Even though the Norm Reeves Honda Vista Dealership is still under construction, the company will receive an Award of Excellence from the San Diego North Economic Development Council next month. The 46,000-square-foot future dealership is located on West Vista Way and is anticipated to create 100 job opportunities. It is expected to open at the end of the first quarter in 2019.
The awards luncheon will take place on Dec. 7 at the Student Union Ballroom at California State University, San Marcos. The event will highlight new businesses, as well as business expansion or relocation in North County.
Kevin Ham, the director of development for the city of Vista, said it was his Economic Development Team which nominated the new Norm Reeves Honda Vista Dealership.
“The San Diego North EDC was looking for projects that really partnered with the cities along the 78, so each of the cities had an opportunity to present different usage in the community,” Ham said.
Ham said his team has had a great partnership with Honda Norm Reeves Vista, and that’s one of the reasons council is recognizing the company.
“The dealership has been a great group to work with,” said Ham, adding the locale has helped unify a corner.
The new dealership is expected to bring in 100 additional jobs, and Ham said the facility will improve property and sale taxes in the area.
“Some of the additional benefits to the city as a whole is that when dealerships are located next to each other like that (North County Ford in Vista), both of them tend to benefit from the other’s sales,” Ham said. “One would think in a traditional setting, a dealership across the street from another would pull from each other’s sales but it’s actually been shown to increase by at least 5 percent to the other dealership’s sales, so we expect to see an additional benefit for Ford by having Honda nearby.”
Ham said Honda Corporate from community-minded from the start.
It was a work in progress that began nearly nine years ago when showing the corporation a vacant lot adjacent to Food 4 Less Store on Hacienda Drive. When that piece of property didn’t work out, they set their sights on another location and the timing was ideal. Ham learned that the Vista Entertainment Center on West Vista Way was wanting to close its doors.
“The owner of the Vista Entertainment Center was looking for an opportunity to sell her property, so this worked out well for her,” Ham said. “The transaction allowed her to sell the property and spend time with her family.”
Richard Fisler, vice president of Facilities and Information Technology for the C.A.R. Group, said he was flattered when hearing about the award for Norm Reeves Honda Vista.
“We are very proud to have the opportunity to develop such a fine partnership with the city of Vista,” said Fisler, noting the new Norm Reeves Honda Vista is expected to open in March 2019. “The city has a phenomenal staff to work with, and they appreciate the investment being made in their city — we look forward to a long and successful relationship with them.”
To learn more about the 2018 North County Excellence in Economic Development Awards Luncheon visit www.sdnedc.org.
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