Events
Join the Downtown Reno Partnership, California Downtown Association and IDA for the 2022 West Coast Urban District Forum June 15-17, 2022. This year’s theme, Moving into Recovery, will explore how urban place management organizations are working towards balancing the ever-changing nature of public life in the downtown core. This event will focus on economic development strategies and ways to bring people back through placemaking and activations whether for work or pleasure. Attendees will dive deep into discussions around public safety, mental health and homelessness. Join IDA and CDA in Reno, Nevada and reunite with your peers sharing solutions and tools for a stronger tomorrow.
The Downtown Reno Partnership is a 501c6 nonprofit business improvement district founded in 2018. Its core purpose is to make downtown Reno a safer, cleaner, friendlier district for residents and visitors. The Downtown Reno Partnership is an entity funded by downtown-area property assessments and contributions. Those funds pay for operations, street maintenance administered by Reno Public Works, extra downtown Reno Police officers, Ambassadors, marketing and economic development.
IDA LPM professionals can earn credit hours for attending sessions during the 2022 West Coast Urban District Forum. When LPM credits are available, they are noted in the program. More information about IDA’s Leadership in Place Management certification program can be found here.
Master Talks
Brad Carney
Artist & Creator, Brad Carney Studios LLC
Brad Carney has created works for the community-based public for over twenty years. His aesthetic emphasizes rhythm, motion and playfulness with a line, color, and composition. Each project can create powerful human connections. Brad has worked as a teaching artist and internship coordinator for Mural Arts Philadelphia, the world’s largest creative public art program, and has witnessed the power of public art to foster deep relationships in the communities they serve. His recent murals have been inspired by abstract interpretations of sound and movement in our environment, neighborhood architectural transition, and the cultural identity of communities. He feels the artwork reflects our history, discusses our present, and reimagines a future, together.
Ishmael Nuñez
Partner, BDS Planning & Urban Design
Ishmael Nuñez is an urban planner living in Seattle WA. He positions himself as an adept facilitator, collaborator, and educator with experience in supporting organizational efforts at the intersection of racial equity and placemaking. Having led workshops locally and nationally for his work on culturally responsive placemaking, Ishmael seeks to create environments for people with diverse experiences to learn from one another and build relationships. He currently works as the Director of Community and Placemaking for BDS Planning.
Derek Kirk
Community-Based Solutions Supervisor, California Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz)
Derek Kirk is a millennial, engagement expert, community advocate and proud Californian. He currently serves as the Community-Based Solutions Supervisor for the California Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz). In this capacity, he is responsible for establishing a new team within GO-Biz that will work directly with local economic development practitioners and community-based organizations as they work to strategize and implement more equitable communities and economies. He manages a team of regionally based coordinators and issue-specific staff across California’s 13 economic regions. His personal mission is to build better systems to strengthen local communities. He is passionate about local issues and spends much of his time listening to community leaders express their ideas and brainstorming how to get more people to pull up a chair and share.
Carmen Zella
Founder & Chief Curator, NOW Art
At the forefront of democratizing and revolutionizing public art, Los Angeles-based Carmen Zella is a creative thought leader, renowned art curator and producer. Zella’s progressive approach intersects art, architecture, technology and culture. With an instinct for collaborating with new, emerging and internationally acclaimed artists, like Refik Anadol, Nancy Baker Cahill and others, Zella’s artistic style reflects the era of the artist and the cultural pulse of communities. Zella’s 2021 LUMINEX: Dialogues of Light (Los Angeles) was most recently recognized with a Best of the City Award, as well as revered with a TEDx Talk on ‘The healing power of public art.’ This site specific, immersive, outdoor digital art exhibition illuminated Zella’s vision to bring artwork out of the four walls and into the streets for all to experience. Zella is also a CODAworx 2022 Creative Revolutionary.
Brian Sandoval
President, University of Nevada, Reno
Brian Sandoval was appointed the 17th president of the University on September 17, 2020 by the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Board of Regents. He is the first person of Hispanic origin as well as the first alumnus to serve as president in University history.
Since his appointment, President Brian Sandoval has launched a number of key initiatives stressing a long-term collaborative commitment to meet the ever-changing needs of Nevada.
During President Sandoval’s tenure, key achievements have included Collegiate Academies, Sierra Nevada University partnership, Digital Wolf Pack Initiative, Guinn Center affiliation and the Renown affiliation agreement.
