Economic developers to powwow on retailers

By DENNIS GRUBAUGH
    A premier event for those who follow the retail development trade is coming this month to Fairview Heights.
    The Downstate Illinois P3 Luncheon, held under the auspices of The International Council of Shopping Centers, will take place Tuesday, Aug. 14, at the Four Points by Sheraton in Fairview Heights. The theme this year is “Retail Done Right: Expansion and Growth in a Churning Market.”
    ICSC is the trade association of the retail real estate industry. The P3 program is a forum for the public and private sector to network and discuss development issues and mutually desired retail projects. P3 is a catchword for public-private partnerships.
    The Metro East event is being sponsored jointly by the Illinois Business Journal and the cities of Fairview Heights, O’Fallon, Collinsville, Edwardsville and others. Many representatives are participating in the forums, said Paul Ellis, economic development director of Fairview Heights.
    “We have it in the area every year. ICSC has conferences and workshops all over the world. They are well-known for an event they have in May called RECon that is the biggest retail-oriented trade show in the country. That’s in Las Vegas. Fairview Heights goes every year,” Ellis said. “All the retailers, brokers and economic development people get together and do deals. It’s where your new retail stores come from.”
    In addition to regular events in Chicago, there is also a trade show that rotates every three years among Kansas City, St. Louis and Omaha.
    “That’s a moderate size show,” Ellis said. “Our event is more of a luncheon, with speakers and roundtable discussions.”
    The local sessions have taken off in recent years. Host communities have also included Columbia, Edwardsville, Collinsville and O’Fallon.
    The event in Fairview Heights runs roughly 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature a welcome from Fairview Heights Mayor Mark Kupsky and short addresses by others.
    Later, the afternoon will be broken up into roundtable discussions on four different topics, presented two at a time in 30-minute sessions, with participants able to move between tables to hear what’s said.
    The roundtables will focus on
    Table 1: How retailers make site selection decisions
    Table 2: REIT or wrong? Understanding today’s retail property owner.
    Table 3: Financing the next generation of retail centers
    Table 4: Leasing issues for charging stations
    Table 5: Redesigning your community’s retail environment
    Table 1 will feature a panel discussion looking at retailers who are expanding in Metro East. Bob Elkan, who builds and locates most of the Dollar General stores in Illinois, will participate as will the owners of the new Copper Fire Bar & Eatery in Belleville and Sugarfire Smoke House in O’Fallon.
    “We’re also going to have the head of the St. Clair Square mall talk about their retail incubator program,” Ellis said.
    Table 1 will be led by Dennis Maher, who works for Buxton, a company that does demographic and market analysis for many big retailers.
    Table 2 will discuss real estate investment trusts, or REITs, which are companies that own, operate or finance real estate as investments. Ellis will lead that discussion.
    Table 3 will be led by Gene Norber, of Economic Development Resources, and Tami Martens, of PACE Sage Capital, LLC. PACE, or Property Assessed Clean Energy, is a new form of financing energy efficiency or renewable energy upgrades, most notably HVAC systems. It is just starting in Illinois.
    The topics are interesting enough and informative enough to be of use to almost everyone attending, Ellis said.
    “Believe it or not those of us who are in the trenches every day don’t get exposed to all of this. I’ve been to three ISCS events this year already. I’ve learned some things,” Ellis said. “You get an old dog like me, if I’ve learned one new trick, it’s worthwhile.”

Program agenda

    Those who are members of the American Institute of Community Planners may be able to earn Certification Maintenance credits for the event. AICP credits for the program have been applied for and are pending approval-
    11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Registration and Networking
    11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Lunch  
    12:15 – 12:30 p.m. Program Welcome and Government Relations Update
    Mark Kupsky, mayor of Fairview Heights; Tom Tyler, executive director, Metro East Chamber of Commerce, Swansea; Erika Kennett, Southwest Region Manager, Illinois Department of Commerce, Collinsville; Stacy Engles Wipfler, ICSC KS/MO state director, partner, Husch Blackwell LLP, St. Louis
    12:30 to 1:30 p.m. What Works in Retail: Active Retailers Growing in this Economy
    Moderator: Paul Ellis, CEcD, AICP, Program Chair, director of Economic Development, Fairview Heights
    Panelists: Ranae Eichholz, owner, Copper Fire Bar & Eatery; Bob Elkan, principal, The Westmore Group, Inc.; Michael Hagen, general manager, St. Clair Square; Mike Johnson, owner, Sugarfire Smoke House; Dennis Maher, director, Buxton
    1:30 to 1:45 p.m. Break
    1:45 to 3 p.m. Round Table Discussions (two 30-minute sessions) – select from the following:
    Table 1 – How Retailers Make Site Selection Decisions
    Led by: Dennis Maher, Director, Buxton, Fort Worth, Texas
    Table 2 – REIT or Wrong: Understanding Today’s Retail Property Owner
    Led by: Paul Ellis, director of Economic Development, Fairview Heights
    Table 3 – Financing the Next Generation of Retail Centers
    Led by: Gene Norber, Economic Development Resources, and Tami Martens, PACE Sage Capital, LLC
    Table 4 – All Charged Up – Leasing Issues for Charging Stations
    Led by: Kelsie Mitchell, Attorney, Husch Blackwell, LLP, Chattanooga, Tenn.
    Table 5 – Redesigning Your Community’s Retail Environment
    Led by: Noel Fehr, Principal, Land Design Studio, Newtown, CT
    3 to 3:45 p.m. Program adjourns, followed by networking

ICSC Downstate Illinois P3 Program Planning Committee

    Kevin Kramer, ICSC Illinois P3 Public Co-Chair – director of Economic Development, Village of Hoffman Estates; Julian M. Jacquin, AICP, ICSC KS/MO P3 public co-chair – economic development manager, Wildwood, Mo.; Paul Ellis, CEcD AICP, program chair – director of Economic Development, Fairview Heights; David Bookless, AICP, director of Community Development, Collinsville; Gene Norber, president, Economic Development Resources, St. Louis; Grant Litteken, assistant to the city administrator, O’Fallon, Ill.: Mike Malloy, AICP, Fairview Heights; Scott Schanuel, AICP, senior director of Business Development, Holland Construction Services Inc., Swansea; Eric Schauster, assisant director of Economic Development, Planning & Zoning, Belleville; Walter Williams, economic/community development director, Edwardsville; David Wittenauer, Broker, Wittenauer Properties, O’Fallon, Ill.

Gold and Silver Sponsorships

    See www.icsc.org/2018R07 for Program Details and Online Registration. Sponsorship Opportunities Available.
    Members and non-members are welcome to attend. For registration questions contact ICSC Registration Department at 1 (646) 728 3800. Fax to 1 (732) 694 1800. Mail to ICSC PO Box 26958, New York, N.Y. 10087-6958. Payments made by check must be received two weeks prior to event.

FAX: +1 732 694 1800 (Credit card registration only)
ICSC CONTACT: Kurt Wallin, +1 646 728 3467 or kwallin@icsc.org