Comments Off on Reflecting and Projecting 2023 – 2024
As humans, it is natural for us to take things for granted. Our children will stay young forever. A business will continue on its current growth trajectory. 2023’s rapidly changing interest rate environment served as a reminder that things can change quickly. On March 17, 2022, the federal government set out to slow down an economy that was growing at an unsustainable rate. The federal funds rate rose from 0.25% to 0.50% in March 2022 to 5.25 to 5.50% on July 26, 2023 which represents the last rate hike (https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/fed-funds-rate-history/). That’s 500 basis points in 16 months! Rapidly increasing the federal funds rate achieved the government’s goal of slowing inflation. The speed of change was rapid, being the fastest in multiple decades, and sent shock waves throughout the commercial real estate world. Some of Black Diamond Realty’s observations are captured in the bullet points below.
Buyers were forced to adjust their internal underwriting to account for higher borrowing costs, due to higher interest rates, which ultimately led to rising cap rates.
Sellers are also forced to adjust value expectations when evaluating their assets and pricing to meet required DSC for Buyers of their assets (making it a bankable deal). Sellers are slow to adjust to a changing economy. Human nature protects our psyche resulting in most sellers reluctancy to accept the fact that asset valuations from mid-2022 are no longer an accurate representation of today’s market value.
The buyer-seller gap was wide at the beginning of early 2023 but slowly shrunk. Like many things in life, time heals wounds or, in this case, narrows the buyer-seller value expectation gap.
Banks are quick to adjust pricing and risk tolerance guidance and adjust required DSC levels and reprice assets.
Banks struggle with nonperforming assets and collections.
Metro markets often rise faster than tertiary markets and, therefore, tend to fall faster when economic conditions adjust. The markets Black Diamond Realty services experienced a slowdown in activity but it was much less profound than many metro markets consuming national media.
Greater increase in creative deal structures including seller financing.
Higher interest rates make leasing a more attractive option for some businesses. In comparison to sale volume, leasing activity has experienced increased transactions across most sectors of commercial real estate.
High borrowing costs, combined with increased labor and material costs, have resulted in a significant slowdown in new construction starts. This is a national trend in most markets.
Land sales have slowed. Higher interest rates and increased construction costs make it more difficult to “pencil” returns that meet developer hurdle (internal return) rates.
Less individuals can afford to buy their “dream home” because of rising home prices and rapidly changing interest rates which has resulted in many potential buyers sitting on the sidelines and renting longer. Market rents have continued to tick up in most markets helping to create greater demand in CRE’s multifamily sector . Market inventory continues to be the key struggle leading to lower transaction volume this sector.
2023’s theme was rapid change. What will 2024 look and feel like? Predicting the future is impossible, but national trends and experience allow us to make educated guesses. Please bear in mind you should always complete your own due diligence before making an investment decision. Black Diamond Realty’s 2024 predictions are as follows:
The Federal government is anticipated to lower interest rates three to six times throughout the year. BDR anticipates four lowering events with a final result between 100 to 150 basis points.
Election years usually create uncertainty and fear which causes many investors and businesses to adopt a holding pattern. Declining interest rates should create a market buzz but uncertain political outcomes will soften 2024’s activity. In comparison to 2023, greater CRE deal volume is anticipated.
Combined with high bank CD and money market rates, 2023’s slowdown in CRE activity has led to pent up demand with a lot of “powder” sitting on the sidelines. Cash is, once again, king/queen. “One person’s demise is another’s potential treasure.” Many adjustable and/or maturing loans will present buying opportunities over the next 12-24 months.
Banks will be quick to move nonperforming/uncollectable assets off their books. This will create opportunities for buyers to pick up properties at a discount…timing and connections will be key to buying up these assets.
Office assets, overleveraged real estate and properties financed with short-term debt all face headwinds in 2024. Distress, leading to buying opportunities, is anticipated across these categories.
User demand for industrial/logistics, retail and residential is anticipated to remain strong.
Cash buyers and international investors are anticipated to be more prevalent.
Banks will continue to tighten their lending belts and stress properties at higher interest rates (8-9%). Debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) levels will continue to be higher than pre-COVID levels. Most banks will require a 1.25 DSCR
We often joke Black Diamond Realty is not a group of magicians. We are skilled CRE professionals whose job is to maximize exposure, navigate complicated processes and provide sound consultative investment and decision-making guidance based upon experience. We are in the commercial real estate trenches every day. We do not sell homes.
