Events
About the 2023 Placemaking, Operations & Security Summit
You may not realize it, but both clean and safe teams and programming professionals go hand-in-hand in creating a place for everyone. Join IDA and mpls downtown council & Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District for the Placemaking, Operations & Security Summit on May 10-11, 2023 focusing on the many ways practitioners successfully maintain and manage places.
Placemaking capitalizes on a local community’s assets, inspiration, and potential with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and well-being. It can be accomplished through clean and safe efforts, events, activations, public art programs, intentional design and more. Collaborate and gain ideas from professionals in both sectors and learn how they are coming together to successfully implement placemaking in their communities while managing the public space. Whether you consider yourself a left brain or right brain thinker, if you identify more with marketing or security, there will be a customized learning opportunity at this summit.
Minneapolis is the economic engine of the Upper Midwest, and all roads lead to downtown. The city’s core is home to internationally celebrated James Beard-winning restaurants, world-renowned theatres, four professional sports teams, incredible parks and green space, major public art displays at the Mpls Sculpture Garden and along Nicollet, and breathtaking views of both the skyline and St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River from the Stone Arch Bridge. There truly is something for everyone in downtown Minneapolis.
Keynote Speakers
John Bonhage
FBI Special Agent
John Bonhage entered on duty with the Federal Bureau of Investigation as Special Agent (SA) in 1995. Over the past 27 years he has worked on criminal, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, environmental, aviation security and white-collar crime investigations out of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office. In addition to investigative case work SA Bonhage was on the FBI Minneapolis SWAT team for 20 years and is an FBI certified Firearms Instructor. SA Bonhage currently is the InfraGard and Private Sector Coordinator for Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota and is responsible for FBI liaison with corporations headquartered in the Minneapolis area.
Gabrielle Grier
Gabrielle Grier, GSG Consulting Group, INC, Minneapolis, MN
Gabrielle Grier is an artist, visionary, facilitator and participant of growth, perspective shifts and intentional responses to social and political change. She is contemporary in the sense that she is ever evolving, while being conscious of what ancestry has taught us. She has spent 18 years partnering with schools, art spaces, and organizations to implement systems change which include strategic vision, programmatic development, and organizational culture that keep the voices of people at the center of the work by using the creative process as a throughline for imagination and innovative design. Recently her work has been in North Minneapolis where she led Juxtaposition Arts, an art and design creative hub, retail shop, and gallery. She holds a Master’s in Education in Youth Development and Leadership, and a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and Youth Studies, both from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. 
Dennis Jahnke
Sergeant, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, MN
Sergeant Dennis Jahnke joined the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in 2001 after earning a bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement from Minnesota State University, Mankato. In his tenure, Sgt. Jahnke’s gained valuable practical insight into management challenges and problem solving through his work in county court security, at the adult detention center, and investigating personnel background with the human resources division. Because of his expertise, Sgt. Jahnke was twice chosen for a fellowship position within the FBI, bringing his practical knowledge to the Bureau’s Active Shooter Initiative at FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC. 
Cody Johnson
Co-President of the Minnesota Organized Retail Crime Association
Cody Johnson is the current Co-President of the Minnesota Organized Retail Crime Association. Prior to Co-President Cody has held positions in the organization that include, Board Member and Director of Training and Standards. Cody has spent the 17+ years in retail loss prevention in varying roles at multiple retailers that span from in store LP, analyst, Organized Retail Crime Investigator and most recently Senior Manager – Investigations. Cody holds Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice, Loss Prevention Certification (LPC), Certified Organized Retail Crime Investigator Certification (CORCI) and multiple other accomplishments for his work within the Industry. 
Theresa Sweetland
Theresa Sweetland, Executive Director, Forecast Public Art, Minneapolis, MN
Theresa Sweetland is the Executive Director of Forecast Public Art, a national organization dedicated to advancing justice, health and human dignity through public art. At Forecast, Theresa also serves as the Publisher of FORWARD, a digital publication and conversation series which highlights how artists are partnering with cities, institutions and communities to courageously tackle the vital issues of our time from affordable housing to public health to the fate of our climate. She holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from The University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs with a concentration on community and economic development. 
