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“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction”

Albert Einstein

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What's the Problem? Where's the Opportunity?

Enhancing Business and Quality of Life in Moab

The spectacular natural beauty surrounding Moab is the economic engine driving business here. But un-planned development has the potential to damage Moab and make the business pie smaller.

Working goals for a possible Moab Business Alliance include:

  1. Instead of competing for smaller slices of the pie, make the pie bigger

  2. Develop strategies for increasing locally owned and operated business

  3. developing more year round employment

  4. Create higher paying jobs

  5. Protect the region's economic engine - the natural beauty here

Potential alliance members range from single high tech worker working from a home office all the way to progressive real estate developers.

Many Moab businesses have different needs from the larger developers and franchise businesses in the area. Moab retail businesses compete indirectly with the Wal-Marts, Safeways, and Home Depots in Grand Junction and Price. Today, Moab's competition is as far away as Seattle (Amazon.com) and even India (out sourced software).

Common Values, Common Interests

In March of 1995, Moab hosted the Colorado Plateau Forum. A few hundred people met to talk about economic development and environmental issues. Daniel Kemmis, Director of the Center for the Rocky Mountain West and former Mayor of Missoula was one of the keynote speakers. As expected, there were many heated discussions about conflicting development and environmental issues. But the main focus was to look for areas of common agreement. A dozen facilitators were asked to work with attendees to identify shared values. Despite such a diverse group, there was a near consensus on the following key values:

  • Keep the small town atmosphere

  • Maintain the rural character

  • Preserve the spectacular natural resources in the surrounding area

Nine years later, most people who live here still strongly hold these values. Most small Moab businesses also want to thrive while preserving our world-class outdoor amenities and natural resources. This group of businesses is fairly large, but has been over-shadowed by other interests.