Diversifying investments, pursuit of passive income, filling a void in your portfolio’s performance (leasing) and liquidating an asset to meet long-term goals are all reasons to contact our Black Diamond Realty team. Call our team of experts today to set up a consultation. We look forward to serving you in 2024 and beyond.
Article by:
David Lorenze, CCIMPrincipal, and team.
Comments Off on Reflecting and Projecting 2022 – 2023
Congratulations! You just rode one of the wildest rollercoasters the modern economy has ever experienced. Roughly one year ago, experts predicted interest rates would begin ticking up twenty-five to fifty basis points, with a target of 4.5 to 5% interest rates. The goal was, and still is, to fight record high inflation (9.1% in June 2022; a 40-year high). Many projections were far off, including ours. In today’s market, a 4.5 to 5.0% interest rate on a deal is unheard of and would make investors drool. As we enter a new year, we are looking at the prime rate hovering in the mid sevens; that’s 7.5%! This marks a 400-basis point increase in the past nine months.[i] Last year experienced the most aggressive economic tightening campaign in over three decades. So, how does that affect commercial real estate?
Rising interest rates put downward pressure on valuations. Financial institutions, including regional and national banks, typically want to achieve a 1.20 to 1.25 debt-service coverage ratio (DSCR), meaning 20%-25% of a project’s cash flow is available to pay current debt obligations. When the cost of borrowing funds increases, meeting required DSCR ratios is more difficult, and a buyer cannot afford to pay as much value to a seller while still maximizing leverage (borrowing power). A buyer either has to come up with more capital to lower the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio or lower the offer price. Here is an example:
ABC Investment LLC has renovated an asset and wants to cash out to redeploy capital into the next project. You like the asset a lot. You offer full asking price – $1,250,000. A bank that requires an 80% LTV ratio (some banks will offer lower, say – 70-75% LTV) will result in you needing to borrow $1,000,000. Nine months ago (Q2 2022), you could have hypothetically achieved an interest rate of 3.65% (Black Diamond often saw rates between 3.25% to 4.00%). Amortizing $1,000,000 over 20 years at 3.65% interest results in a monthly payment of $5,876.97. Fast forward nine months (Q1 2023), and that same loan structure has changed drastically.[1]
As of December 15, 2022, the current prime rate is 7.5% in the U.S., according to The Wall Street Journal’s Money Rates table, which lists the most common prime rates charged throughout the U.S. and in other countries by averaging out the prime rate from the ten largest banks in each country. The federal funds rate is currently 4.25% to 4.50%. With that in mind, you can see how the “fed funds plus 3.00” rule of thumb plays out: 3.00% + 4.50% = 7.50%.[ii] At Black Diamond Realty, we would argue this rate is very conservative, as our experience has resulted in many regional banks willing to entertain deals at lower interest rates – with a 250 to 300 basis point spread in play.
Getting back to our example, your investment company’s new interest rate (7.25%; 275 basis point higher than federal rate) results in a monthly expense of $7,903.76. The difference between a 3.65% interest rate and a 7.25% interest rate is $2,026.79/month. The yearly difference is $24,321.48. In today’s market, let’s assume a regional multi-family asset comps out and sells at a 7% capitalization rate. Utilizing a 7% capitalization rate, the $24,321.48 yearly interest rate difference results in a downward value adjustment of $347,449.71 ($24,321.48 / 0.07). This ~$350K difference results in a seller/buyer “value gap.” Buyers are forced to react quickly because the capital markets respond within weeks, often days. Some buyers are struggling to find deals while sellers reassess their motivations to liquidate. Sellers are realizing they missed the market peak. Buyers are coming to the table with greater liquidity to meet DSCR (healthy, “bankable” deal) and bridge the seller gap.
