Spotlight On: Troy McLellan, President, Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce

Spotlight On: Troy McLellan, President, Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce

2022-10-28T12:50:35-04:00October 28th, 2022|Economy, Palm Beach, Spotlight On|

2 min read October 2022 In an interview with Invest:, Troy McLellan, the president of the Greater Boca Raton  Chamber of Commerce, discussed the Chamber’s recent highlights, including its latest developments. McLellan also talked about challenges that the community is facing and his outlook for the near term. 

What have been some highlights for the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce in the last 12  months? 

Upon taking over the Boynton Beach Chamber, our focus broadened to all of South Palm Beach  County, which is where most of our members are. Despite the worst inflation in almost half a  century, our economy is still moving, and business is moving forward.  

The leadership and Chamber were instrumental in ensuring that our city council approved the  construction of the Brightline station in Boca Raton. We wanted to have a station in Boca in the  first phase, however, we were patient and we received it in the second round. I drive by the  construction zone every day on the way to the office. They are on time, and it looks amazing. By  the end of this year, we’re going to have this game-changing asset in Boca Raton. It’s going to  open up various opportunities. From a business perspective, it’s opening up our labor pool. We have major employers and a robust corporate culture in Boca Raton. The transportation  component in workforce development is critical and Brightline is going to solve some of that for  us. The ability to bring the workforce into this community is important, which is why it’s game-changing. 

Another important economic development and asset in Boca Raton is BRIC, the Boca Raton Innovation Campus. BRIC is an amazing community and business asset. It’s going to serve the community for years to come. The campus is going to have the latest technology and  advancements for business. It’s important to note that this will also be a community asset because it will allow any sized business to have access to its many resources and amenities 

and will become a world-class business campus. It will enhance the quality of life in Boca Raton  and it’s a multiyear strategy.  

The Center for Arts and Innovation will enhance the vibrancy of our downtown located in Mizner Park. This state-of-the-art facility will draw thousands to our community and provide world-class  performances and group business opportunities. 

Another project is Camino Square. It’s a project that’s a bit old because the development rights  were approved pre-COVID. However, it’s coming out of the ground in a significant way. A little  bit further to the east is the Mandarin Hotel. It’s still under construction and also experienced some delays due to COVID, but we are looking forward to adding this property to our downtown community and list of impressive hospitality offerings.  

What are the challenges facing the community? 

Generally speaking, Boca Raton is the last in and first out when it comes to recessions, due to its robust corporate culture, great wealth and industry mix. Nonetheless, we aren’t immune to the challenges of the economy. We’re all being impacted by the recession. We do have an amazing governor in Ron DeSantis governing the state. He’s a pro-business partner who understands what  drives the state. When he first ran, there were only two local Chambers in the entire state of Florida that endorsed DeSantis, and the Chambers Business Leaders United for Boca Raton was one of them.  

One challenge we continue to see relates to the workforce. Professionals who have been in the  tourism industry have taken a step back to evaluate their life choices. The hotel industry was one of the sectors that was impacted the most by the pandemic. People have reassessed and they left the industry. It hasn’t been easy to recruit people back in. Sooner or later, I believe this will balance itself out. I believe COVID is in the rearview mirror. Nonetheless, the impacts of it will be with us for a little bit longer. 

What is your outlook for Boca Raton for the next two to three years? 

The outlook for Boca Raton is always bright, so I think the future is even brighter, especially with  the investments being made. It’s no wonder our population is increasing. We continue to grow, and the Chamber of Commerce serves the entire community. We don’t see municipal lines. We’re going to keep seeing challenges concerning housing, traffic and congestion. That is true of any successful growing community across the country. The key is how it’s managed. The  Chamber understands that and is a driving force to ensure that it is managed intelligently.  

For more information, visit: 

https://www.bocaratonchamber.com/ 

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