10D
Date: September 23, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
By: Fran Fulton, Economic Development Manager | [email protected] Subject: City Manager – Accept and File Economic Development Update and Consider and Provide Direction on Proposed Economic Development Initiatives.
Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager that City Council:
1. Accept and file the Economic Development update; and
2. Consider and provide direction on proposed Economic Development initiatives.
FUNDING
None required.
DISCUSSION
The information found in this item and the accompanying visual presentation provide a snapshot of economic data from the last City Council presentation on February 11, 2025, to the present time. Status updates on programs and initiatives spearheaded by and/or participated in by the Office of Economic Development and members of the interdepartmental Economic Development Team are also included. Specifically, this update includes information on: International Relations and the Friendship Cities Program; Business Attraction and Assistance; Hospitality and Tourism; as well as Special Events and Filming.
In addition, staff is seeking direction from Council on several opportunities which are included within this report in italics.
PRIORITY PROJECTS
International Relations and Friendship Cities Program
Since the last update to City Council, the first Torrance Friendship Games youth baseball exchange was held with a team of 20 students from Oshu, Japan accompanied by their coaches which included Toru Ohtani, father of Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani. Players stayed with host families and played against teams from the various high schools in Torrance at 3 different locations which included North High, Kendall Field/Torrance High, and South High. The coaches and Oshu city representative stayed in Torrance hotels. An economic development meeting was 1 City Council
September 23, 2025
also held with the Oshu representative at the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce office along with City of Torrance, Discover Torrance, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and LaunchStarz, startup assistance organization, representatives. Opportunities for selling products from Oshu were discussed. JETRO representatives accompanied the Oshu representative to newly opened JaZoo store in Torrance right after the meeting to meet the owner and explore opportunities for distributing Oshu ironware.
The City of Oshu representative returned September 3rd – 11th for various trade show opportunities, including one at Mitsuwa Marketplace that also included the Governor of Iwate Prefecture.
The Office of Economic Development supported the inaugural Torrance Friendship Games by covering costs for the field rentals and a welcome reception totaling $3,955.47. Staff will be presenting a Games overview, an analysis of Economic Development potential from tourism and business engagements if additional Friendship cities become involved in a separate future Council item. As coordination for events of this type requires advanced preparation, staff is seeking input from Council on an expanded concept to include the City’s Sister City Kashiwa and the other four City Council approved Torrance Friendship cities. 310 Baseball has expressed interest in continuing to champion the effort and may also garner support from other community organizations as well as continued support from the School District and local corporations.
In addition to strengthening relations with the existing Sister and Friendship cities, businesses, and partners, there have been several connections made with consulates and groups representing other countries such as Austria, Pakistan, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Taiwan, and the Philippines. These relationships help support Torrance as a choice for foreign direct investment into the area as well as creating awareness of Torrance as a visitor hub for upcoming regional sporting events.
Business Development/Assistance/Attraction
The Office of Economic Development continues to facilitate support for startups and small businesses by coordinating with SCORE for monthly workshops on topics such as successful sales strategies and tactics, website fixes, and exporting held at the Cultural Arts Center. SCORE is the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, and is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping small businesses plan, launch, manage and grow. Our local branch, which serves the South Bay, is based in Long Beach but includes Torrance-based mentors. Plans are in the works to collaborate with SCORE on a Doing Business with the City event.
The business visitation program continues where members of the Economic Development team and City Council visit various companies to learn more about business operations and support business growth by providing information on resources available through the city and partners. Among the companies visited or met with since last February the following are examples of Torrance’s diverse business base: Wash Laundry headquarters – multi-family laundry room management company; American Permalight – photoluminescent path marking products; Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Providence Little Company of Mary; Antares – micro reactor energy supply device manufacturer; New U Therapy – wellness business; Girl Skateboards – to discuss a special event they are planning; and PEL Manufacturing – spiral binding supply manufacturer.