Laura Zabel
Laura Zabel, Executive Director, Springboard for the Arts, Minneapolis, MN
Laura Zabel is the Executive Director of Springboard for the Arts, an economic and community development agency run by and for artists. Springboard is a nationally recognized leader in artist-led community development, creative placemaking and cross-sector collaboration. Springboard’s work has been featured by The New York Times, PBS, Wall Street Journal, Stanford Social Innovation Review and The Guardian and directly impacts over 20,000 artists each year. Zabel has been honored with numerous awards, including the YBCA 100, Gard Foundation Award of Excellence, Common Future Local Economy Fellowship and the Bush Foundation Leadership Fellowship. Conference Details
The 2023 Placemaking, Operations & Security Summit will be held at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center Hotel at 30 South 7th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 and at various locations throughout downtown Minneapolis.
Explore things to do in downtown Minneapolis here or check out a list of restaurants and retail stores open for business here. View a Google map of the downtown walking paths here and learn about the Skyway System. Visit these webpages (On Nicollet or Nicollet: Minneapolis’s Main Street) to learn about Nicollet – the heart of downtown, or view an accessibility guide here.
Get social! What questions will you come ready to ask? Share them on Twitter #IDAOps23 and #IDAPlace23
Online registration is now closed for the 2023 Placemaking, Operations & Security Summit. You may register on-site at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota Meeting Room foyer on the 6th floor, located 30 South 7th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 on May 10-11, 2023.
On-site registration times and rates:
- Wednesday, May 10: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
- Thursday, May 11: 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. ET
- The on-site registration rate is $250USD Member | $300USD Nonmember
Cancellation Policy: Written notice of cancellation is required. If a cancellation is received via email by April 19, 2023, there will be no penalty. Cancellations received via email after April 19, 2023 will receive a refund less a $100 processing fee. If a tour cancellation is received via email by April 19, 2023, there will be no penalty. Tour cancellations received via email after April 19, 2023 will not receive a refund. Refunds will be processed approximately 30 days after the event. Please send the cancellation notification to the International Downtown Association by emailing registration@downtown.org.
Substitutions: Substitutions of complete registrations (including tours and/or workshops) are gladly accepted prior to the event start date. Please submit a written request to registration@downtown.org before Monday, May 8, 2023 at 3 pm ET 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.
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 registration. If you are registering for someone else or a group, please find out their selection(s) 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.
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.
Outstanding Balance: Please note, if you have an outstanding balance for this event and/or tour(s), you will not receive your badge on-site or be allowed to attend tours until payment is received. Please contact registration@downtown.org prior to your arrival on-site to pay your outstanding balance.
By registering you are agreeing to IDA’s Event Agreement and Code of Conduct and IDA Attendee Assumption of Risk, Waiver and Release Form.
The deadline has passed for the 2023 Placemaking, Operations & Security Summit attendee rate at Minneapolis Marriott City Center, located at 30 South 7th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402. To inquire about available rooms, call the reservations team at 1-800-228-9290 or (612) 349-4000.
About Minneapolis Marriott City Center Hotel
Minneapolis Marriott City Center is at a prime location in the heart of downtown. Top attractions like Target Center, Target Field and US Bank Stadium are close by and easily accessible year-round with climate-controlled skyways with access directly from the hotel. Also, enjoy an evening in the signature bar and restaurant, Aurora.
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.
Travel
Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) is approximately 20 minutes (13 miles) from the Minneapolis Marriott City Center hotel. Taxi/Uber/Lyft is approximately $30-$40 USD one-way. The Metro Transit Light Rail Train (Blue Line) is also available from the MSP Airport to Nicollet Mall, which is approximately 25-30 minutes. From Nicollet Mall, the Minneapolis Marriott City Center hotel is a 4-minute walk. The metro runs every 12-15 minutes, starting at roughly 4:00am until 11:30pm. Click here for more information.
