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EXHIBIT 2 <br />September 20, 2018 <br />Dear Mayor Pulido and members of the City Council, <br />Thank you for considering our proposal to restore the historic YMCA building into the dynamic and <br />community -focused OCSA Design &Arts Community Center, in partnership with The Wooden Floor and <br />Reldmpago del Cielo. We wanted to take this opportunity to address your comments about the <br />economic opportunity the renovation could have on the city. <br />Over twenty years ago, the City of Santa Ana began a transformational urban renewal project which <br />created a vibrant new cultural community, including the Museum District and the Artists Village. <br />Orange County School of the Arts and The Wooden Floor were honored to relocate and become part of <br />this incredible renaissance in those early years, and Rel$mpago del Cielo is celebrating over four decades <br />serving this community. <br />Now, the revitalization of midtown Santa Ana continues with the creation of the Design & Arts <br />Community Center. This would be a forward -thinking strategy and an impactful long-term Investment <br />for Santa Ana, because of the significance the renovation will have on the creative economy, <br />positioning Santa Ana as one of the cultural epicenters in Orange County and Southern California. <br />As we move further into the information age, activities based on creativity and culture are an essential <br />contributor to a robust economy. According to the 2018 Otis Report on the Creative Economy, creative <br />industries employment increased by 11.6 percent from 2011-2016, and is expected to continue,growing <br />to create 833,800 creative economy jobs by 2021. In California, $16.4 billion of the state and local tax <br />monies can be attributed to the creative economy, which creates a substantial ripple effect for state <br />and local tax revenues from indirect industries as well. On a local level, these three organizations have <br />been powerful economic engines for the city, with thousands of students and parents supporting retail <br />stores, gas stations, restaurants and other consumer -based businesses in Santa Ana every week and an <br />expansion would certainly increase this economic support. <br />By developing young people with critical 211 century workforce development skills, we will be a vital <br />part of the growth plans for Santa Ana. A study done by the Industrial Design Society found that Fortune <br />500 companies are looking for talent with skills that are naturally honed from an arts education, <br />including: creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving, ability to deal with complexity, <br />and the ability to integrate multiple skill sets. <br />Acquiring the YMCA building would enable OCSA to open a new conservatory that would provide <br />classes in the innovative industries of fashion, entertainment design, digital media, interior design, <br />industrial design, and graphic design, all of which contribute to the creative economy, according to the <br />Otis Report. Our proposal is the only one where the location is the most essential. Without the YMCA <br />building, which is walking distance to other OCSA buildings on Sycamore and The Wooden Floor, this <br />project will not be possible. <br />