Welcome to the outdoor business paradise of Bend, Oregon, where companies are fueled by both their surroundings and one of the most business-friendly environments in the Northwest. It is widely known that Bend, a sun-drenched destination at the foot of the picturesque Cascade Mountain Range, is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. Now it is earning recognition as a thriving home to business, specifically in the outdoor industry. Bend has topped The Milken Institute’s “U.S. Best-Performing Small Cities” index three years in a row – 2016, 2017 and 2018, and boasts one of the highest job growth rates in the country.

Much of this success has been attributed to the outdoor industry. Some of the most successful and innovative outdoor recreation companies on the planet are proudly based right here in Bend. Established brands such as Hydro Flask and Ruffwear have been joined by younger brethren that have either started in or relocated to Bend to create an entrepreneurial environment with tremendous growth potential in a competitive industry.

Work. Live. Play.

Bend offers a diverse and almost dreamlike world of outdoor experiences. From Mt. Bachelor, the fifth largest ski area in the country, to world-class golf and endless rivers, streams, and singletrack, there’s no more idyllic setting for personal adventure and professional product testing, photography, and videography. To fuel it all there are more microbreweries per capita than any other town in America and the kind of restaurants and entertainment you’d expect in major cities. People are hungry to move to Bend and even more determined to stay. As an employer, this means easier recruitment and better retention.

Lower your operating costs.

Central Oregon has some of the lowest operating costs in the Pacific Northwest, including extremely affordable industrial land costs, available build-to-suit commercial real estate, property tax exemptions, and enterprise zones. Every company’s needs are different, as such the region’s cities work with relocating businesses to provide creative solutions.

Rely on critical infrastructure.

Redmond Municipal Airport offers easy access to every major Western hub including Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle, and our highways directly connect to the I-5 corridor providing relatively short drive times to Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco. Along with some of the lowest power, gas, and telecommunications costs in the country, Bend continues to keep pace with demand for high-end data services. Our telecommunications infrastructure is one of the Northwest’s most technologically advanced, meeting business and telecommuting requirements for capacity, redundancy, and reliability. Need further proof? Central Oregon is home to both Facebook and Apple data center campuses.