Our Special Districts including DDA’s, BID’s and URA’s are have see the greatest impact during the current economic crisis. They have become our first responders in support of their businesses and projects that make our communities unique.   How can Special Districts support our commercial districts?  While there are thousands of Special Districts across the state, there are three that often focus on commercial areas  to bolster livability and economic vitality. From Downtown Denver to Montrose, these districts have incorporated placemaking, innovation and inclusion into their priorities. Now that businesses are having to navigate the uncharted territory of COVID-19, and taxing districts are seeing major declines, the threat to these districts are real and will greatly impact how they continue their mission.

Downtown Colorado, Inc. (DCI) is proud to host EDCC’s DRIVE | LEAD | SUCCEED Virtual Series which will feature DCI’s members and the front line economic response from Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Downtown Development Authorities (DDAs), and Urban Renewal Authorities (URA’s) in Colorado, the taxes that fund them, and what impacts we can expect. DCI’s partner, Progressive Urban Management Associates (PUMA), will share the 2020 Global Trends Report Pandemic Update, which considers how the pandemic and associated disruptions will affect North American downtowns.

MAIN SESSION SPEAKERS:

• Downtown Financing Districts, Carolynne White, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
• Downtown Trends, Brad Segal, Progressive Urban Management Associates

BREAKOUT SESSIONS + LEADS: BREAKOUT I. How can Economic Development support and protect existing district tools?

• LEAD: Erin Lyng, Progressive Urban Management Associates
• Troy Bernberg, Northland Securities
• Steve Art, Wheat Ridge Urban Renewal

BREAKOUT II. Process for Special District Formation and Barriers to Forming

• LEAD: Brandon Stam, Grand Junction Downtown
• Brad Segal, Progressive Urban Management Associates
• Carolynne White, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Additional Resources:

• Downtown Colorado Inc. – https://downtowncoloradoinc.wildapricot.org/
• Special District Association of Colorado – https://www.sdaco.org/
• International Economic Development Council – Online Training Course – Neighborhood Development Strategies

You may also like the following:

• DCI | P.U.M.A. | BHFS Presentation
• Outcomes – Special Downtown Financing Districts Downtown Trends + District Impacts