Annual 2010

Rancho Mirage

By Joanna Beresford

Long known as a playground for the rich and famous and an oasis of natural beauty, Rancho Mirage has also developed a unique reputation among another segment of visitors and residents.

Palm Springs

By Amy Blaisdell

Palm Springs — the Coachella Valley’s most famous and breathtaking resort playground — is experiencing a tremendous renaissance! Once a haven to legendary Hollywood celebrities, the city is now best known for the world-famous Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Palm Desert

By Gayl Biondi

Palm Desert started building its solid civic foundation nearly four decades ago and hasn’t looked back since. The city has a wide appeal for everyone from vacationers looking to soak up the sun and take in the sights to families and retirees looking for a stable community where they can enjoy a full and well-rounded life.

La Quinta

By Andrea Carter

Reflections of progress abound throughout the city of La Quinta, from the impressive new Eisenhower facility in the northwest quadrant to major street improvements in a number of La Quinta thoroughfares, including the widening of Highway 111 just west of Washington Street.

Indio

One desert city is not letting the national economic slowdown affect its progress! Indio, the largest city in the Coachella Valley, is on a steady path toward smart development with targeted infrastructure improvements spearheading its transformation into a vibrant urban oasis.

Indian Wells

By Jan Silver Maguire

Summer socials and holiday gatherings, wine tastings and art tours, world-renowned tennis and golf tournaments. Living in Indian Wells is like being on a vacation every day of the year.

Coachella

By Gayl Biondi

The list of assets is impressive. An 80 percent increase in population since 2000. Eighteen hundred acres of land zoned for clean industry in a tax-friendly enterprise zone. Easy access to freeways, rail lines, and a regional airport. A new college campus and a regional transit center. Clearly, Coachella is getting ready for a bright future.

Cathedral City

By Ellen Paris

In these challenging economic times, Cathedral City continues to move forward while helping local businesses through several innovative programs. As a city focused on being a great place to “shop, dine, play, live, work and stay,” Cathedral City has long been at the forefront of progress. In 2009, Cathedral City introduced several programs aimed at helping local businesses attract customers.

Where We Stand

By Shellie Karabell

Mountains may shelter the Coachella Valley from undesirable weather patterns that affect those beyond the desert, but they could not protect us from the economy. Despite its resort lifestyle, the desert has felt the pain of the past 18 months. However, vast resources also put the valley on the cutting edge of what economists think will be the way out of the recession.