FGNW NEWS

NORTHWEST FLORIDA’S STATE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION GATHE RS WITH BUSINESS LEADERS IN TALLAHASSEE

Tallahassee, FL – This week, community leaders from the region’s 13 counties gathered in the State’s Capitol to support the legislators from Northwest Florida to demonstrate the commitment to their state leadership roles that are critical keys to the region’s success in economic competitiveness.

Through the Northwest Florida Days events organized by the regional economic development organization, Florida’s Great Northwest, collaboration and advocacy were top of mind for the business and community leaders gathered in Tallahassee.

“There are many benefits to bringing our region together at our State’s Capitol each Legislative Session,” said Jennifer Conoley, President & CEO of Florida’s Great Northwest. “Part of our role is to keep watch on economic development issues that affect our region and the issues important to our major industry sectors. We also want to be here in support of our Northwest Florida delegation while they are in session. One final yet critical reason is demonstrating the power of the unified voice of our great region and why it’s an extremely important piece of Florida’s success story.”

This year’s event included engagement opportunities with the following legislators of Northwest Florida’s delegation:

• Senator Doug Broxson, District 1

• Representative Michelle Salzman, District 1

• Representative Alex Andrade, District 2

• Senator Jay Trumbull, District 2

• Representative Joel Rudman, District 3

• Senator Corey Simon, District 3

• Representative Patt Maney, District 4

• Representative Shane Abbott, District 5

• Representative Griff Griffitts, District 6

To view the photo gallery, click here.

The facts and figures below demonstrate Northwest Florida’s impact, and they remind us that we have much to protect and much to advocate for in terms of keeping our business climate competitive and our region thriving.

Northwest Florida Facts, Figures and Impacts

Northwest Florida’s Economic Development Impact:

• Gross Regional Product - GDP is the value of the goods and services produced in an economy, which Gross Regional Product (GRP) is simply GDP for the region of study.

1. GRP of Northwest Florida is $66.1 billion.

• Last year, 1,426 new, quality jobs were announced through economic development deals across the region.

Military Impact:

• With Northwest Florida’s six military installations, the Department of Defense expenditures in the region exceeded $10 billion in 2021.
• More than 186,689 jobs were also generated, accounting for over $21 billion of the region’s economy in 2022.

Tourism Impact:

• Travel and Tourism is a huge driver in our economy. In Florida, the industry supports nearly 13% of total employment and 8% of state GDP. In Northwest Florida, the share of regional employment in this industry sector is 35.9%.  
• 183,000 jobs are linked to the tourism industry in the region along with $4.9 billion in wages.
• Tourism spending in Northwest Florida was at $11.9 billion in 2021.
• Source: https://www.visitflorida.org/media/30679/florida-visitor-economic-impact-study.pdf

About Florida's Great Northwest

Florida’s Great Northwest is the regional economic development organization for the 13-county region of the Florida Panhandle. The organization's purpose is to promote Northwest Florida for economic growth and diversification, to advocate for economic development issues that affect the region, and to collaborate to improve regional competitiveness. Beyond our beaches, Northwest Florida offers business competitive, bottom-line advantages in workforce training, upgraded infrastructure, access to a host of defense assets, and a diverse base of industries that already call the region home.