The current market reflects the seller-buyer gap. On its own, this would be bad news for sellers everywhere. Fortunately for the market, supply and demand also comes into play. Like many things in our economy, construction materials (think Lowe’s, Menards, Home Depot) have experienced significant inflation in 2022. Construction expenses rose 13.7% since September 2021.[iii] Higher construction expenses, including excavation work, have resulted in lower nationwide new housing construction starts. Privately-owned housing starts in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,427,000. This is a 0.5 percent below the revised October estimate of 1,434,000 housing starts and is 16.4 percent below the November 2021 rate of 1,706,000.[iv]
The same trend is true across most sectors of commercial real estate. Higher material costs combined with higher costs of borrowing funds (interest rates) has resulted in a slowdown of new construction activity. We anticipate this trend to continue. Sticking with the multifamily sector, lower housing starts have resulted in increased rents and corresponding increased valuations. The same data shows a downward trend in construction costs during Q4, 2022 which is something to watch in 2023. So, what else can we expect in 2023?
Deals happen in all cycles of commercial real estate. Rising interest rates create downward pressure but, on the flip side, rising rents/income result in higher valuation. Do these two opposite effects counterbalance each other? The answer is specific to each commercial real estate sector (supply/demand) and the specific market. Depending upon the market, rising income is outpacing inflation which continues to push rents higher. The risk lies in the job market. Job loss and higher unemployment will eventually reduce consumer purchasing power and result in less demand for materials, goods and real estate. When unemployment rises, rent growth will be at risk for most sectors of commercial real estate. Our team is keeping a close eye on unemployment in 2023.
The ‘R’ word has been tossed around many dinner tables and watering holes across America. An economic recession occurs when GDP, which measures trade and industrial activity, declines in two successive quarters. Are we amid a recession? US Government courses reported that Quarter 3 of 2022 saw a 3.2% increase in GDP over the previous quarter.[v] This increase is welcoming news after two quarters of declining GDP. Some fear the data is artificially inflated due to the government’s easing of energy costs. The biggest challenge in reviewing federal government data is the lag. Most data lags at least three months, sometimes six, which means the Fed is making decisions based upon outdated information. What does the real estate market cycle forecast look like knowing this? Keep reading.
Real estate market cycles vary by sector and location, amongst other factors. Mueller’s[vi] forecasting model breaks down the real estate market cycle into four phases:
There are 16 total points along the horizontal axis. Points 1-11 are in phases 1 and 2 which represent a period of growth. Points 12-16 are in phases 3 and 4 which represent a period of decline. The four market cycle quadrants have varying characteristics. Phase 1, Recovery, is characterized by declining vacancy with little to no new construction. Negative rental growth to below inflation rental growth is expected during this part of the cycle. Phase 2, Expansion, is characterized by declining vacancy with greater new construction. High rent growth is common. Phase 3, Hypersupply, is characterized by increasing construction with continued and/or increasing construction. Rent growth remains positive but begins to decline. Phase 4, Recession, experiences increasing vacancy with more completions. Below inflation and negative rent growth is experienced during this part of the cycle. The Mueller report’s primary objective is to enhance investment decision analysis – to make investors aware of national trends.[vii]
Sector breakdowns are provided in the bullet points below with quick comments about the regional market. Keep in mind what is happening in New York City, NY is not necessarily a direct correlation to what is happening in Bridgeport, WV; hence several anecdotal comments from Black Diamond Realty’s perspective which are focused on the two core areas we serve: North Central WV and WV’s Eastern Panhandle. We recommend referencing the chart as you review the points below. Mueller’s data is the black bullet points. Black Diamond’s points are white sub-bullet points. In addition to this distinction (national trend – Mueller vs. Black Diamond), bear in mind Mueller’s chart lags by two quarters. The cycle has progressed along the bell curve over the past three to six months.
Point 11: Peak of Phase 2 – Expansion Cycle
Industrial – Warehouse
Remains strong throughout north central WV and WV’s Eastern Panhandle. For north central WV, keep an eye on oil and gas volatility/strength in 2023. For WV’s Eastern Panhandle, we are watching consumer confidence and retail strength.
Apartment
Remains strong in both markets due, in part, to the ability to push rental rates to counteract rising interest rates.
Retail – Neighborhood/Community
Still demand albeit at a slowing pace in both markets. Headwinds are forming which we believe will negatively affect all subsectors of retail.
Point 12: Beginning of Phase 3 – Hypersupply
Industrial – R&D Flex
Flex space has remained strong in both markets. North central WV has an undersupply of quality, newer flex space with docking capability. The Eastern Panhandle has consistently filled any new supply but it appears some headwinds could be forming (Hypersupply phase) where new product is taking longer to secure tenancy.
