This year marks the second time the state is implementing Opportunity Zones, building on the first round held in 2018 that spurred investment in downtown Bakersfield.
Austin Smith, a managing partner at Sage, was among those influenced by that first round to invest in the area.
“What we’re really excited about downtown is economic impact that it can have on our region and the growth and the job force and the housing and retail that can happen downtown,” Smith said…