2009 Michigan Downtown Conference Announced Lansing is Host City

Lansing ? The Michigan Downtown Conference Partners announced today the 2009 Michigan Downtown Conference will be held September 15 ? 16, 2009. This year's conference is being held at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing, Michigan. The conference is being held in an effort to help community leaders revitalize their downtowns and is entitled "The Three C's to Prosperity: Creativity, Collaboration and Competition." Online registration is available at: www.michigandowntownconference.org

The Michigan Downtown Conference Partners include the Michigan Downtown Association (MDA), the Michigan Municipal League (MML), the Michigan State Housing Development Authority's Michigan Main Street Center (MMSC@MSHDA), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, Main Street Oakland County, and the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO). 

"We're excited to feature Lansing," said Joe Borgstrom, Director of the STARS Division at MSHDA. "From Old Town Lansing's dramatic revitalization to the massive redevelopment projects downtown, there's a lot going on in the Greater Lansing area that downtown professionals from around the state can learn from."

This annual conference is dedicated to bringing the best ideas, resources and educational sessions together to create an energetic environment and celebrate the growth of downtowns.

"Our state has some great programs in place to help aid Michigan's communities in their revitalization process," said Daniel Gilmartin, Executive Director and CEO of the Michigan Municipal League.  "Attendees will learn not only from people who oversee state incentive programs, but from people who have actually successfully utilized these programs."
Downtowns across Michigan are encouraged to attend the 2009 Michigan Downtown Conference and learn what it takes to become creative, collaborative and competitive communities.

"We encourage our communities to learn from each other," said Lori Ward, Chairperson of the Michigan Downtown Association. "The Michigan Downtown Conference will focus in on best practices to be used across the state in promoting and growing our historic downtowns."

This conference is for staff, directors and members of downtown development boards, key community leaders and planners, business owners, economic development professionals, members or retail trade and promotion associations. Member of convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce and others interested in promoting tourism and business development should also attend.

The Michigan Downtown Conference is an annual conference to help community leaders create successful strategies and case studies for revitalizing their downtowns. www.michigandowntownconference.org

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