Previously, Sandoval was president of global gaming development for MGM Resorts International, served two terms as the 29th Governor of the State of Nevada from 2011-2019. Prior to that, he was appointed United States District Judge for the District of Nevada, becoming the state’s first Hispanic federal judge.
John Lambeth
President & CEO, Civitas
Mr. Lambeth is an attorney who specializes in creating and renewing business improvement districts. He was the primary author of the Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994 and assisted with the creation of the first property-based improvement districts in California. He is a frequent speaker on tourism improvement districts and property and business improvement districts. Mr. Lambeth has been involved in all aspects of district formation and modification, including outreach, plan development, and petition and ballot drives. He formerly served as clerk to the Honorable Malcolm M. Lucas, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court.
Conference Details
WCUDF22 will be held at the Whitney Peak Hotel, located at 255 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89501 and at various locations throughout downtown Reno. Explore what the Downtown Reno BID has to offer.
Get social! What questions will you come ready to ask? Share them on Twitter #WCUDF22.
Online registration is now closed for the 2022 West Coast Urban District Forum. You may register on-site at the Whitney Peak Hotel at 255 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89501, June 15-17, 2022.
On-site registration times and rates:
- Wednesday, June 15, 2022: Noon-5:00 pm
- Thursday, June 16, 2022: 7:30 am-10:30 am
- Friday, June 17, 2022: 8:00 am-10:00 am
- On-site Registration Rate: $445
- On-site Registration Rate for Thursday, June 16, 2022 only: $275
- On-site Registration Rate for Friday, June 17, 2022 only: $225
All prices above are in USD.
Payment Methods: For your convenience, payments may be made by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Should you need to pay by check, you will not be able to complete registration online. Please email registration@downtown.org for assistance.
Adding a Pre-Conference Tour: Please note, the pre-conference tours sell out quickly. Therefore, it is advisable to add these items at the time of your registration. If you are registering for someone else or a group, please find out their selection prior to registering them. Although each person within the group can purchase a tour after they have been registered, they run the risk of the tour no longer being available. If a tour is sold out, you can be waitlisted by contacting registration department at registration@downtown.org.
Cancellation Policy: Written notice of cancellation is required. Cancellations received via email by Wednesday, May 25, 2022, will receive a refund less a $100 processing fee. Cancellations received via email after Wednesday, May 25, 2022, will not be refunded. Refunds will be processed approximately 30 days after the event. Please email the cancellation notification to the International Downtown Association at registration@downtown.org.
Substitutions: Substitutions of complete registrations (including tours and workshops) are gladly accepted prior to the event start date. Please submit a written request to registration@downtown.org before May 25, 2022 to complete your substitution. Only one substitution is permitted per original registrant and must be transferred to an individual in your organization. The individual submitting the substitution request is responsible for all financial obligations (any balance due) associated with that substitution.
As an IDA event participant, you have agreed to the IDA Event Agreement and Code of Conduct; IDA Guidelines and Protocols; and IDA Attendee Assumption of Risk, Waiver and Release Form.
IDA places the highest priority on the health and safety of our members, partners and colleagues. With the current COVID-19 variants, we are proactively addressing concerns regarding COVID-19 protocols for the event. IDA will be asking all attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers and/or staff to provide documentation proof of their COVID – 19 “full vaccination.” Those who are unable to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be asked to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within seventy-two (72) hours upon entry of the event. We encourage all attendees to respect the protocols and your fellow participants’ health and safety while joining us for this gathering.
The deadline has passed for the WCUDF attendee rate at The Whitney Peak Hotel, located at 255 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89501. To inquire about available rooms, call the Reservations Department at 775-398-5400 and ensure you reference the IDA West Coast Urban District Forum room block (Group Code: IDA-EVENT).
The Whitney Peak Hotel is centrally located to downtown Reno, just two blocks from the beautiful Truckee River Walk and adjacent to the historic Reno Arch. Featuring panoramic views of the Sierra’s, our accommodations are a relaxing spot to call home. Whitney Peak Hotel Basecamp’s 7,000-square-foot indoor competition level bouldering park is home of the Guinness Book of World Record’s “World’s Tallest Artificial Climbing Wall” and Outside Magazine’s 12 Best Hotel Gyms in the US. The hotel is also a short and scenic 45-minute drive to the world class playground that is Lake Tahoe!