Office – Suburban
Demand still exists albeit at a slower clip compared to pre-Covid.
Retail – Factory Outlet
Point 13: Middle of Phase 3 – Hypersupply
Office – Downtown
Major metro markets have struggled post-Covid. In smaller/tertiary markets, he jury is still out on whether long-term leases will restructure plans as
Predicting future trends is nearly impossible. Market dynamics are complex and can shift quickly. Our team of experts has made some observations and anticipations for 2023. In no way, shape or form are we suggesting these “educated guesses” to be fact. Mere predictions are not indicative of actual future results. Please consult with your professional legal and financial advisors, complete your own due diligence and draw your own conclusions pertaining to the best financial moves for you.
Black Diamond Realty Predictions:
Real estate is considered by many as a great hedge against high inflation and a strong diversification play. Income producing assets are still warm, not hot, as an investment diversification play. Activity has cooled due to higher interest rates putting downward pressure on valuations. Ranking the sectors is difficult because there are so many factors (location, age, tenant, traffic patterns, surrounding amenities, etc.) but anticipated trends can be projected. In addition, there are several macroeconomic and microeconomic items we anticipate playing out in 2023.
Multifamily and industrial are anticipated to remain strong in the markets we serve. However, look for headwinds beginning to form within 12 to 24 months. Office is the weakest sector as evidenced by higher-than-average historical vacancy rates caused by lower demand created, in part, by work-from-home trends.
Tertiary markets with a core employment base of eds, meds and government jobs (considered recession resistant) will become more attractive to outside investors who are seeking a “safe place” to park capital. West Virginia has significant positive momentum as evidenced by the numerous basic employment announcements throughout 2022. Tertiary markets, similar to several growing areas in West Virginia (North Central, Eastern Panhandle), offer higher cap rates which are attractive to investors. Review Black Diamond Realty’s October newsletter article which compiles numerous statewide job announcements. Click Here.
One to two additional rate hikes in the first half of 2023. We anticipate a reversal, declining rates, starting as early as Q3 or Q4, 2023.
Can the government continue to service its debt at high interest rates? An economist who follows monetary policy, politics and global business much closer than our team will need to answer that question. What we know about monetary policy and our government’s current debt obligations is concerning, at best – downright frightening to others.
Black Diamond Realty anticipates seeing debt options with lower LTV ratios in 2023. Banks will adjust from offering 75-85% LTV to a range of 70-80% LTV.
Construction starts will continue to slow in most sectors. Multifamily and industrial may continue to expand in 2023 but high interest rates are putting downward pressure on construction starts.
Consumer confidence will slip. Challenging retail financial reports will follow. There will be heightened volatility in the stock market.
Our belief is that we are in the midst of a recession. It is either already here or quickly approaching. Government data lags by several months. Consumer confidence has declined during 2022.[viii]Inflation reached record highs in 2022 although it has been declining in recent months. Some believe the inflation decline is, in part, artificially enhanced by the government’s proactive action in releasing 1 million barrels per day of oil reserves. Energy prices will remain volatile especially if/when this strategy is lifted.
Black Diamond Realty is keeping a close eye on unemployment. When unemployment rates increase, consumer purchasing power will decline which will have a trickle up effect to GDP, negatively influencing most sectors in commercial real estate (most notably, retail).
For Black Diamond Realty, sales volume is forecasted to decrease while leasing volume will increase which should lead to leasing price increases in the high demand sectors (industrial and multifamily).
We recommend each party consults with its professional accountant, tax, and legal advisors to better understand the effects of market conditions and real estate transactions. Primary keys to successful investments are knowing the market, the numbers and market trends. Our professional team at Black Diamond Realty is an industry leader. Our company mission is to add value to the communities we serve. We look forward to consulting with you in 2023. Make it a successful investment year.
[1] It should be noted that interest rates can change drastically depending upon many factors, including the deal’s strength, the borrower’s financial strength (including investment and business experience), debt-to-liquidity ratios, and LTV.
Comments Off on West Virginia High Tech Foundation looks to further expand I- 79 Tech Park, commercial climate and weather industry
FAIRMONT — With the dawn of a new year, the High Technology Foundation in Fairmont has set its sights on expanding the region’s commercial climate and weather industry, in addition to further building out Phase III of the I-79 High Technology Park. High Technology Foundation President and CEO Jim Estep said that as 2022 progresses, he hopes to be laser-focused on the commercial climate and weather industry, with which the foundation has been deeply involved for about a year. Estep said he’s interested in the industry and potential opportunities for companies to store or use data collected by NOAA — data that’s stored right in the middle of the High Technology Park.