2 City Council
September 23, 2025
Additional business development activities since the last update included hosting the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation’s (LAEDC) 88 Cities Summit at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center on March 19th. Elected officials, City representatives, business service providers, and businesses from around the County came to Torrance, some for the first time, to share best practices and to learn more about the #WhyTorrance initiative.
Team Torrance also participated in this year’s Select LA Investment Summit event held May 8th in Downtown Los Angeles. Moderating a panel on manufacturing and manning an eye-catching booth that highlighted Selecting Torrance to do business in LA County, were the highlights.
In an effort to retain and help facilitate the expansion of Hadrian advanced manufacturing company, City staff created an incentive package including the City Council approved BAIT program. The company is also coordinating at the state level on incentives as they would like to keep their headquarters here while they expand their operations into other states.
City staff have been utilizing tools such as Placer.ai to fine tune marketing materials aimed at business attraction for filling in retail gaps in luxury brands and fine dining. Additionally, Torrance continues to be an attractive place for most retailers. New grocery options including Grocery Outlet at 2515 Torrance Boulevard will soon be opening and Super King has recently announced they will be converting the former Rite Aide at 3860 Sepulveda Boulevard into one of their stores.
Downtown Revitalization and Business Improvement District A ribbon cutting for the newest Downtown Torrance gateway sign, an arch at the intersection of Sartori and Post, took place on September 8th. The installation of this sign is the latest implementation example of the City Council approved Downtown Torrance Revitalization and Connectivity Plan. Additionally, work on the partially grant-funded Cabrillo Avenue Urban Forestry project is starting which will make improvements to the center median along Cabrillo from 213th to Plaza Del Amo. Coordination with the Public Works Department will also be proceeding to gather updated information related to bollard installation in the Downtown that will more easily facilitate future special events. This subject of bollard installation is expected to come back to Council in future budget discussions as funding from a grant or legislative appropriation funding has not materialized to date.
Efforts continue in supporting the Downtown Torrance Association with the creation of a property- based business improvement district (BID). Petition packages have been sent out to all property owners within the proposed BID footprint that have not yet responded. Emails will also go out as well as direct contact to businesses at the properties to provide information and answer questions. A minimum of 50.1% positive responses based on the amounts being assessed will allow for the process to proceed to the next step, which will include a series of 3 public meetings before City Council and will include ballots for casting votes for or against the formation of a BID.
Commercial Rehabilitation Rebate Program
The Community Development Department is currently processing an agreement for 1215 Crenshaw Blvd for painting and wood damage repairs in the amount of $4718.
As there has been limited utilization of the of the Rebate program to date, after the initial interest in the program, staff is seeking direction on revising this program to also extend Economic 3 City Council
September 23, 2025
Assistance funds toward both offset City permitting costs related to exterior improvements and also include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) modifications. If Council is in support, the Office of Economic Development will meet with the Community Development Department staff to revise the program and return to Council for approval of implementation.
Shop Local/Dine Local
Local auto sales have dipped slightly year over year for the period. The average for the period of January through August of this year was 1164 a month with 291 per weekend, where the same period last year averaged 1240 a month or 310 per weekend. Monthly numbers reported by the Torrance Auto Dealers Association since the last update are as follows:
Monthly Auto Sales for January - August
Month 2025 2024
January 982 1419
February 1003 1199
March 1518 1146
April 1226 1141
May 1230 968
June 1009 1197
July 1148 1172
August 1195 1680
Totals 9,311 9,922
Updates from Del Amo Fashion Center include the following tenant changes/additions:
Opened:
• Adidas - relocated and opened 8/29
• Big Blue Swim School - opened 9/15
Coming Soon:
• Soragumi - Asian themed retail opening December
• ChilimBalam - bulk candy and treats opening November/December • Hello Pottery - opening October
• Mumu Hot Pot - opening October/November
• The Melt – fast casual restaurant December
• Alo Yoga - opening October/November
• Origami Handroll - opening October/November
• Aritizia - women’s fashion boutique- opening late 25 or early 26 • Caitlyn Minimalist - jewelry and accessories opening early 2026 • BYLT Premium Basics - opening Spring 2026
• Rowan - Jewelry and Accessories opening fall 2026
• Vuori – Activewear
• Chagee – Conversion from coffee shop to tea shop
• Popeye’s- with this addition food court will be fully occupied 4 City Council
September 23, 2025
Hospitality and Tourism
The number of visitors to Torrance hotels has remained steady with occupancy higher than in neighboring cities. Occupancy is averaging 81% since the last report, a very slight increase over the year over year comparison for the same period of 80%. Average Daily Rate is $166.75 for the period as opposed to $162.07 for the same period last year. Revenue Per Available Room has increased to $135.47 compared to $130.74 for the same period last year.