Don’t be Scammed by Third Party Housing Companies
The official hotel and overflow properties (if applicable) are listed above. Please beware of other companies soliciting hotel room “deals” over the dates of the event. Third party housing companies typically offer a higher rate than the official block rate. These company’s cancellation polices are often harsh and unforgiving. IDA is not working with any third parties to offer attendees accommodations! If you receive a solicitation and are unsure whether or not it is legitimate, please contact Lul Teklit at lul@downtown.org.
Explore what the Downtown Reno BID has to offer! Download Downtown Reno Partnership’s “To-Do List” and map which includes 2022 event locations.
Explore the Riverwalk District three blocks south of your hotel. Several restaurants, bars, movie theater, parks and retail surround the Truckee River. Take unique Nevada gifts back home at the “Home Means Nevada Store on Sierra and First streets. On the south side of downtown, Reno features the state’s only accredited art museum, The Nevada Museum of Art. Nearby, we have the hands-on Discovery museum and to the east you’ll find the National Automobile Museum. One block north of your hotel, find THE ROW, three distinct casinos connected by sky bridges, for an exclusively Nevadan experience of a city within a city. And inside the hotel, be sure to go to third floor for BaseCamp climbing gym and the largest outdoor, artificial climbing wall in the world, according to Guinness World Records. Can you make it to the top?
Carnival – June 15-25, 2022
The popular Davis Shows traveling carnival is back for another year of exhilarating rides and games. Discounted all-you-can-ride wristbands are on sale for $30 and can be purchased at Scolaris or the Reno Rodeo office. The carnival is open from 4 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and noon to midnight on weekends. There’s also an exciting variety of food this year, including corn dogs, funnel cake, mouthwatering barbeque, Texas Taters and the famous Kick-Ass fries – hand cut fries topped with pulled pork, cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions and smothered in barbeque sauce.
Cattle Drive Parade — June 16, 2022
After spending five days traveling 100 miles through the Nevada desert, the Reno Rodeo Cattle Drive will deliver 300 steers to the rodeo grounds for the “Wildest Richest Rodeo in the West.” They’ll hit the pavement around 11 a.m. and conclude the drive in the rodeo arena around noon. Spectators can line the streets and watch the spectacle go by as they travel down Clear Acre Lane, turn right onto McCarran Blvd and head down Sutro St and into the outdoor arena.
Double R Marketplace – June 16-25, 2022
Peruse the many specialty vendors that are part of the Double R Marketplace. Meander through nearly 200 booths outside and in both the South Exhibit Hall and Indoor Arena for unique finds like custom leather belts and buckles, home furnishings and décor, jerky, sweets and other specialty food items, a wide variety of hats, boots and apparel and so much more.
Rodeo Parade – June 18, 2022
The Rodeo Parade takes place this year beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 18 and will march through downtown Reno down Virginia Street to Second Street and back up Center Street. Spectators won’t want to miss the horses, wagons, Miss Reno Rodeo and more.
Preview the schedule-at-a-glance below (program is subject to change). To see the full description, click on the down arrow next to the title. The program will be updated in the coming weeks.
Get social! What questions will you come ready to ask? Share them on Twitter #WCUDF22.
Conference Program
- Wednesday 15 Jun 2022
- Thursday 16 Jun 2022
- Friday 17 Jun 2022
Wednesday 15 Jun 2022
- Whitney Peak Hotel Lobby | 255 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89501
- $50
- Public Space Management and Operations
- Whitney Peak Hotel Lobby | 255 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89501
- Please meet no later than 12:30 p.m. in lobby
- This pre-conference tour will explore the new Nevada CARES Campus, which provides shelter for 600+ individuals plus a unique safe camp with over 50 mod pods. The tour will explain the obstacles and challenges Washoe County and the City of Reno had to navigate to build and staff the facility. Other phases, including a resource center, food services, wrap-around services, and a housing element to develop a comprehensive campus will be introduced. In addition, two other projects will be included: Hope Springs, a treatment program that provides temporary housing to attendees, and the Village on Sage Street, a transitional housing program that re-purposed containers to build a secure housing community in a community where affordable housing resources are scarce. *This tour includes walking indoors and outdoors and bus transportation; please plan accordingly.