“We’ve been working with different schools around the state since (last year) to make them aware of how they can, number one, provide more data science-oriented education, but also encourage data science entrepreneurism in general and target toward the specific opportunity of commercial climate and weather,” Estep said. “I’ve been putting together a program with the West Virginia Development Office and West Virginia University to where we can hopefully accelerate the number of people engaging in innovation entrepreneurship in the area of data sciences.”
Estep explained that while getting ahold of the weather data can be challenging for companies, giving them direct access to NOAA’s storage can circumvent this issue, and it’s an initiative that NOAA, too, finds attractive. He said the foundation is working with NOAA to incorporate as much as possible from their educational division in the park’s recruitment efforts.
“If we have an interaction between those scientists and the entrepreneurs and innovators we’re trying to cultivate, that’s where I think some cool things could potentially happen,” Estep said. “This has continued to be a big focus. … “We spent a lot of time working with NOAA’s big data program to brainstorm some of the strategies we could follow in partnership with them to facilitate what we’re trying to achieve. … Bringing as much of the market share in commercial climate weather expansion to our communities is a big objective, and it’s something that we’ve been focusing on building.” In addition to NOAA, Estep said the foundation also has been working with Boston-based DataRobot, which has a satellite office in Morgantown.
DataRobot’s mission is to “democratize” artificial intelligence, which would remove the barriers of entry that companies have previously needed to successfully use AI through DataRobot’s software. Estep said the company’s goals can align with the foundation’s push in the commercial climate and weather industry.
“Their technology is extremely well-suited to provide an analytics tool that can create any number of solutions in the climate weather space that not only can maybe fill some voids in that market area, but also potentially provide an even better service or product,” Estep said. “In industry, there is disruption, and they can help create a strong momentum.” Estep’s work with the commercial climate and weather industry also intersects with the Phase III expansion of the I-79 High Technology Park.
Over the past few years, crews have constructed a new road in the park that reaches a cul-desac, on which Estep hopes to recruit more technology companies, some of which he hopes will house additional NOAA data or use its existing resources. “Because of the visible proximity of those data centers with the research center where all of the NOAA operations are, it creates an opportunity where there could be companies that could work with NOAA data without super expensive telecommunications costs because they can have dedicated, direct lines,” Estep said. “That’s important, because we want to be able to recruit those data centers, and we also want to get it set up for those who want to get access to NOAA data.”
Concerning Phase III, Estep also is hoping to prepare the plots of land for incoming companies, which would include running conduit and perhaps fiber to each lot. He also spoke about recent state legislation that was passed to allow Mon Power and American Electric Power to expand the solar power sector, and how the High Technology Park can make use of this.
“That’s really important to what we’re doing, because all of the companies and federal agencies require significant renewable energy, so we’re partnering with Mon Power and WVU to plan and design a solar test bed that we hope to build in late 2022 in the park,” Estep said. “I’m optimistic that we’re going to launch a bunch of new initiatives related to solar energy, not just solar panels, but also some battery work.”
While he said he wasn’t able to discuss all of his plans for the year, Estep said that he has a positive outlook for 2022, and he believes it will be a big year for the High Technology Foundation.
“I’m very optimistic that we’re going to build up a program to nurture and support entrepreneurism in both the data science and cybersecurity,” Estep said. “Those are two career fields where we have a lot of jobs and will be having a lot of jobs that we’ve got to fill. I’m very optimistic that we’re going to get a program together in that regard.”
Original article by John Mark Shaver, January 26, 2022 on WV News.com
Comments Off on 8,000 Jobs Added Within Past Decade in North Central WV
North Central West Virginia continues to lead the state in economic progress, according to local experts.
Although many other areas of the Mountain State lag behind national averages in most major economic indicators, the North Central region has continued to thrive and grow, according to John Deskins, director of the West Virginia University Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
“North Central West Virginia is more stable than the nation, it seems. Or, at least, the patterns of the last couple of decades have indicated we have greater stability,” Deskins said. “The region’s economy is very resilient. Part of that depends on the fact that we have some really important federal employment in the region; we have the university in the region; and we have a lot of health care in the region. Those sectors of the economy tend to be really stable,” he said.
