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EDC reports dozens of retail, entertainment and life‑science leads from recent conferences
Summary
Economic development staff reported meetings at ICSC Las Vegas, SelectUSA and upcoming Bio International in Boston with follow‑ups on retail, food and life‑science prospects; staff said many opportunities remain contingent on local zoning and site readiness.
DeSoto economic development staff told the board they completed dozens of business development meetings at recent industry conferences and returned with follow‑up opportunities across retail, food and life‑science sectors.
At the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) conference in Las Vegas, staff reported roughly 34 meetings over 48 hours, including retailers, food‑and‑beverage concepts, data vendors and entertainment concepts. Staff said about 15 new retailer prospects and roughly six development opportunities emerged for further work.
At SelectUSA, staff said the Texas pavilion and regional outreach generated about 300 total leads and roughly 15 DeSoto‑specific follow‑up opportunities focused on biotech, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. The EDC said it will attend the Bio International Conference in Boston the following week and had eight meetings scheduled there with life‑science brokers and regional developers.
Antoine, a staff presenter, walked through counts and specific categories from the shows and said the trips generated measurable leads but noted those conversations often depend on the city resolving local site and zoning questions before deals can be advanced. He said the team has already started follow‑up with developers and retailers.
The board discussed communications and community messaging around the trips. One board member urged staff to “brag a little” in the newsroom by sharing pictures and meeting highlights so constituents can see active outreach. Staff agreed to tailor messaging for both business audiences and the general public.
Staff compared DeSoto’s representation to neighboring cities at ICSC, noting some peer cities had fewer scheduled meetings or smaller delegations. They also said multiple hotel projects are in progress, and that DeSoto’s near‑term hotel inventory is projected to reach about 1,300 keys within roughly a year, which staff said supports additional retail and entertainment activity.
Board members reiterated the recurring theme: conferences generate interest, but the city’s ability to convert meetings into on‑the‑ground projects depends on clearing zoning, parking and adjacency questions and on timely city responses.
No formal board action was taken during the outreach report.
