Mayor

Grow Long Beach

Space Beach

Under Mayor Rex Richardson’s leadership, Long Beach has emerged as a national hub for aerospace innovation—nicknamed “Space Beach.” Through his Grow Long Beach initiative, Richardson has strategically prioritized economic development across the city’s key growth sectors, including aerospace, goods movement, tourism and hospitality, and advanced manufacturing. His administration has successfully attracted major companies such as VAST, which is developing the world’s first commercial space station in Long Beach, True Anomaly, which opened a 90,000-square-foot spacecraft production facility in the city, and Nikon, which invested $100 million in a new research and development center for aerospace and defense technologies.

Business Expansion, Attraction, and Retention (BEAR)

Ford Motor Company has announced the development of a 250,000-square-foot electric vehicle Research & Development campus in the city. These investments have created high-quality jobs and positioned Long Beach at the forefront of the commercial space and innovation economy. Mayor Richardson’s efforts reflect a long-term strategy to diversify the local economy, support workforce development, and establish Long Beach as a leader in next-generation industries.

Space Council

Mayor Richardson established the Long Beach Space Beach Council to position the city as a leader in the rapidly growing space economy. The council brings together industry leaders, academic institutions, workforce partners, and government agencies to advance innovation, attract investment, and create high-quality jobs in aerospace and space technology. Through this collaborative effort, Long Beach is strengthening its role as a hub for space-related industries and expanding opportunities for local residents in this emerging sector.