The Bureau of Business and Economic Research recently released a study analyzing the NCWV region’s economy over the past few years and looking ahead to expected economic performance through 2023, Deskins said. Businesses in Monongalia, Marion, Harrison and Preston counties added more than 8,000 jobs between early-2010 and mid-2018, resulting in cumulative growth of more than 7 percent, according to the study.
In Harrison County, many of the new jobs can be attributed to rebounding natural gas production and natural gas pipeline infrastructure under construction, Deskins said. “That’s actually something that’s creating benefits in other counties in the state as well, not just the North Central region,” he said. “But definitely the construction projects that have been going on have definitely helped employment and a whole host of economic measures here in North Central.,” he said. “There is lots of stuff going on with the pipeline construction. That’s in Harrison County, and it’s affecting other parts of our region, as well.”
Sherry Rogers, executive director of the Lewis County Chamber of Commerce, said Lewis County has also experienced positive economic gains over the last year, mainly due to increased natural gas pipeline construction in the area. “There are some businesses that have seen an increase in their revenues due to the pipeline and the influx of pipeliners coming to the area and staying in the area,” she said. “Our retail and our restaurants have seen an increase due to that.” Several new businesses have recently opened their doors in and around Weston, Rogers said. “Here in Lewis County we have thriving entrepreneurship,” she said. “We’re comprised mostly of small businesses and we have some exciting new businesses that have opened that have opened this year or are opening.”
These include a retail shop in downtown Weston, a newly opened restaurant and a distillery, MannCave Distillery, Rodgers said. Patricia Henderson, director of the Taylor County Development Authority, said her county’s economy remains stable, partially do to continued coal mining activity. “Right now we are similar with the other areas in the state,” she said. “We do have a coal mine here, and that’s certainly helping us. Leer Mine still producing and moving a lot of coal through the railroad.” The county hopes to attract more oil and gas related companies to settle in the Taylor County area, Henderson said.
“We are trying to attract new businesses, and like all the other counties throughout the state, we are trying to recruit some of the oil and gas into our county,” she said. “In 2018, we had some property that the development authority marketed, and we did have an oil and gas company purchase that property to build some of their field offices. So we’re excited about that. That is a three-year plan.”
Taylor County recently became the recipient of a grant that will be used to perform a broadband internet study, Henderson said. “One of the problems that we hear a lot is the fact that we don’t have high speed internet in a lot of the areas of our county,” she said. “So we’ve got a grant to do a study that will help us to asses our needs and see where our underserved and unserved areas are so we can identify them. Then we can potentially go after some federal funds to help with that.”
Comments Off on Valley Worlds of Fun Searches for New Owner – WBOY12
PLEASANT VALLEY – Valley Worlds of Fun has been part of Marion County’s history for decades. Now, the property is for sale and it has residents worried about what it means for the future of the entertainment center.
Since 1972, Bruce Martin’s family has been the name behind Valley Worlds of Fun. It started as Valley Lanes, a 32-lane bowling alley. Then came the entertainment center, which Bruce’s father, Bob, started with a purpose. “He just had always felt some kind of a mission in life to provide the kids in the neighborhood a place to play. He thought we were pretty lacking in recreational stuff in the area and he just always wanted to give back in that way,” said Bruce Martin, Co-Owner of Valley Worlds of Fun. But several years ago, Bob suffered a stroke. It was around the time of the recession, when families cut expenses for recreational activities. Bruce said the aging population did not help, either. “One of the challenges we’ve had over the years is since the population doesn’t change on a regular basis, we needed to change so that it didn’t become boring or old had to people. We needed to make it new and exciting all the time and that’s certainly a challenge,” said Bruce Martin.
Now, it is for sale for $1.9 million, plus $200,000 for the attractions. The Martin family is looking for someone who will buy the property as is and improve it as a family entertainment center. Within the last several years, new attractions like archery tag, knocker balls and a new laser tag system have been installed. “We’ve just reached a point where I’d love to find somebody that this is their primary focus want to carry on the tradition for the neighborhood,” Bruce Martin said.
Bruce said all events scheduled at Valley Worlds of Fun will continue as planned and his family will continue with ownership until a sale is finalized.
