Economy of Spokane

agriculture industries providing much of the region's economic activity. After mining declined at the turn of the 20th century, agriculture and logging replaced mining as the primary influence in the economic development of Spokane. As with the mining industry, the lumber industry in the city contributed to the economy by the means of outfitting the lumberjacks and millmen working in the hundreds of mills along the railroads, rivers, and lakes of northern Washington and Idaho. Agriculture has always been an important sector to Spokane's economy; the surrounding area, especially to the south, is a productive agricultural region known as the Palouse. This setting supports many vineyards and microbreweries that reside in the Spokane area. By the early 20th century Spokane was primarily a commercial center rather than an industrial center. As the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest as well as southeastern British Columbia and Alberta, Spokane serves as a commercial, manufacturing, transportation, medical, shopping, and entertainment hub.

In Spokane, wood and food processing, printing and publishing, primary metal refining and fabrication, electrical and computer equipment, and transportation equipment are leaders in the manufacturing sector. Fortune 1000 company, Potlatch Corporation, which operates as a real estate investment trust is headquartered in the city proper. Forestry and agribusiness continue to be important elements in the local economy, but Spokane's economy has diversified to include other industries, including the high-tech and biotech sectors. Genetics company, Signature Genomic Laboratories and Fortune 1000 technology company, Itron are headquartered in the area. Other companies with head offices in the Spokane area include technology company, Key Tronic, hotelier, Red Lion Hotels Corporation, and automaker, Commuter Cars. The largest military facility and employer