IDA is committed to making our educational sessions accessible to everyone, regardless of ability, and to reasonably accommodating the assistive needs of our members, attendees and partners. We are actively working to increase the accessibility of our offerings. In so doing, we strive to comply with the available standards and guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act and related laws to the greatest extent possible. If you are having trouble accessing an IDA offering, or have a question regarding session accessibility features, please contact IDA at registration@downtown.org for assistance.
By attending the 2023 Placemaking, Operations & Security Summit, certified Leaders in Place Management will earn 6 credit hours toward the renewal of their LPM certification. Please visit downtown.org/certification to learn more about becoming certified or recording continuing education units.
IDA is an AICP credit provider. AICP members can earn Certification Maintenance (CM) credits for sessions. When CM credits are available, they are noted in the program. IDA’s 2023 sessions provide an easy way for AICP certified planners to earn their CM credits.
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. Please note, all times listed are Central Time and all prices are in USD.
For decades, urban place management professionals have acted as leaders of their communities by undertaking the strategic and visionary work of city building. IDA has developed seven official knowledge domains, recognizing the distinct areas of professional practice used to shape vibrant urban districts which anchor the well-being of towns, cities, and regions around the world. Content for IDA’s forums, summits and conferences is organized around this framework. The Placemaking, Operations & Security Summit content is organized around the Public Space Management and Operations domain. For more information about each domain, visit the Career Center.
Conference Program
- Wednesday 10 May 2023
- Thursday 11 May 2023
- Friday 12 May 2023
Wednesday 10 May 2023
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota Meeting Room Foyer (Sixth floor)
- $25
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center Hotel Lobby, 30 South 7th Street
- Please meet no later than 12:40 p.m. in the hotel lobby
- How do great places help make a city more livable? Visit several key downtown Minneapolis locations on a guided tour to explore how the Mpls Downtown Improvement District and its partners connect the dots between people, places and things to cultivate a more vibrant downtown. Enjoy a guided tour through the Nicollet Office, the Alley Project, Peavey Plaza, The Commons, Loring Greenway and more! *This tour includes walking; please plan accordingly.
- $25
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center Hotel Lobby, 30 South 7th Street
- Please meet no later than 12:40 p.m. in the hotel lobby
- How can UPMOs rise to meet the new challenges of the day and keep their districts running smoothly and effectively? Join us for a walking tour of the Mpls Downtown Improvement District from an operations perspective and learn how the local team approaches the delivery of core services and innovates to meet emerging needs.The guided tour stops to include the DID Operations Center, Safety Communication Center, Community Storage Space, Streetscape management and Peavey Plaza. *This tour includes walking; please plan accordingly.
- The Dayton’s Project, 700 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402 (ENTRANCE: 44 S. Eight Street)
- Join IDA, mpls downtown council and Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District for the opening reception at The Dayton’s Project. For generations, Dayton’s presented inspiration and aspiration to the people of the Twin Cities and has recently been redesigned for the 21st century with a first of its kind office, retail, and entertainment space. *The Dayton’s Project is quick 2-minute walk (or approximately 0.1 mile) from the Minneapolis Marriott City Center hotel. Please plan accordingly.
- The Opening Reception is sponsored by Downtown Decorations.
Thursday 11 May 2023
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota Meeting Room Foyer (Sixth floor)
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota Meeting Room Foyer (Sixth floor)
- The Intersection of Placemaking, Place Management and Security
- Join four CEOs and Executive Directors for a conversation around the intersection of placemaking, place management and security in their districts. Learn more about their leadership journeys and how they have guided their respective districts through change, both internally and externally during the past several years
- David Downey, President & CEO, IDA (Washington, DC)
- Leona Agouridis, Executive Director, Golden Triangle BID (Washington, DC)
- Steve Cramer, President & CEO, Minneapolis Downtown Council and Minneapolis DID (Minneapolis, MN)
- Kate Fenske, CEO, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
- Shelonda Stokes, President, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota (Sixth floor)
- The Opening Plenary is sponsored by Block by Block.
- Table-top Exhibit Area
- Learn about game changing solutions for your community. Visit with exhibiting sponsors and share the information with your team.
