City of Pasco Welcomes TBEX North America 2022

Pasco was incorporated in September 1891 and continued to be an essential railroad town before World War II. The war brought the Manhattan Project, the United States' atomic bomb development, to the nearby Hanford Site. Along with the rest of the area, Pasco played a vital support role in that effort. Pasco was also home to Naval Air Station Pasco (the current Tri-Cities Airport) and the Pasco Engineer Depot (still called "Big Pasco" today). These wartime activities more than doubled the population in just months. Post-war, Hanford played a vital role in the area economy, and it continues today in the cleanup effort. Additionally, the build-out of irrigation, such as the Columbia Basin Project, made agriculture an even more critical part of the economy of Pasco.

Pasco's growth is also energized by its location as a transportation hub. In the beginning, the city relied entirely on the river and rail for transportation, but has since matured into a hub including surface, air, water, and rail; all modes moving agricultural goods, dry goods, technology, and other products to near and distant corners of the globe.

Pasco has experienced rapid growth over the last two decades. This growth transformed Pasco into a vibrant community of nearly 80,000 people. This growth has occurred hand-in-hand with increasing quality of life, recognized by several independent groups and surveys:

• The City of Pasco was a 2019 and 2018 finalist for "All-America City" from the National Civic League
• The community won a 2020 and a 2019 Municipal Excellence Award from the Association of Washington Cities
• Pasco's crime rate has dropped more than 80% since 1990 and is cited as one of the safest cities in the state in several surveys.
• Pasco has been rated #2 in Washington State for "Most Budget-Friendly Cities for Homeowners With a Mortgage"
• Pasco was ranked in the top ten for "Most Affordable Places To Live In Washington"
• #1 in the country for its "Rising Housing Market"
• "12 of the Best Places to Live in Washington"

With a diverse population, quickly rising education levels, increasing household incomes, Pasco has become a premier destination for people who want a high quality of life with an affordable cost of living.

As part of this transformation, the Pasco City Council has been responsive and strategic throughout these changes, which has led to an impressive level of stability during this dynamic period. Those long-term strategies, as reflected in deliberate investments in critical infrastructure, technology, people, and the community in general, are bearing fruit, with an expected $1 billion in private investments in just the next two years, bringing in an estimated 3,000 jobs, led by companies like Amazon and Darigold.

Pasco has many reasons to be proud, but Pasco's real pride is people. Pasco is proud of its diverse population and the opportunities this diversity brings to enrich this community. It is a warm and inviting place for all to work, live and play in.

We hope you will come back with your family and friends and enjoy the many amenities Pasco has to offer, such as Cinco de Mayo in May, celebrating Juneteenth, the Grand Ol' Fourth of July celebration, and the annual Water Follies & Air Show in July, the Fiery Foods Festival in September, the yearly Taco Crawl for local charities in the fall, and the annual Lampson Cable Bridge Run in mid-December. It's the only race that offers hot Dr. Pepper at the finish line!

It is predicted that Pasco's population will exceed 120,000 by 2038, so as an early 1900s advertisement for the community said, "Keep your Eye on Pasco!" as Pasco is transforming yet again.

Here's to TBEX and a wonderful time together in the Tri-Cities!

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