combination of the Mobile and Baldwin Chamber associations organized to foster a joint approach to coastal programs. The USA Center for Real Estate Studies publishes a quarterly analysis of the Mobile and Baldwin economies as part of its effort to report on local demand and supply trends that influence local real estate markets on both sides of the Bay.

The five speakers were invited to participate due to their knowledge and involvement with local economic data. Sheila Bair, chair, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Washington, will address the national credit market situation. The FDIC is the insurer of deposits in banking institutions and plays a major role in auditing bank performance. The most recent edition of Forbes magazine ranked her as the second most powerful woman in the world. She follows the Chancellor of Germany and is positioned ahead of the Secretary of State.

Following her will be Tim Russell, Alabama Revenue Commissioner and former mayor of Foley. He will present his analysis of the current property tax situation and current tax collections on the coast. William Seifert, Regions Bank, will be the opening moderator.

The second session will consist of three speakers who review local economic numbers regularly. Bill Sisson, vice president, Mobile Chamber of Commerce, will offer his analysis of new jobs created in Mobile County, the new income created, and the additional capital investment. Robert Langham, president and CEO, Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, will bring a similar discussion on jobs, income, and new capital in Baldwin County. Dr. Don Epley, director of the USA Center for Real Estate Studies and professor of Real Estate, will present his estimates of economic activity and growth for Mobile and Baldwin.

Come to the event if you have an interest in current numbers on the local economy. Come if you want to know where to find current information on the level of local economic activity. Come if you want to know who to contact for additional local economic facts. Come to the event if you are a real estate agent, attorney, CPA, insurance agent, and simply need the continuing education hours from an event that is worth the time. An application has been submitted to the Alabama Real Estate Appraisal Board for credit, also.

To register, call (251) 431-6536, or print the brochure on the Center for Real Estate Studies Web site at http://cres.southalabama.edu.