Submitted photos

The Ak-Chin Industrial Park Board and Nice Creative have won a Golden Prospector Award and the City of Maricopa has earned a Golden Prospector Award of Merit from the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), recognizing excellence, innovation and creativity in economic development.

The Ak-Chin/Nice Creative collaborative was honored for its “Santa Cruz Commerce Center Website.”

The LeaseAkChin.com website was created to encourage inward economic development investment in its industrial park, Santa Cruz Commerce Center, and to promote lease opportunities in other Ak-Chin-owned commercial buildings. The website builds its business case with a featured video, an impressive list of benefits, articles, testimonials, maps, research and more.

“We want to thank Nice Creative for their continued hard work and dedication in communicating the Community’s economic development opportunities,” Ak-Chin Industrial Park Board Chairman Charles Carlyle said. “Because of its diligence, Ak-Chin is attracting more inward investment interests that will help diversify our industry and promote our self-sufficiency.”

Nice Creative President Robin Reynolds was on hand to accept the award on behalf of the IPB and Nice Creative. “It is my great honor to help elevate prospects for the Ak-Chin Indian Community,”  Reynolds said. “I have a passion for bringing greater economic opportunity to tribal communities.”

The city of Maricopa was cited for its multimedia promotion, “Shop Local – Copa Bingo.”

Copa Bingo is an annual component of the city’s Shop Local Program. Played like traditional bingo, consumers visit local businesses and receive stamps on the appropriate business category. Once a row or column is complete, players can enter to win weekly prizes. Players learn about the variety of goods and services available in their community.

Overall, 10 Golden Prospector Awards and seven awards of merit were presented at AAED’s fall forum in Prescott Oct. 27.