Investor Presentaiton
Alaska Economic Development Policy
Alaskans and their politicians and long debated how to bring "economic development"
to Alaska. Government can create jobs by spending money—and has done this
throughout Alaska's economic history.
But the federal and state governments have a poor track record in creating
sustainable, profitable private-sector economic development by spending money. A
number of government-funded projects, such as the Delta Barley and Point McKenzie
Dairy agriculture projects, and the Alaska Seafood International plant in Anchorage,
ended in complete failure. It's difficult for government to create profitable private sector
development by spending money!
Alaskans also exhibit conflict about whether they really want resource development.
Almost every resource development opportunity-mining, logging, cruise ships, sport
fishing lodges, fish farming-is opposed by local residents or other resource users who
prefer to keep things as they are.
The $50 million Alaska Seafood
International Plant in
Anchorage was sold to a
church group for $25 million.
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