Some of you know that about half of my consulting-side work is in economic development for cities and site owners. Mostly retail, but we also help cities attract new residential and industrial/office development as well. It’s work I love because if I do my job well, a corner of the world is a better place when I’m through… the new businesses increase the tax base, allow cities to provide additional services for residents, provide access to goods and services within a community (less driving, less sprawl) and provide employment. We also work with client communities to facilitate public involvement, manage public perceptions and effectively use public relations to promote positive developments.

For retail attraction, the biggest show of the year is the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) annual convention in Las Vegas, a show we attend every year. I spend most of April and May preparing for the show, updating marketing pieces, research, white papers, graphics, etc., etc., so we’re armed and ready. Typically, several of our clients attend the show with us, so we’re “on” from the moment we hit the airport until the moment we actually get into our car to drive home from the same airport 4 days later. It is the most exhausting experience next to childbirth. And it usually takes me fewer days to recover from childbirth.

The show is 3 hard days of pressurized meeting, rounds of receptions and engagements, and an INSANE amount of walking. Needless to say, I don’t wear my high heels. We hope to come back with new client leads for our services, new interest in sites in our client communities, and closed deals on other parcels or lots already in process. Even in this hyper-connected world of ours… the hard work in this arena still gets done face-to-face. Priceless connections are made, relationships renewed and business furthered. While the trip is a major expense and emotional drain, it is the single most important and effective event in our year.

Why am I telling you all this? I’m begging your forgiveness, in advance, for the break I’ll be taking this week from blogging. I probably won’t be coherent until sometime next week after returning late Wednesday from the show. And I hate to post incoherent ramblings on the blog. ;P In the meantime… if you all have something to say, just go on and post in the comments. I’m looking forward to hearing your trade show experiences and (shareable) Vegas experiences.

Perhaps, if you’ve found my site through PR, Marketing or Social Media searches, links or posts, you found this page and wondered how it all fits together. I love marketing places… economic development marketing is a specialty of mine. Telling the story of a place, for a particular purpose, helps to achieve goals that benefit the citizens who live there, the stakeholders invested there, the businesses who choose to locate there and the regional concerns connected to the primary place. In short, it’s marketing I feel good about doing.

Through our place marketing endeavors, I’ve gotten to know quite a few city councilors, city managers, economic development professionals, developers, retail site selectors and commercial real estate brokers. One former economic development professional, Rickey Hayes, opened his own retail consulting business two years ago and has experienced phenomenal success since then. His approach benefits all the parties involved in retail recruitment and generates results. I’ve been working with him, supplying data, marketing materials and helping to tell the stories of his client cities for the past couple of years and I’m proud to be part of the Retail Attractions, LLC, team.

If you know me personally, or follow me closely on facebook or Twitter, you know I am passionate about what I do. I wanted to introduce you to someone else who is equally passionate about helping cities achieve their visions in economic development and retail recruitment. And now you know how that whole economic development thing fits

Rickey Hayes founded Retail Attractions in 2007 to provide a suite of services to the retail development world, including cities, developers, retailers, site selectors, economic development trusts and authorities. Communities and their citizens benefit when national retailers and restaurants, quality residential developments, and state of the art health care facilities choose to locate in their city. Developers and retailers benefit from choosing a location in a Retail Attractions client city because the process is smooth and efficient.

Before starting Retail Attractions,

Rickey Hayes

Rickey served as the Economic Development Director for the City of Owasso, Oklahoma for six years. During that time, the city experienced tremendous growth in both commercial and residential investment. The city’s sales tax base more than doubled. New commercial construction during his tenure totaled more than 4.2 million square feet with over a quarter of a billion dollars in total value. Since beginning Retail Attractions, LLC, our partner cities have seen another 1 million square feet of new retail development, along with the corresponding sales tax revenue that comes with new retail sales.

Rickey developed and maintains a quality network of contacts in the development, real estate, site selection, leasing and tenanting, engineering, creative financing, architecture and planning arenas. He brings this formidable contact base to bear when helping a city seeking new retail or when helping a developer source sites, tenants and financial incentives. He understands how city governments operate and the interplay of city political, financial, and regulatory environments. He also understands how development works and what site selectors, developers and retail tenants need to see, hear, and feel about a potential location in order to move forward. You can contact Rickey through his website or by e-mailing me with any questions (see the handy e-mail link at the top of the page!)