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e - e We are also hoping to expand our Sister City relationship with Kakegawa, Japan, into a trade relationship as well. 1982 marked the fifth year of our Sister City tie. We have made many contacts among these gracious, industrious people, and we are learning much about their customs. During our visit to Kakegawa in October, we talked with Japanese business leaders and learned the first steps we must take in establishing a trade relationship with Japanese companies. We hope to further our knowledge through our exchange visits in 1983. And, with Lane Economic Foundation in the lead role, I hope we can soon begin taking those first steps toward a business relationship that will benefit our community. Downtown Eugene, of course, continues to be a key part in our economic development plans. 1982 was an historic year for downtown with the opening of the Hilton Hotel in January, followed by the opening of the Eugene Conference Center in April and the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in September. Those were proud moments for Eugeneans--and rightly so. We now have an outstanding cultural center for our community, and it has been eagerly received. About 20,000 people attended our October open house at the Hult Center, and thousands have been entertained there since the opening night gala. The Conference Center and Performing Arts Center are also catalysts for economic development. Construction of the complex itself created a number of jobs in Euqene, but even more will be created as conference-goers and Hult Center guests visit our stores, restaurants, gas stations, and other businesses while they are here. Despite current economic conditions, the Conference Center and the Hult Center are doing well financially for such a new enterprise. Conference business is increasing, and next year's conference bookings look even better. The ~rand opening weeks at the Hult Center were very successful. The 24 events which the center presented during the opening series earned a net income of $17,000. Any new business should be pleased with such results. I am confident that the year ahead will show that the Hilton, Eugene Conference Center, and the Hult Center for the Performing Arts are star attractions for Eugene and that not only our downtown area, but the entire city will benefit substantially. The formation of the Downtown Commission will, I think, also prove an important step for downtown Eugene. We now have a single advisory group to work on downtown issues. An important task before them this year is the development of a downtown plan that will consider the downtown's strengths and weaknesses and propose a course for the future. Clearly, 1983 will be an important year for downtown, and I think it will be a progressive one also. Our economic development efforts this year will also be fueled by the completion of the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan, which was acknowledged by LCDC in August. Development of the Metro Plan involved a great deal of work, including much public discussion and negotiation with Lane County and the City of Springfield. The result is a land use plan that clears the way for new industry to locate here because we can now aS$ure prospective firms that future growth will accommodate them. This fall, our acknowledged Metro Plan allowed us to begin aggressive annexation of industrial lands in West Eugene, so that we may stand ready to provide sites for new industry. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 10, 1983 Page 4