HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole - 04 Mar 2024 - Agenda - Pdf
CITY OF RENTON
AGENDA - Committee of the Whole Meeting
5:45 PM - Monday, March 4, 2024
7th Floor Conferencing Center
1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
a) Presentation
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
MARCH 4, 2024
"INDIVIDUAL COMMITMENT TO A GROUP EFFORT —
THAT IS WHAT MAKES A TEAM WORK, A COMPANY
WORK, A SOCIETY WORK, A CIVILIZATION WORK."
- VINCE LOMBARDI AG
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STRATEGIC WORKPLANS
SMALL & INDEPENDENT BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION & MARKETING
CREATIVE ECONOMY (ARTS & CULTURE)
DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT
LARGE BUSINESS RECRUITMENT
&WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AG
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SMALL & INDEPENDENT
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATIONS
AND MARKETING AG
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CITY WIDE
SMALL
BUSINESS
SUPPORT
Small business liaison program
•Think Tanks: Benson Hill (Jan 19) & Highlands (Mar 15)
•Business Profile Pictures & Networking (Mar 8)
•Startup & Small Business Coworking (Mar 8)
•1:1 city wide small business interviews
•“Business assistant" for City permitting & licensing
Economic Development Newsletters
•Monthly e-newsletter with focused topics, opportunities &
needed data
•Fostering continuous dialogues with business owners
•One step in building a strong relationship between City &
our businesses via consistent & frequent interaction
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CITY WIDE BUSINESS
OUTREACH & INTERVIEWS
Staff members are
conducting one-on-
one interviews with our
businesses to gain a
precise understanding
of their needs.
Common themes of
the issues are
emerging among the
businesses.
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Commonly
Identified Business
Needs
Initial Actions Taken to Address
Marketing & Advertising
Assistance
Marketing contract, rebrand of website and social media channels,
goal to assist small business marketing needs
Security Concerns – Break-
ins cause financial lose
Downtown: Cleaning contract, two dedicated police
Networking Opportunities Facilitate networking events, and business mixers, where
businesses can connect, collaborate, and share resources.
Workshops Work with local providers to collaborate on regular workshops
covering various aspects of business operations, including
marketing, finance, and compliance with city regulations.
Annual
Inspection/Permit/License
Liaison program helps guide business owners through the
licensing and permitting processes to provide clear guidelines
and support
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STOREFRONT DESIGN &
LIGHTING SEMINAR
Goal: Offer support and training to small businesses in
mastering effective merchandising & storefront
marketing strategies.
•Cohosted by the City's Economic Development
Division & Renton Downtown Partnership (Feb 22,
2024)
•Seminar featured presentations from Frontdoor
Back, a nationally-recognized consulting firm, on
best practices for storefront set-up & displays.
•Held at the new Black River Cultural Arts Center in
the City Center Parking Garage.
•Downtown area businesses, as well as several in the
Benson & Sunset areas invited & attended.
•The Renton Downtown Partnership debuted their
2024 small façade improvements grant program.
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RENTON
COMMUNITY
MARKETING
CAMPAIGN
PYRAMID
COMMUNICATIONS
Goal: Elevate Renton’s visibility and reputation as a go-to
destination & top-tier city in the Pacific Northwest for
visitors, tourists, businesses & residents
Actions:
•Develop a 3-year Communication & Marketing Plan
•Rebrand & Launch of the Visit Renton Website & social
media channels
•Develop strong social media partners
•Fill vacant Economic Development Specialist
•Support Small/Independent business marketing needs
•Leverage our “reach” by creating a dynamic method
to support & market our small/independent
businesses
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CREATIVE ECONOMY
ARTS & CULTURE
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ARTS &
CULTURE
MASTER
PLAN
In 2023, Renton initiated a 10-year Arts and Cultural Master
Plan to guide city-wide cultural initiatives. The plan will outline
actionable goals aligned with Renton's mission and values.
•Enhanced community engagement
•Diversity and inclusion
•Leveraging the arts for economic development
•Authentic brand development
•Pedestrian placemaking
•Accessibility for all residents
•Creative Economy: Boost Renton's cultural appeal.
•Building on Success: Capitalize on 2022's $4.6M
economic activity
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ARTS &
CULTURE
HUB
•This new community space,
located in the City Center
Parking Garage, is a result of
collaborative efforts between
City staff and the Renton
Municipal Arts Commission. it
marks a significant step in
Renton's cultural growth,
providing a space for
community interaction,
engagement with the arts
commission, and nurturing the
creative economy in Renton.
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DOWNTOWN/
REDEVELOPMENT
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DOWNTOWN
INITIATIVE UPDATES
•Pavilion – Renton Public Market: In design phase with
work happening on lease, user agreement, and
branding. $1.5M grant
•Piazza Renovations: Moving to conceptual design and
plan to catch up with Pavilion schedule. Working with a
$1.485M grant.
•Heart Block Master Plan: Finalizing plan to help organize
future planning and design
•World Cup / Legacy Square: Moving to conceptual
design and soliciting partnerships
•Public /Private Partnership: Working to develop PPPs –
Focus: partners who generate high foot traffic and bring
positive "experiential" opportunity for people, families
and children.
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LARGE BUSINESS
RECRUITMENT &
WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT AG
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BUSINESS RECRUITMENT
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Multiple Letters of Intent to partner & locate in Renton – Outreach
Building Trust between stakeholders.
Economist & Legal Strategy Support: Establishing an on-call contract with an economist & legal
counsel.
Workforce Development – Kicking off large business interviews in early spring. Goal: Understanding
business workforce needs, hurdles, partners etc.
Strategic planning & ED tools – TIF (Tax Increment Financing)
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DATA AND METRICS
Using best available data to communicate key economic
topics and trends across the City
Data Sources:
•Placer
•Praxis
•PSRC
•US Census
•WA Department of Revenue
•WA Employment Security Department
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WORLD CUP SQUARE – LEGACY PROJECT
CREATE CONSISTENT HEARTBEAT IN
DOWNTOWN
Sports unite people of all cultures and financial spectrums
Goal: Leverage the world's largest sporting event to bring a consistent heartbeat to
our downtown for all. Breaking down financial barriers for participation.
•Goal partners: Sounders, Seahawks, Seawolves, PACNW, City, School District
local business community & more.
•Family Friendly Components: Business Incubator/Start-up anchor space,
Sounders soccer pitch, branded swag shop (World Cup/Renton), live
entertainment, jumbo screen for viewing of local, regional, national &
international sporting (FIFA, Olympics, March Madness, Renton High sports...list
is endless)
Outcomes:
•Deliver an activated community gathering space 2025. A central hub to unite
our community, driving foot traffic & community togetherness.
•Provide year-round programming like live music, sports broadcasts, rallies, arts
showcases, & ECS meetups, designed to remove financial barriers.
•Inclusive Features: Activities and public viewing of events/sports otherwise
difficult to access for all income levels.
•Celebrate Renton - A place to celebrate the community in the heart of the city.
Funding: A partnership between all the partners & grant funds from Port of Seattle.
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THANK YOU
Gina Estep, Economic Development Director
Amanda Free, Economic Development Assistant
Director
And of course, the rest of the Economic
Development Team!!
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