Occupancy Percentage Rates for December-July:
Month 2025 2024
December 74.3 71.9
January 71.8 76.2
February 77.8 80.4
March 84.0 84.1
April 81.9 81.0
May 84.3 79.8
June 86.8 82.7
July 87.1 87.8
Average Daily Rates in Dollars for December - July:
Month 2025 2024
December 157.20 150.13
January 160.19 157.39
February 163.06 160.91
March 165.16 165.03
April 165.59 163.05
May 168.15 160.95
June 174.23 167.34
July 180.44 171.76
Revenue Per Available Room in Dollars for Dec-July:
Month 2025 2024
December 116.88 107.99
January 115.04 119.95
February 126.81 129.30
March 138.77 138.73
April 135.57 132.16
May 141.74 128.51
June 151.27 138.40
July 157.20 150.84
The number of individuals visiting the California Welcome Center at Del Amo Fashion Center; which is a partnership between Discover Torrance, the City of Torrance, and Simon Property Group; for visitors to collect information about the local area, as well as to make plans for other travel throughout the state of California, has dropped a bit with an average of 6384 visitors per month for the last 8 months as opposed to an average of 6614 individuals a month for the same period last year. Visitation numbers for the months since last report are as follows:
5 City Council
September 23, 2025
Visitation Data for California Welcome Center
Month 2025 2024
January 6649 4950
February 5523 6188
March 6224 6673
April 5855 6498
May 6226 6963
June 6721 6795
July 6600 7365
August 7271 7483
Economic Development and Discover Torrance staff regularly attend tourism industry updates such as the LA Market Outlook Forum scheduled for September 9th at the Los Angeles Convention Center. where information on the tourism market in the region is shared. In addition, Discover Torrance, along with the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, have actively participated this year in economic development meetings and events where international business representatives have visited Torrance.
Another opportunity has arisen for the City and Discover Torrance to partner. Visit California is bringing back its Club California Japan series in 2026. Discover Torrance and the Office of Economic Development is planning to participate again in the webinar portion of the program to share costs and to maximize visibility of Torrance.
Results from last year’s participation by Discover Torrance in the 2025 webinar brought about the following returns:
• 2 feature articles that ran shortly after the webinar. • Torrance was top of mind for the Visit California September 12th trade opportunity. • At the IPW conference, Discover Torrance representatives met with Japanese media ad tour operators who had learned about Torrance through the webinar, particularly in the media portion.
Special Events and Filming
Two large events that took place since the last report in February were the two-day Irish Fair and the Pakistan Independence Day celebration. Both took place at Wilson Park.
Unfortunately, the Irish Fair had a disappointing turnout due to conflicting events which included a protest, Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan event, Father’s Day, and another similar fair being held in Orange County which drew some of the expected vendors, and possibly attendees. A last-minute change in event coordinator, lack of sponsorships, and other event challenges contributed to the disappointing outcome for the Irish Fair. While City Council approved covering 50% of City fees for the event up to an amount not to exceed $20,700, staff have billed the Irish Fair Foundation for $9,032 for fees, which is 50% of the total actual City fees associated with the event.
The Pakistan Independence Day event was well-coordinated and had a good turnout. This event was also open to the public and did not require ticket purchases. The group would like to bring the event back again next year. Having the Council approval for the overnight setup so as not to interfere with the farmers market worked out well.
