▁to ▁benefit ▁from ▁some ▁measure ▁of ▁economic ▁divers ification ; ▁growing ▁companies ▁such ▁as ▁Key ▁Tr onic ▁and ▁other ▁research , ▁market ing , ▁and ▁assembly ▁plants ▁for ▁technology ▁companies ▁helped ▁less en ▁Sp ok ane ' s ▁dependence ▁on ▁natural ▁resources . ▁▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Sp ok ane ▁is ▁still ▁trying ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁transition ▁to ▁a ▁more ▁service - orient ed ▁economy ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁a ▁less ▁prominent ▁manufact uring ▁sector . ▁Develop ing ▁the ▁city ' s ▁strength ▁in ▁the ▁medical ▁and ▁health ▁sciences ▁fields ▁has ▁seen ▁some ▁success , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁District ▁with ▁two ▁medical ▁school ▁branches . ▁The ▁city ▁faces ▁challeng es ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁scarc ity ▁of ▁high - pay ing ▁jobs , ▁po ckets ▁of ▁pover ty , ▁and ▁areas ▁of ▁high ▁crime . ▁ ▁The ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁Park ▁Square ▁Mall ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁catal yst ▁and ▁spark ed ▁a ▁dow nt own ▁reb irth ▁that ▁included ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁Arena ▁and ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁Sp ok ane ▁Convention ▁Center . ▁Other ▁major ▁projects ▁include ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁Big ▁E asy ▁concert ▁house ▁( now ▁the ▁Kn itting ▁Factory ) ▁and ▁renov ation ▁of ▁the ▁historic ▁Mont v ale ▁Hotel , ▁the ▁K irt land ▁C utter - des igned ▁D aven port ▁Hotel ▁( after ▁being ▁vac ant ▁for ▁over ▁ 2 0   year