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota Foyer (Sixth floor)
- Learn the basics of how place management professionals can facilitate placemaking in their work to engage communities and foster vibrant, inclusive and authentic places. Learn practical definitions, identify the “why”, explore goals and strategies, discuss community-led processes and co-creation, recognize opportunities for financial and in-kind contributions, and apply the right tools for the project and/or program.
- Learn how placemaking can be used to engage communities inclusively and foster collaboration and communication
- Gain an understanding of placemaking as an inclusive process
- Recognize the critical phases of placemaking implementation, including program development, budgets, and in-kind contributions.
- TBD
- Sherryl, Muriente, M.U.R.P., LPM Public Realm Director, West Palm Beach DDA, (FL)
- Lisa Middag, Director of Public Space Engagement, Minneapolis DID, (MN)
- The Dayton's Project- Conference Center, 2nd Floor, 44 S. Eighth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402
- An entertainment district means foot traffic, economic development, amenities and a unique set of challenges. Many districts – large and small – are developing new strategies to engage with their nighttime economy in terms of operations, placemaking and security. Come learn from experiences in Denver, Austin and Minneapolis to gain insights into managing a successful, safe and fun district.
- Develop an understanding of unique operational and security challenges in nightlife districts.
- Learn strategies to address operational and security challenges.
- Gain an understanding of placemaking tools to improve outcomes and reduce harm.
- Ben Shardlow, Director of Urban Design, Minneapolis Downtown Council and Minneapolis DID (MN)
- Brandon Fahey, Director of Downtown Experience, Downtown Austin Alliance (TX)
- Vincent Martinez, LPM, Senior Director Downtown Environment, Downtown Denver Partnership (CO)
- Table-top Exhibit Area
- Learn about district enhancements and solutions your team should be aware of in order to level up.
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota (Sixth floor)
- While enjoying lunch, learn from a panel of experts from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and Minnesota Organized Retail Crime Association about programs and resources they offer in your community.
- Learn about the Global Shield Network and how to participate.
- Learn about InfraGard and how to participate.
- Learn about the Organized Retail Crime Resource Center and how to participate.
- Shane Zahn, Director of Safety Initiatives, Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District, Minneapolis, MN
- Sergeant Dennis Jahnke, Criminal Intelligence Division, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, North Central HIDTA – Investigative Support Center (ISC)
- John Bonhage, MP, PSC, FBI, Special Agent
- Cody Johnson, The Organized Retail Crime Resource Center
- Table-top Exhibit Area
- Meet innovative products and services and spend time with companies that reinvest in the place making industry.
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota Foyer (Sixth floor)
- Operations in the place management field covers a wide scope of work from cleaning and maintenance to providing on-street services addressing safety and quality of life issues. For new professionals to be successful in their role as operations staff they need to have a basic understanding of building and running a successful operations program that caters to the unique challenges and opportunities in their districts. In this session we’ll examine key practices and principles of implementing a successful operations program on any budget that will enable you and your team to support your organizations wider place management efforts.
- Understand the role of operations in place management.
- Learn key strategies to build successful operations programs on any budget.
- Understand the role data plays in running a successful program.
- Melvin Eledge, LPM, Director of Operations, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc, MI
- Vincent Martinez, LPM, Senior Director, Downtown Environment, Downtown Denver Partnership, CO
- The Dayton's Project- Conference Center, 2nd Floor
- Placemaking and activations can take many shapes and forms. Join this session to learn from seasoned professionals with a wide range of experience activating public spaces. With a focus on producing unique urban experiences and animating streets, parks, and public spaces, these panelists work to create opportunities for pedestrians to engage with public art, performances and events. Learn about their audiences and how they determine when and where to produce different activations.
- Understand the importance of planning your calendar in advance.
- Explore engaging residents in the planning process.
- Learn how to measure success.
- Eileen Cassidy, Vice President Downtown Experience, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Cleveland (OH)
- Shaun Drinkard, LPM, Interim President, Tampa Downtown Partnership (FL)
- Rachel Radawec, LPM, Senior Manager of Public Space and Community Engagement, Tampa Downtown Partnership, (FL)
- Table-top Exhibit Area
- Invest in new solutions; explore options for your next budget cycle. Sponsors came to share ideas and meet you.