- $25
- Public Space Management and Operations
- Whitney Peak Hotel Lobby | 255 North Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89501
- Please meet no later than 12:30 p.m. in lobby
- This pre-conference tour will introduce attendees to the largest conversion project in the nation. CAI undertook the transformation of the old Harrah’s Resort and Casino into a mixed-use project, including over 500 apartments, over 150,000 sqft of office space and over 70,000 sqft of retail space. The tour will be partially a hard-hat tour looking at various areas still under construction. It will shed light on the opportunities but also challenges a project of this magnitude can present. In addition, attendees will learn how the developer was able to include a program, that provides work, shelter, food and wages to houseless individuals. *This tour includes walking indoors and outdoors; please plan accordingly.
- Greater Nevada Field, 250 Evans Avenue, Reno, NV 89501
- Enjoy the opening reception and a baseball game afterwards at the Greater Nevada Field, home to Triple-A Baseball’s Reno Aces! Greater Nevada Field is approximately an 8-minute walk (0.4 miles) from the host hotel.
- The Opening Reception is sponsored by Placer.ai.
- Greater Nevada Field is a cashless facility. Bags, backpacks, and containers brought into the stadium cannot be larger than 12” x 6” x 12” and must be clear. All bags, including backpacks and purses, must be clear and are subject to search prior to entry. No cans, weapons, glass containers or alcohol may be brought into the stadium. Other permitted bags include a one (1) gallon freezer bag and a small clutch purse with or without a strap no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”.
- All attendees MUST wear their name badges to enter receptions, meal functions, plenary sessions and panels.
Thursday 16 Jun 2022
- Pre-Function A, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Pre-Function B, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Whitney Peak Ballroom, 3rd Floor
- Brad Carney - Public Art & Creative Engagement
- Ishmael Nuñez - The Intersection of Race and Place
- Derek Kirk - GO-Biz Community Based Solutions
- Carmen Zella - The Forefront of Democratizing & Revolutionizing Public Art
- National Automobile Museum – Theatre, Ground Floor, 1 Museum Dr, Reno, NV 89501
- Economic Development
- IDA LPM Credits: 1
- AICP CM Credits: 1
- The session will focus on how to shepherd a central city retail district through the pandemic and into the future. San Francisco’s Union Square will be used as a case study, informed by other examples from Los Angeles, New York and beyond. We will examine the roles of policing, social services, city planning, the private sector and local government working together to ensure that the center city not just survives but thrives.
- Distill key "pain points" and root causes of problems in order to focus on solutions correction
- Identify the right experts to help identify problems and frame solutions
- Engage wider community and stakeholders in a positive, problem-solving mode
- Ken Rich, Principle, Kenneth J. Rich Consulting, San Francisco, CA
- Larisa Ortiz, Managing Director Public Non-Profit Sector Solutions Group, Streetsense, New York, NY
- Marisa Rodriguez, Executive Director, Union Square Alliance, San Francisco CA
- Whitney Peak 2&3, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Public Space Management and Operations
- LPM: 1
- COVID forced diners outside and now many downtowns are exploring ways for the outdoor dining experience, via parklets, to become permanent. This session will explore the process of finding the balance between creating a cost-effective and inviting space and needed government guardrails to ensure safety and access. The panel will share best practices and a timeline for the development and management of permanent outdoor dining structures created by municipalities, BIDs and businesses. In addition, the session will share creative approaches to entertaining and feeding people. Many see this emerging experience as a way for restaurants to survive economically and meet the growing customer desire.
- Receive a timeline for creating permanent parklet guidelines.
- Discover creative activations on and around parklets from industry professionals.
- Learn the current ABC guidelines for temporary and permanent parklets.
- Kathy Hemmenway, Executive Director, Walnut Creek Downtown Association
- Teri Killgore, Assistant City Manager, City of Walnut Creek, CA
- Maggie Kavan, Co-Founder, MODStreet, Durango, CO
- Kevin Clerici, Executive Director, Downtown Ventura Partners, CA
- Whitney Peak 1, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Leadership Development
- IDA LPM: 1
- Place management organizations often employ public safety and law enforcement systems as the primary mechanism for response to low-level crimes in their communities. Throughout the history of the place management industry, this relationship, along with in-house programs like clean and safe, have been the foremost approach for providing community safety, welcoming business and supporting community districts.
- In recent years, calls for defunding and decreasing law enforcement’s response to low level crime has left a service gap for place management organizations as they grapple with increasing public safety issues that impact businesses and residents. In this roundtable discussion format, organizations will learn about the nuanced role and opportunities BIDs can take on to manage these gaps and tackle issues of visible poverty, homelessness, substance use disorder or mental illness in their communities in ways that are effective and equitable
- Discover what a deliberate process is necessary to create a sustained equitable public safety practice that is grounded in education and in building community trust and relationships as its foundation looks like.
