DC Business Connections to Release 2004 Report

The Washington, DC Marketing Center’s DC Business Connections (DCBC) program is set to release its 2004 report, a summary of key findings from company visits.

Since 2000, DCBC has supported business retention in the city by visiting more than 1,850 DC businesses and nonprofits and providing 1,606 follow-up services. In 2004, the DCBC team visited 504 companies to learn more about the challenges and concerns as well as the positive aspects of doing business in the District. Among the findings:

• Companies were optimistic about the business community, the local economy and the overall direction of the city.
• Traffic related issues such as congestion and public transportation rose as a top concern for DC businesses in 2004.
• Economic development is still a winner as one of the most notable improvements of the city, along with public area improvements such as parks and business improvement districts (BIDs).

Additional findings and comments from some of the District’s top business leaders can be found within the report.

The report also provides a comprehensive profile of the average company visited by DCBC, the reasons business leaders decided to locate in the District, how DC businesses feel about doing business in the city and the top challenges and concerns of businesses and their employees.

This report provides useful data that will give District government officials information on exactly what the business community says about the District, which in turn can help shape policies and programs that make the District a more business-friendly environment.

To receive your copy of the DC Business Connections 2004 Report, contact the DC Marketing Center at 202-661-8672. The report will also be available for download from the DC Marketing Center website this May.