DC Retail Attraction Efforts Focus On ICSC Spring Convention
The focus of retail brokerage and commercial development shifts to Las Vegas starting this weekend for the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Spring Convention. The New York-based global retailer and developer industry trade group hosts the nation’s premier retail trade show, conference and deal-making event each year during the month of May. The Washington, DC Economic Partnership has represented the District of Columbia at the meeting for the past six years. Currently, more than 70 meetings are scheduled with retailers and developers from across the nation. Mayor Adrian Fenty and a number of public officials are scheduled to attend, demonstrating the District’s commitment to attracting high quality national and international retail establishments.
The ICSC Spring Convention attracts more than 50,000 professionals in the fields of retail business, real estate development and economic development. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the three-day, annual trade show features 2 million+ square feet of exhibits by retailers, developers, service providers, and municipal entities looking to make connections and deals. The highlight of the convention for the District of Columbia is the Mayor’s Reception, which is sponsored by a number of the city’s private sector partners. This year’s attendees will include Mayor Adrian Fenty; DC Councilmembers Vincent Gray, Kwame Brown, Jack Evans, and Harry Thomas, Jr.; staff of the mayor’s administration; and invited retailers and developers. The event provides valuable face time in a business casual setting for investors to become more familiar with District of Columbia officials and economic development professionals.
The District’s 2,000 square foot booth will feature the latest mapping technology and site location tools. New video geographic information systems programs have been designed to enable prospective retailers and developers to “see” and “experience” DC’s neighborhoods—from downtown to the waterfront to the new baseball district, as well as the icon projects in the DC development pipeline. The objective is to impress upon these potential investors the strength and vitality of the economy of the District of Columbia. Based on the successes of previous years, the outcome of the District’s participation in the ICSC Spring Convention will be the attraction of exciting new retailers to meet the demands of District residents and provide the city with increased retail sales tax revenues. Stay tuned for a report on the trade show in the next edition.