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Aurora economic development staff report strong ICSC turnout, new retail leads including hotel and specialty concepts
Summary
Staff said Aurora’s ICSC booth drew many walk‑ups and prearranged meetings, generated updated industry contacts and produced potential leads including hotel interest at 9 Mile, value‑add centers and new retail concepts such as an Asian Pacific lifestyle center and a dog‑centric social club.
Economic development staff presented an International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) recap to the Planning and Economic Development Committee on Aug. 9, describing meetings, leads and outreach at the year’s commercial real‑estate convention.
Bob (economic development staff) said the city staffed a booth at the convention and scheduled dozens of meetings: "There's about 45 meeting slots in a day and a half ... we have 42 meetings prescheduled before we get there. We leave 3 openings for walk ups and we add a 129 walk ups to the booth," he said, and reported the team captured updated contact information from many industry attendees. The presentation said roughly 25,000 people attended the convention and staff reported more walk‑ups and prescheduled meetings than prior years.
Bob described several specific leads and concepts. A major hotel chain expressed interest in the 9 Mile site; staff plan to involve an agency partner to evaluate appropriate hotel flags. Staff said they are identifying "value‑add" shopping centers in Aurora that could be targets for renovation and retenanting and expected to identify about 20 such centers by the end of the month. Representatives from a dog‑centric social club described a multi‑use concept with dining, events, pickleball and dog agility areas; staff said the group is exploring either new construction or retrofitting existing retail buildings. Another lead was an Asian Pacific‑focused lifestyle shopping center anchored by an H Mart‑type supermarket; Bob said similar centers have drawn heavy customers in other markets.
Council members asked about follow‑up. Bob said staff follow up with contacts from ICSC and will report notable outcomes in future sales reports; several council members suggested additional outreach to local commercial developers who do not attend ICSC regularly so they are included in retailer conversations. No formal action or incentives were approved at the meeting. Staff said discussions with developers and retail prospects will continue and that any incentives or agreements would be considered separately.