- Learn how place management organizations can expand their role in the industry, create what appears to be impossible or unlikely, and commit to creating diverse, equitable and inclusive organizations.
- Discover how to utilize participatory ways to influence decision-making.
- Ishmael Nuñez, Director of Community & Placemaking, BDS Planning and Urban Design, Seattle, WA
- Melodie Garcia, Project Manager, BDS Planning & Urban Design, Seattle, WA
- Erin Goodman, Executive Director, SoDo BIA, Seattle WA
- Sierra Arts Foundation, Riverside, 17 South Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
- Policy and Advocacy
- IDA LPM: 1
- In December 2021, San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a 90-day state of emergency for the overdose crisis in downtown. Together with place management organizations, city departments commanded by the Department of Emergency Management developed a disaster relief framework for long-term operations to address the most intractable issues at the intersection of crime, homelessness, mental health and substance use disorder. Go beyond the headlines with insiders sharing insights, challenges and successes.
- Learn how to apply emergency joint operations approach with city, social service and place-based organizations to address multiple social crises.
- Learn effective strategies to advance city policy, operations partnership and accountability.
- Know whether or not you need an emergency declaration to get sh*t done.
- Steve Gibson, President/Founder, Urban Place Consulting, Long Beach/San Francisco, CA
- Adrienne Bechelli, Deputy Director for Emergency Services, San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, San Francisco, CA
- Helene Sautou, Project Director, Civic Center CBD/Mid-Market CBD, San Francisco, CA
- Christy Shirilla, Director of Community Organizing & Resident Voice, Tenderloin Community Benefit District, San Fransico, CA
- Whitney Peak Ballroom, 3rd Floor
- Lunch will be provided to attendees.
- John Lambeth, President & CEO, Civitas
- Whitney Peak 1, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Public Space Management and Operations
- IDA LPM: 1
- This session will present the concept of the new Nevada CARES Campus, which provides shelter for 600+ individuals plus a unique safe camp with over 50 mod pods. It will explain the obstacles and challenges Washoe County and the City of Reno had to navigate to build and staff the facility. We will also introduce other phases, including a resource center, food services, wrap-around services and a housing element to develop a comprehensive campus. In addition, two other projects will be included: Hope Springs, a treatment program that provides temporary housing to attendees, and the Village on Sage Street, a transitional housing program that re-purposed containers to build a secure housing community in a community where affordable housing resources are scarce.
- Gain an understanding of three different housing concepts.
- Learn about challenges that come with trying to provide this type of housing.
- Better understand the path out of homelessness and funding options.
- Alexander Stettinski, Executive Director, Downtown Reno Partnership, Reno, NV
- Alexis Hill, Commissioner, Washoe County, Reno, NV
- Par Tolles, Principal, Tolles Development Company, Reno, NV
- Mandi Larsen, Chief Development Officer, Northern Nevada HOPES Clinic, Reno, NV
- National Automobile Museum – Theatre, Ground Floor, 1 Museum Dr, Reno, NV 89501
- Economic Development
- IDA LPM: 1
- Daytime to nighttime sociability is critical for sociable cities to thrive 24/7. Social spaces—where people dine, drink and dance—are key to a city’s social and cultural fabric. But at night, transit stops, the government shuts down and police are the catch-all. A comprehensive plan with coordinated security is crucial to nightlife management. Hear Sacramento’s story of building alliances to manage risk and enact a rapid response to crisis situations.
- Identify six core measures of a well-planned and managed nighttime economy to assure public safety, vibrancy and coexistence between residents, venue operators and government stakeholders.
- Learn how to coordinate public safety through multiple agencies, including code compliance as the lead, to reduce reliance on police as only safety resource deployed at night.
- Understand the role and benefits of two nighttime economy governance models (e.g., Night Mayor/Nighttime Economy Manager, Office of Nightlife) in cities with nightlife.
- Alicia Scholer, Vice President, Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI), Scotts Valley, CA
- Tina Lee-Vogt, Program Manager, Code Compliance Division, City of Sacramento / Community Development Department, Sacramento, CA
- Sierra Arts Foundation, Riverside, 17 South Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
- Policy and Advocacy
- Hear from leadership on initiatives CDA is leading to address homelessness and mental health, support economic recovery and bring certainty to BIDs during the renewal and formation process. This session will feature a panel of CDA leaders who will discuss the organization’s legislative priorities.
