Provo is Utah County’s Central Business District. Brandon Fugal on Jessop’s Journeys

(DOUG JESSOP – JESSOP’ JOURNEYS) If you drive up and down interstate 15, I guarantee you’ve seen Brandon Fugal’s name on signs. As the Chairman of Colliers International, Brandon is what I like to call the “keeper of the crystal ball” when it comes to economic trends.

One of the biggest trends Brandon likes to talk about is Provo. According to him, “Provo is Utah County’s Central Business District.” We visited about a new building rising in downtown Provo called “Freedom Commons,” and is the first “Class A” office space building in Provo in over a decade (watch the video to get the rest of the details).

My goal with Jessop’s Journeys is to find “people, places and things you might not know about.” Brandon shared the following facts about economic growth in Provo.

• As Utah’s 2^nd oldest city (founded in 1850), Provo has always been and continues to be the center of Utah County / Utah Valley
• Largest City in Utah Co. – 120,000 pop.
• Center for education, medical, government, transportation, hospitality
• Exciting, livable, historic downtown (the only one in Utah County)

There are more than 20,000 incorporated communities in America. While many are prospering, others are struggling. Provo City is setting the city standard, not just locally, but nationally, as shown by its being named the nation’s 2001’s Best-Run City.

So what is the secret sauce that Provo City has discovered that has earned them the moniker “Central Business District of Utah County?”

City leaders call it “The Provo Advantage.” What don’t you know about Provo? You can sign up for a monthly email at ProvoConnect.com to find out.

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Everyone has a story. I strongly feel that “stories have power”. Chances are that if you are going through something, that someone else probably has as well. The shared experiences we humans have can help each other. That my friend makes the point that stories “help us understand each other.”

You don’t have to agree with everyone, but in my opinion, if people would take more time getting to knowing more about others and where they are coming from, we just might find out that we have more similarities than differences.

It’s my honor to be able to share, Jessop’s Journal, a 30-minute collection of Powerful, Positive and Inspirational Stories every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on ABC4 to all of Utah along with parts of Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona. Jessop’s Journal is also available worldwide at JessopsJournal.com.

With another entry into Jessop’s Journeys, “People, Places and Things You might not know about,” I’m Doug Jessop.

For Doug Jessop, it all started with a cassette recorder he got for Christmas when he was 12 years old growing up in Southern California. Doug interviewed relatives, friends and anyone else that might have a good story.
You can follow Doug at www.DougJessop.com, on YouTube.com/DougJessop, and @DougJessopNews on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

This story contains sponsored content.