(Washington, DC) – On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Mayor Muriel Bowser will attend ICSC LAS VEGAS (ICSC) to attract retailers to Washington, DC. This economic mission is coordinated by the Washington, DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP), which has organized the District’s presence at ICSC since 1999. Mayor Bowser and the Partnership’s presence at ICSC has resulted in major grocery stores and retail anchors opening new stores in DC, including Lidl, Wegmans, Whole Foods, Apple, Target, Burlington, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and others.
“We know that Washingtonians in every part of DC want access to fantastic amenities. From the Lidl in Ward 7 to the Wegmans in Ward 3, those are conversations that started at ICSC,” said Mayor Bowser. “Through programs like the Food Access Fund and the Neighborhood Prosperity Fund, we have made good progress in filling amenity gaps, but there is still more to do to ensure greater accessibility and equity – and filling those gaps and supporting the continued transformation of Downtown will be a focus of this trip.”
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and WDCEP will release a Request for Market Information to solicit information from retailers about their interest in pursuing Downtown store locations and to engage with them on their growth and expansion strategies.
“We will be engaging top retail brands about locating here in Washington, DC,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert. “From our thriving neighborhood business corridors to our Downtown, DC offers retailers the opportunity to enhance the quality of life for Washingtonians, as well as gain access to regional, national and global customers.”
ICSC LAS VEGAS is the global convention for the shopping center industry and provides networking, deal making, and educational opportunities for retail real estate professionals from around the world. The District’s goals for this year’s ICSC include expanding the Washington, DC brand as a premier business environment and investment opportunity; generating business leads for major development projects and DC’s neighborhood corridors, including Downtown; fostering business relationships and engaging with new prospects including retailers and brokers for later cultivation; and promoting the unique retail and restaurant opportunities in our neighborhoods.
“Over the last 24 years, Washington DC has a proven track record of successfully attracting companies at ICSC Las Vegas,” said Derek Ford, President and CEO of WDCEP. "Our efforts at this conference have brought Wegmans, Home Depot, Lidl, Target, Apple, and Costco to the District. These are just a few of the more than 300 businesses that we helped bring to Washington DC, generating over $100 million in annual tax revenue, and occupying nearly 5 million square feet of retail space.”
In 1999, DC’s first year at ICSC, the District collected $456 million in taxes annually from retail-related activities. Since then, that figure has more than doubled to $1.4 billion annually.
The WDCEP’s booth at ICSC will include a suite of conference rooms capable of accessing the entire portfolio of major real estate developments in the District. Further, site selection teams will have access to real-time site selection tools for every neighborhood in the District.
District Government representatives attending ICSC will include:
- Mayor Muriel Bowser
- Chairman Phil Mendelson, Council of the District of Columbia
- Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, At-Large
- Councilmember Brooke Pinto, Ward 2
- Councilmember Zachary Parker, Ward 5
- Nina Albert, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
- Beverly Perry, Senior Advisor to Mayor Muriel Bowser
- Lindsey Parker, Chief of Staff, Executive Office of the Mayor
- Brian Hanlon, Director, Department of Buildings
- Sybongile Cook, Director of Business Development & Strategy, DMPED
- Pam Frentzel-Beyme, Director of Real Estate, DMPED
- Jamie Scott, Deputy Director of Business Development & Strategy, DMPED
- Sarosh Olpadwala, Office of the Senior Advisor
- Jonathan McNair, Deputy Chief of Staff, Councilmember McDuffie
- Rachelle Roberts, Chief of Staff, Councilmember Parker
About WDCEP
WDCEP is a nonprofit, public-private partnership at the core of economic development in Washington, DC. We connect national and international corporations to the public and private sector to advance sustainable and inclusive economic development. The Partnership’s mission is to foster and enhance economic growth and business prospects in Washington, DC, while providing support for business retention, expansion, and attraction initiatives. To learn more, visit www.wdcep.com.
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