6 City Council
September 23, 2025
The parks continue to be popular locations for cultural events, company picnics, and family celebrations. The Community Services Department will be taking on permitting for all events that will take place in the parks and is working with the City Manager’s office on the transition.
A total of 8 special events from February through August of this year included the Paranormal Cirque in March, a Sri Lankan festival in April, a Philippine tourism event, in June, Pakistan Independence Day in August, and the Downtown Car Show and Rock Around the Block in June and July respectively. Application fees received totaled $552.00, park fees of $19,350.00 and sound permit fees of $745.00, for a total of $20,647.00.
Film permits for the period for commercials such as Lowe's, Spectrum Business, and Gatorade as well as reality television and student films included 18 permits with total permit fees of $8,670.00, and total Police Department fees of $21,621.00. A Torrance continues to be an attractive place for filming activity and appreciation is regularly expressed for the City’s film/business friendliness. With the most recent Council approved fee structure, student films are now charged an $82 application fee where there used to be no charge.
Related to Special Events, staff is seeking direction from Council on exploring opportunities where Torrance may take advantage of attracting increased visitation and business by being in a prime location as it relates to upcoming international sporting events coming to the region such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics.
Some ways in which Torrance can be involved is to host watch parties and fan events, as well as to approve related street banners to be displayed. In addition, there may be opportunities for incorporating public art related to these international events in the form of large-scale murals. It is staff’s understanding that these events come at a cost to the local agency for procurement of licensed event materials, event set-up and security requirements. Although these costs have not yet been finalized, Staff is seeking Council’s direction as to whether Council is interested in hosting such events and returning to Council with specific event concepts and costs.
Current Activity and a Look Ahead
On August 21st, The Assistant City Manager was invited, along with the Carson City Manager, to share information with the California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) College of Business Administration and Public Policy on the potential the 2028 Olympics represents for the South Bay region.
On September 17th Councilman Sheikh’s District 3 meeting encouraged the public to attend and voice any concerns they have with neighboring auto dealerships and to allow for the dealerships to respond.
City of Torrance staff were invited to present at a webinar scheduled for September 25th on our use of Placer.ai data in our retail recruitment materials. Placer.ai is a location analytics platform that utilizes mobile device data to provide insights into consumer behavior. It has been very helpful for City staff to create data-driven information to encourage further investment into Torrance as well as providing specific information related to special events.
Additional Breakfasts with the Mayor are being planned. Before the end of the calendar year we would like to convene Torrance based sports training business, including those specializing in 7 City Council
September 23, 2025
martial arts, to further plan for the upcoming Olympics and potentially a martial arts showcase in the city. Also, in first quarter of 2026 to invite the City’s largest employers to discuss common pressing issues such as workforce, housing, and regulations. Other groups/topics will be explored as well.
Staff will be providing information for the Mayor to present again at the South Bay Association of Realtors breakfast on October 9th.
The second Sake Matsuri is planned for October 11th at the Miyako Hotel and will again feature food products from friendship City Oshu, Japan.
On October 9th the Tech Committee is planning to meet at Zoller, a German based company that helps manufacturing companies streamline production and increase efficiency. A representative from this company joined in on a meeting held at the City with the Consul General from Germany.
From this conversation, a very fruitful call took place with representatives from Industry Consortium for Advanced Technical Training (ICATT) based in the Chicago area and supported by the German American Chambers of Commerce, the South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB), and the Office of Economic Development to discuss the German apprenticeship model and how that might be replicated effectively here in the U.S. including here in Southern California.
The Tech Committee is a broad-based group of innovative businesses that are convened by the Office of Economic Development to not only network together but are encouraged to discuss their successes and challenges in their businesses and industries and how the City can best support them to aid in attraction and retention of tech businesses.
Recommendation
With this summary and accompanying visual presentation, City Council is requested to accept and file the Economic Development update as well as provide direction on the pursuit of involvement in the following:
1. Future Friendship Games in Torrance
2. Revising the Façade Improvement Program to utilize funds for permitting costs to possibly include ADA modifications
3. Supporting regional efforts related to the World Cup and the Olympics 8