Carlsbad, California, is known for its beaches, scenic hiking trails, sidewalk cafés, and family-friendly attractions such as Legoland. But beyond the postcard views, the city hosts a thriving innovation economy. Global life sciences firms and small startups alike call Carlsbad home.
The balance of charm and enterprise didn’t happen by accident. Carlsbad’s government has long embraced technology to support smart growth.
City leaders use advanced spatial analysis from geographic information system (GIS) technology to tackle everything from tree canopy monitoring and vehicle maintenance to public safety and infrastructure planning. And GIS smart maps have become a fixture in city council meetings as well as a shared language across departments.
So, when the city’s Economic Development Department needed to attract new businesses, GIS was the natural place to start.
What Carlsbad’s Economic Development Department had in mind was more than a simple dashboard — it was a better way to tell their story. With a major public presentation just 30 days away, they were looking to clearly and visually communicate the city’s economic strengths to prospective businesses.
From Vision to Visualization: Building a Business Story in 30 Days
“We didn’t have to reinvent anything,” said David van Gilluwe, chief data officer, City of Carlsbad. “The data [we needed] was already flowing in from building permits, housing units, utility systems. It was just a matter of bringing it together in one place and using it to tell the story.”
Working closely with Economic Development Manager Rachel Maltz, van Gilluwe and the project team identified key data points — unemployment, median income, job postings, commercial real estate, housing costs — and discussed how best to present the information.
Their goal was to move beyond static PDFs and create something dynamic, interactive, and compelling. They drew from the city’s rich library of existing GIS products — a strategic plan dashboard, a parks and trails map, and a virtual tour of Leo Carrillo Ranch. Sharing these examples with key stakeholders, they determined a plan.
The team used the Esri solution ArcGIS Experience Builder to quickly transform their data into engaging, responsive web apps. They combined data, narrative, and interactivity in a way that felt both intuitive and impactful. With the design in place, they brought in Esri’s Professional Services team to help build and launch the product on time.
The result was a sleek, interactive dashboard that business owners could use to visualize key economic indicators as they considered a site or location in Carlsbad.
Doing Business in Carlsbad: A Digital Story That Sells the City
While the dashboard served as a data-rich front door for prospective businesses, Carlsbad’s Economic Development team also wanted a narrative-driven and accessible companion piece. That’s where the Doing Business in Carlsbad digital story came in.
Unlike the dashboard, which was built from scratch, the digital story evolved from a static PDF report created by an outside consultant. “It had some statistical data and only one map,” said van Gilluwe.
Now, Doing Business in Carlsbad includes multiple maps, scrolling visuals, charts, photos, contact information, narrative text, and zoomable views of key economic areas.
Designed to highlight Carlsbad’s industry clusters, workforce strengths, and quality of life, the site functions like a digital brochure. Maltz thinks of it as “something we share with partners and prospective businesses to tell the story of why Carlsbad is a great place to do business.”
The project team noted collaboration as key to their success in getting the app and digital story live quickly. The GIS team built the spatial framework, while Economic Development authored and updated the content.
“They don’t have to wait on us for every edit, and we can focus on building the best maps possible,” said van Gilluwe.
The result is a flexible, mobile-friendly web resource that reflects Carlsbad’s innovation economy and empowers staff to keep the content current.
Outreach and Impact: Turning Tools Into Touchpoints
Creating powerful digital tools is only half the work. Real impact comes from those who use the tools. In Carlsbad, the Economic Development and GIS teams have made outreach a priority, ensuring that both tools are accessible and actively used by the community, business leaders, the chamber, and tourism partners.
One effective strategy was to embed QR codes into flyers, presentations, and handouts. This proactive approach has paid off. One tech company exploring relocation options found the Economic Development Dashboard while researching occupational data. The dashboard prompted the company to reach out. That conversation led to deeper engagement, and ultimately, a decision to move to Carlsbad.
Even when the tools aren’t the deciding factor, they have been a differentiator — setting Carlsbad apart from other cities still relying on static PDFs. “We want to go beyond the white paper,” said van Gilluwe. “And we think this product delivers on that.”
The work has also helped connect economic development to broader city priorities. By enriching the dashboard with data originally developed for planning purposes — such as housing affordability data, zoning maps, and census insights — they created a more holistic view of business viability.
“It’s not just about where a business can go,” said van Gilluwe. “It’s about where their workforce can afford to live and how that fits into the city’s long-term strategy.”
A Model for Modern Municipalities
Carlsbad’s approach to economic storytelling is a blueprint for how local governments can use the tools they already have to build the communities they envision.
“We’re always looking for ways to get more than just basic land use and planning out of GIS,” said van Gilluwe. “Economic development is just one of many stories we can tell.”
The city’s GIS tools now inform policy, guide council discussions, and provide context for conversations about growth, equity, and affordability. Housing data lives alongside economic indicators in a single dashboard, helping businesses, residents, and leaders see the full picture.
Next, the team is exploring a business-friendly site selection tool that simplifies zoning, permitting, and ordinance data into a self-service experience. It’s another step in a strategy rooted in a commitment to making data work for everyone.
Christopher Thomas is the director of government markets at Esri and a founding team member of the Industry Marketing Department. Prior to joining Esri in 1997, he was the first GIS coordinator for the City of Ontario, California. Thomas frequently writes articles on the use of GIS by government.
To learn more about how government leaders can use GIS to attract businesses and grow local economies with location-intelligent strategies, visit esri.com/en-us/industries/economic-development/strategies/retention-expansion-attraction.
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