- Learn how CDA develops its legislative priorities and objectives.
- Receive an update on CDA’s sponsored state bill AB 2890 and supported initiatives.
- Learn how to help further CDA’s legislative agenda to support BIDs and recovery.
- Austin Metoyer, Economic Development and Policy Manager, Downtown Long Beach Alliance, California
- John Caner, CEO, Downtown Berkeley Association, CA
- Suzanne Holley, President & CEO, Downtown Center Business Improvement District, Los Angeles, CA
- Josh Coyne, Director of Government Affairs, Downtown San Diego Partnership, CA
- Jason Bryant, CDA’s Legislative Advocate, Bryant Government Affairs, Sacramento, CA
- Whitney Peak 2&3, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Economic Development
- IDA LPM: 1
- AICP: 1
- This session will discuss existing challenges of workforce housing and take a deeper look into concepts some BIDs, cities or other entities are exploring with workforce housing challenges. Though affordability is typically the primary issue, we will also explore such topics as the economic impact of a lack of workforce due to housing costs, social programming/amenities, achieving affordability, and other goals of providing such housing. Will we see more corporate campuses with mix-use use development including housing, work/live/play?
- Understand economic concerns of not addressing needed workforce housing.
- Discover how cities and place management organizations are working to address workforce housing demands.
- Learn first-hand the issue of not addressing the issue and the effects on the community, businesses, city/BID goals, etc.
- Troy Miller, Director of Real Estate, University of Nevada & Downtown Reno Partnership Board Member, Reno, NV
- Daniel Mense, President, KH Equities, LLC, Beverly Hills, CA
- David Dixon, FAIA, Vice President, Stantec’s Urban Places Fellow, Boston, MA
- Mike Kazmierski, President & CEO, Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), Reno, NV
- Victor Van Zandt, CEO & President, Irvine Campus Housing Authority, Irvine, CA
- Whitney Peak 2&3, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Public Space Management and Operations
- Join these open discussion forums and share your experiences to gain insight into everyday challenges you are facing. These sessions will be facilitated by your peers.
- John Caner, CEO, Downtown Berkeley Association, CA
- Dion Dwyer, Managing Partner, MMS Strategies, Sacramento, CA
- Chloe Shipp, Deputy Director, San Jose Downtown Association, CA
- Whitney Peak 1, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Leadership Development
- Organizational Development
- Join these open discussion forums and share your experiences to gain insight into everyday challenges you are facing. These sessions will be facilitated by your peers.
- Scott Knies,San Jose Downtown Association, CA
- Betsy Brennan, President and CEO, Downtown San Diego Partnership, San Diego, CA
- Sierra Arts Foundation, Riverside, 17 South Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
- Economic Development
- Join these open discussion forums and share your experiences to gain insight into everyday challenges you are facing. These sessions will be facilitated by your peers.
- Suzanne Holley, President & CEO , Downtown Center BID, Los Angeles, CA
- Nick Griffin , Executive Director, Downtown Center BID, Los Angeles, CA
- National Automobile Museum – Theatre, Ground Floor, 1 Museum Dr, Reno, NV 89501
- Public Space Management and Operations
- Join these open discussion forums and share your experiences to gain insight into everyday challenges you are facing. These sessions will be facilitated by your peers.
- Andrew Jones, Program Director, Downtown Oakland Association, CA
- Donna Labriola, Event & Community Relations Manager, Walnut Creek Downtown, CA
- The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery, 325 E 4th St, Reno, NV 89512
- The Networking Reception is sponsored by Streetplus.
- All attendees MUST wear their name badges to enter receptions, meal functions, plenary sessions and panels.
Friday 17 Jun 2022
- Pre-Function A, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Grab your morning coffee and pastries before sessions start. Breakfast service will be available near the registration desk starting at 8:00 a.m.
- National Automobile Museum – Theatre, Ground Floor, 1 Museum Dr, Reno, NV 89501
- Economic Development
- IDA LPM: 1
- AICP CM: 1
- As districts of all sizes search for creative approaches to tenant attraction and retention to accelerate post-quarantine recovery, a new combination of technology, data and storytelling with demonstrated success in real estate is making waves as an economic development tool for one of San Diego’s largest commercial business districts.
