Armidale Regional Council CEO Susan Law was asked to speak about the "big picture" at the official opening of the Armidale Airport Business Park at the Armidale Regional Airport terminal conference room on Monday morning.
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"And what can be bigger than unleashing the opportunity that is here today?" she said.
"Despite the drought the Armidale Regional Council is optimistic about the Armidale regional economy. And I would like to emphasise it is about the Armidale Region, and we actually have no boundaries on what might be the Armidale Region.
"It does not stop at the local authority boundary. It is essentially the Armidale Region that contributes to the region's economy and what the airport and the airport land means to us."
Mrs Law said while she believed it was not council's job to directly provide employment nor open businesses, it was its job to provide the infrastructure for those who did.
"Building infrastructure is very much what we do as a council," she said.
"We are very optimistic about the Armidale and greater region economy. Yes, we are in drought, but we will be able to ride out the difficulties we are experiencing at the moment.
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"Overall, it's a good place to do business."
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall said the State Government supported Stage 1 of the 73-lot development providing $6.5 million to construct the internal roads, guttering and sewerage needed to make the site operational which would create 200 jobs.
Mr Marshall said the business precinct was without a doubt the next economic boom for the Armidale region.
"With the final stages of the project, the construction of roads and instillation of NBN services, expected to start in October this year Armidale Regional Council is ready to go out to the market and encourage investors to start their next enterprise in our region," Mr Marshall said
"This development is about creating new employment opportunities not waiting for them to just pop up."
This "official launch" of the Armidale Airport follows a similar another official launch, more downbeat and not so well attended, held in February.