Local businesses and colleges took part in an investment showcase at the Blackpool Business Leadership Group - highlighting tens of millions of pounds worth of new investment.
The showcase, held at the March 2013 meeting at the Tower Ballroom, illustrated investment and job creation that is taking place across various sectors in Blackpool.
Participants included:
Kilgour Aerospace Specialists - £2m investment in a new 40,000sq ft engineering facility at Bispham, creating up to 60 new jobs
Merlin Entertainments - significant investment in all of their key attractions including a new shark tank at SeaLife Centre and new "children-friendly" tableaux at Madam Tussauds for the 2013 season
Sandcastle Waterpark - investment in new spa facilities and "cashless wristband" technology to enhance the visitor experience
Nutrition Group - £2m investment in new factory/warehousing at Olympic Way, Blackpool, with creation of 15 new jobs
Blackpool Zoo - nine years of continuous investment with sustained growth in visitor numbers and revenue throughout that period. Investment for 2013 includes development of Dinosaur Safari feature
Blackpool Grand Theatre - proposed £1m-plus investment involving utilisation of former O2 building on Church Street to create community arts hub, enhanced box office facilities, improved access and catering
Blackpool Sixth Form - £23m capital investment in college buildings over the past eight years leading to 36% increase in student numbers, outstanding improvement in results and recruitment of 12 newly-qualified teachers each year
Henco - further development of Olympic Court business park at Whitehills with completion of next phase of units by July 2013
Blackpool & The Fylde College - £50m property investment programme over 10 years with proposed development of a new advanced technology centre at Bispham with targeted completion date of September 2015
The investment showcase was followed by a Blackpool Council presentation on the possible establishment of a new grant and loan scheme to stimulate further investment in the local economy.
More than 70 businesses attended the meeting.