- Reassess the role of visual storytelling in business attraction efforts.
- Explore new ways to partner with the real estate industry for business attraction.
- Define the important role of district leadership as an information provider and storyteller for consideration by Boards or funders.
- Josh Coyne, Director of Government Affairs, Downtown San Diego Partnership, San Diego, CA
- Betsy Brennan, President & CEO, Downtown San Diego Partnership, San Diego, CA
- Nick Griffin, Executive Director, Downtown Center BID, Los Angeles, CA
- Whitney Peak 1, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Public Space Management and Operations
- IDA LPM: 1
- This session will focus on three cities (San Francisco, Berkeley, and Los Angeles) and how they identified challenges the pandemic presented to their downtowns and strategies being implemented to fuel the recovery. Challenges include the increase of homelessness and violence related to the civil unrest; lack of pedestrian traffic and downtown workers; and the role safety, security and cleaning played during the pandemic. Attendees will learn what strategies were implemented and the positive outcomes achieved.
- Understand the negative impact homelessness and violence had in downtown Berkeley and the positive results these strategies achieved.
- Learn how the lack of downtown workers and pedestrians affected downtown San Francisco and the programs implemented to increase foot traffic and downtown workers.
- Understand the negative impact the pandemic had on downtown Los Angeles and how the safety, security, and cleaning programs were instrumental in the recovery.
- Steve Hillard, President and Principal, Streetplus Company, LLC, Brooklyn, NY
- John Caner, Chief Executive Officer, Downtown Berkeley Association, Berkeley, CA
- Robbie Silver, Executive Director, Downtown Community Benefit District, San Francisco, CA
- Anthony Rodriguez, Executive Director, LA Fashion District, Los Angeles, CA
- Sierra Arts Foundation, Riverside, 17 South Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
- Organizational Management
- IDA LPM: 1
- Coming out of the pandemic, all businesses are rethinking their business model, including place management organizations. This session will explore how strategic planning for place management organizations is also translating into the renewal of PBIDs, the primary source of funding for many downtowns in the west. The results may surprise you as illustrated by two downtown organizations that are innovating, and pushing PBID boundaries, including aggressive increases in funding. Hear from San Jose and Long Beach, two cities that are adapting their organizations and PBIDs to new post-pandemic realities.
- Understand the fundamentals of strategic planning for place management organizations and the importance of refreshing organizational business models moving out of the pandemic.
- Learn how strategic planning can guide PBID formation and renewal and encourage more innovative and bold approaches.
- Austin Metoyer, Economic Development and Policy Manager, Downtown Long Beach Alliance, Long Beach, CA
- Chloe Shipp, Deputy Director, San Jose Downtown Association, CA
- Amanda Kannard, Associate, Progressive Urban Management Associates (PUMA), Denver, CO
- Whitney Peak 2&3, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Marketing, Communications and Events
- IDA LPM: 1
- People are eating out, going to events, and traveling again... so why do some districts feel as alive as ever while other districts struggle to bring people back? In this session, leaders from districts of all sizes will share the placemaking, events and marketing strategies that have brought visitors, tourists, and even office workers back downtown. When do we choose between big events or recurring activations? Do we go big with programming, or start small and focus on growth? And what does it take to bring back daytime foot traffic? Attendees will learn why some audiences are reluctant to return, and the role districts can play in persuading them to fall in love with our districts again.
- Learn about the attitudes and barriers that keep people from returning to our districts.
- Hear how districts have helped overcome those attitudes and barriers through communications and programming.
- Dive deep into the decision-making process, including the size and types of programming, funding and messaging for different segments.
- David Romako, Founder, Bright Brothers Strategy Group, AZ
- Andrew Robinson Executive Director, The East Cut Community Benefit District, San Francisco, CA
- Bree von Faith, VP Marketing and Communications, Downtown Center BID, Los Angeles, CA
- Matthew Jervis, Director of Vitality, Marketing, Downtown Berkeley Association, CA
- Whitney Peak 2&3, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Public Space Management and Operations
- IDA LPM: 1
- This year, San Francisco granted $20M for two radically different ambassador programs poised to meet distinct needs exacerbated by the pandemic. One program inspires pride and hospitality as hosts to tourists across various districts. The other partners a business association with a unique social enterprise to radically transform some of the most challenging blocks in the nation. Hear from the team supporting the launch, scalability and management of both programs.
