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Payson committee touts golf tournament as business‑recruitment tool; ICSC trip and Sam’s Club contact highlighted
Summary
Members of the Payson City Economic Development Committee said the city’s golf tournament and targeted industry outreach are being used to recruit physicians and retailers, and committee members previewed planned meetings at the ICSC retail conference.
Members of the Payson City Economic Development Committee said the city’s annual golf tournament is proving useful as a business‑recruitment and physician‑recruitment tool and assigned members to identify two prospective businesses or companies to invite to the event.
Brian, a committee member, opened the discussion by asking members to use the tournament as an outreach tool. "What I'd like what we're looking for is we're looking for people that are getting are gonna bring a business here that employs people," he said, asking each committee member to seek two prospects to review with him before invitations go out. The group discussed focusing hole sponsorships on themes such as "adventure," education and health care to better showcase local assets.
Kevin, a hospital representative, described how the tournament helped his organization recruit physicians. Kevin said the event allowed potential recruits to see local growth and amenities and that, after a day with the team, two physicians committed to regular block time in the hospital’s operating rooms. "As a result ... they made the decision to get block time and now we have both of them have regular block time," Kevin said, explaining the tournament's role in relationship building.
Committee members also previewed an upcoming trip to ICSC, the national retail real‑estate conference. Brian and Mayor‑level representatives planned meetings with retail and restaurant site selectors, including an appointment with a site‑selection contact for Sam’s Club and a scheduled meeting with state Senate President Stuart Adams. The group said they also have a broker meeting for a potential Texas Roadhouse and are pursuing contacts that could bring a Sam’s Club or other major retailers to Payson.
On local recruitment, the committee reported progress on larger projects: a hotel site plan has final preapproval and developers are expected to submit building permits soon. Members noted private investment activity around proposed Mavericks (gas station) sites and said developers have used public marketing and ribbon cuttings to drive awareness of openings.
The committee described the golf event’s logistics and outreach: themed holes, digital and printed invitations, marketplace tents, two helicopters for the event, massage services and name tags to help attendees network. The committee tentatively discussed holding the event the "third of October," and said they plan monthly follow‑ups on outreach progress.
Committee members also emphasized marketing to retain businesses. Teresa, a local business owner who was the committee’s spotlight this month, described long experience running Copy Central & Scrapbook and said marketing—not product selection—is the biggest challenge for small retailers. "Marketing is totally the number 1 thing you have to do," Teresa said, recounting that Google work helped her become the top local result for searches and that consistent marketing helped increase foot traffic.
The committee did not take formal votes at the meeting. Members asked staff to continue outreach to targeted retailers and to report back on recruitment contacts made at ICSC.
