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Wilmington Downtown
mission statement
Wilmington Downtown's mission is
for the central business district and historic river area to be the
business, cultural, entertainment and government headquarters for
the Cape Fear region by recruiting business, encouraging economic
development, revitalizing and promoting downtown, supporting existing
business, and acting as a liaison between diverse interest groups
and government. Wilmington
Downtown, Inc. is a public-private partnership.
These are the essential components of its mission.
- Business recruiting. Using economic incentives including
tax credits, special zoning and building codes, and a revolving
loan fund, Wilmington Downtown seeks to bring new enterprises
and new jobs into the downtown area. To maintain downtown's mixed-use
character, Wilmington Downtown recruits retailers, service businesses,
hotels, and professional and corporate offices.
- Economic development. To maintain a healthy economic
mix, improve downtown's real estate and sales tax base and create
jobs, Wilmington Downtown works to encourage and facilitate a
wide range of growth initiatives. These include promoting development
of a facility for conventions and public events; development of
parking structures; promotion of full occupancy of existing commercial
and residential space; construction of new office buildings; "infill"
development on vacant land; retention and expansion of existing
downtown businesses; retention of government offices downtown;
development of new tourist attractions; and improvements to public
infrastructure.
- Revitalizing downtown. To keep downtown attractive to
investors, shoppers, tourists, diners, patrons of the arts and
residents, Wilmington Downtown works with local government and
private interests to make physical and institutional improvements
in the downtown environment. This encompasses preserving downtown's
historic character, enhancing the scenic riverfront, revitalizing
significant old buildings, beautifying streets, buildings and
the riverfront; updating public utilities; providing adequate
parking; ensuring public safety; and defending the quality of
life downtown.
- Promoting downtown. To ensure that the region's residents
as well as tourists, visitors and potential investors are aware
of downtown's unique attractions and importance to the region's
economy, Wilmington Downtown uses a wide range of communication
to promote downtown. Through news media contacts, press releases,
a newsletter, web site and other means, Wilmington Downtown encourages
visitation, tourism and investment. Wilmington Downtown cooperates
with tourism, economic development and cultural organizations.
Wilmington Downtown also promotes downtown around North Carolina
and the nation as an attractive visitor destination and business
location.
- Supporting existing downtown businesses. To maintain
a healthy and diverse central business district, Wilmington Downtown
helps retailers and other downtown businesses through assistance
with regulatory and financing issues, parking and public safety,
events and promotion.
- Acting as a liaison between diverse interest groups and
government. Downtown has many constituencies, whose interests
sometimes diverge: retailers, residents, commercial property owners,
office tenants, restaurants and nightclubs, government agencies,
shoppers, diners and tourists. To help these groups find common
ground, to help local government communicate with private interests,
and to help represent private interests before government agencies
is an essential role for Wilmington Downtown, particularly for
its board of directors.
Standing committees:
Wilmington Downtown's 36-member board
of directors is organized into four standing committees. They are:
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