- Learn how to design, launch and scale ambassador programs to meet specific district needs.
- Explore two unique ambassador programs staffing more than 200 staff in less than 6 months. One focuses on community violence prevention staffed primarily by long-time offenders and another on providing hospitality services throughout the city.
- Discover how to go BIG by gathering ideas and strategies for leveraging city investment in downtown organization partnerships and programs post covid.
- Steve Gibson, President/Founder, Urban Place Consulting, Long Beach/San Francisco, CA
- Fernando Pujals, Deputy Director, Mid-Market Business Association & Foundation, San Francisco, CA
- Rena Masten Leddy, LPM, Vice President, Urban Place Consulting, San Francisco, CA
- Mandy Hall, Director, SF Travel Welcome Ambassador Program, San Francisco, CA
- National Automobile Museum – Theatre, Ground Floor, 1 Museum Dr, Reno, NV 89501
- Public Space Management and Operations
- IDA LPM: 1
- This session will explore how cities are reclaiming public spaces after two years with little to no programming and activation. Learn from seasoned professionals’ experiences and creative approaches to breathing new life into the public realm as cities look to reengage with their residents and visitors and recover economically.
- Consider new ways to program public spaces to engage residents and visitors to connect with public life again.
- Learn to manage public spaces to address the new social challenges that are now playing out in the public realm.
- Plan for new types of programming and activation to attract tourists and convention-goers again after two years.
- Marlo Sandler, Program Manager, Civic Center Community Benefit District, San Francisco, CA
- Shaun Drinkard, LPM, Senior Director of Public Programming & Operations, Downtown Tampa Partnership, Tampa, FL
- Madeleine Spencer, Consultant, Santa Ana Business Council, Santa Ana, CA
- Sierra Arts Foundation, Riverside, 17 South Virginia St, Reno, NV 89501
- Public Space Management and Operations
- IDA LPM: 1
- E-scooters and e-bikes are here to stay. Successful shared micro-mobility programs are helping cities through COVID recovery by boosting the local economy, in addition to reducing traffic congestion and emissions and increasing transportation access and equity. However, improper parking remains an issue particularly in denser downtowns. What innovations solve this problem so that cities can maximize the benefits of micro-mobility, without suffering the clutter?
- Learn about cities around the world making the boldest steps to support shared micro-mobility and tackle the parking problem.
- Understand the newest technologies that help ensure riders properly park their vehicles.
- Consider which parking regulations are most and least effective.
- Andrea Korb, Director of Legislative Policy, Bird, Los Angeles, CA
- Suzanne Groneman, Sustainability Program Manager, City Manager's Office, Reno, NV
- Sarah Billings, Street Life Manager, San Jose Downtown Association, CA
- Whitney Peak 1, 3rd Floor, Whitney Peak Hotel
- Marketing, Communications and Events
- LPM: 1
- A conversational session leading with case-studies from Downtown Mesa Association, Tenderloin Community Benefit District, and East Cut Community Benefit District about nontraditional fund development strategies. Place management organizations are going beyond assessments and finding sources to support programs that build communities in their neighborhoods through activation, programming, economic development, and more. Attendees will be able to participate in the moderated conversation on best practices, challenges, and successes, and gain ideas about diversifying funding streams.
- Nancy Hormann, President & Executive Director, Downtown Mesa Association, Mesa, AZ
- Simon Bertrang, Executive Director, Tenderloin Community Benefit District, San Francisco, CA
- Andrew Robinson, Executive Director, The East Cut Community Benefit District, San Francisco, CA
- National Automobile Museum, Gallery 4 Room, 1 Museum Drive, Reno, Nevada 89501
- Lunch will be provided to attendees.
- Brian Sandoval, President, University of Nevada, Reno
- Kaya Stanley, Downtown Reno Partnership Board of Directors and Co-Owner of Old Granite Street Eatery and Rounds Bakery
Sponsors
Urban Champion
District Advocates
Ambassadors
Interesting in Joining CDA? CDA’s membership is diverse, representing hundreds of small businesses and property owners on main streets and in the historic downtowns and business districts. Download the enrollment form for a special offer for WCUDF20 attendees.
Join the California Downtown Association
New members pay only $50 in CDA membership dues for the remainder of 2022 when they attend WCUDF (new members only). Download the application form and read all the details by clicking here.
Interested in Sponsoring?
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Questions?
For assistance or further information, please contact the IDA registration team.