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota (Sixth floor)
- Join this session to gain an understanding of the positive ways in which IDA members are engaging with those unhoused in their districts and how they are partnering with service providers to provide services. Learn how other downtown districts have implemented outreach and engagement strategies, including a community storage program, social outreach worker initiatives, and youth outreach and engagement strategies.
- Discover how to implement programs in your district.
- Explore the importance of partnering with service providers.
- Pat Powell, Chief of Staff, Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (Washington, DC)
- Joe Kreisman, Social Impact Manager, Minneapolis DID (MN)
- Cory Luster, Vice President, Public Space Maintenance, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Inc. (MD)
- Chico Lockhart, Director of Outreach Services, Block by Block (Cincinnati, OH)
- The Dayton's Project- Conference Center, 2nd Floor
- Join this fun and enlightening Pecha Kucha style presentation and learn from numerous practitioners working in the areas of placemaking and operations when their best laid plans just didn’t go the way they wanted.
- Understand that sometimes the best laid plans don’t always turn out the way you thought.
- Learn from other practitioner's experiences.
- F. Philip Barash, Urbanist, writer, flâneur, Public Sphere Projects, Santa Fe, NM
- Sherryl, Muriente, M.U.R.P., LPM Public Realm Director, West Palm Beach DDA (FL)
- Lisa Middag, Director of Public Space Engagement, Minneapolis DID (MN)
- Melvin Eledge, LPM, Director of Operations, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc (MI)
- Erin Goodman, Executive Director, SODO BIA, Seattle (WA)
- Dinu Philip Alex, Operations & Special Projects Manager, Edmonton Downtown Business Association, Edmonton (AB)
- Rachel Radawec, LPM, Director of Public Space Operations and Programming, Tampa Downtown Partnership (FL)
- Table-top Exhibit Area
- Curated and invited because they can solve industry-specific issues; meet with exhibiting sponsors.
- How artists reimagine public safety as community safety by prioritizing healing, expression, and community control.
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, Minnesota (Sixth floor)
- Speaker: Theresa Sweetland, Executive Director, Forecast Public Art, Minneapolis, MN
- Speaker: Gabrielle Grier, GSG Consulting Group, INC, Minneapolis, MN
- Speaker: Laura Zabel, Executive Director, Springboard for the Arts, Minneapolis, MN
- Table-top Exhibit Area
- Stop by to learn about solutions that could make you more efficient and save you time.
- The Alley Project, 915 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
- The Mpls Downtown Improvement District is championing the development of a new gathering place in the heart of downtown in collaboration with neighborhood partners. The alley project located at the 900 Hennepin block is transforming an underutilized space into a hub of cultural activity where participants shape the place and what happens in it.
- The Closing Reception is sponsored by American Security LLC.
Friday 12 May 2023
- $50
- Minneapolis Marriott City Center, 30 South 7th Street, Hotel Lobby
- Please meet no later than 8:40 a.m. in the hotel lobby
- After three years of research and work – and then a pandemic that nearly derailed it all – Saint Paul’s first ever improvement district launched on January 1, 2021 in downtown. What is it like to establish a DID when you have no “before times” to refer to? A fresh slate. When you’re starting at square one there’s nowhere to go but up The Saint Paul Downtown Alliance has strategically used the introduction of the SPDID and other recovery-focused initiatives to launch the new StPL brand for downtown that better reflects the city’s younger, more diverse population and a creates a holistic sense of place that had been missing. This tour will lead attendees through downtown to visit key sites where approaching operations, safety and placemaking through the StPL lens have been most impactful. *This tour includes transportation and walking; please plan accordingly.
- Note: Please book your departure flight after 3:30 p.m. CT to allow travel time to the airport upon conclusion of the tour.
Sponsors
Urban Champion
District Advocate
Ambassadors
Interested in Sponsoring?
Summit Sponsorships are now available! Reap the rewards of efficient marketing alongside IDA’s trusted platform.
Interesting in Hosting?
If you are interested in hosting a future event, contact Lul Teklit, IDA’s Meeting Planner.
Questions?
For assistance or further information, please contact the IDA registration team.
