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EDP monthly update: staff reports rising project activity, downtown PID outreach and upcoming events
Summary
At its Feb. 2 meeting, the Economic Development Partnership Board received a monthly update: staff reported 10 new leads in January, 25 active projects in the pipeline and outreach to downtown property owners about a possible public improvement district.
The board received its monthly operations update for January on Feb. 2. The board approved the minutes from the January meeting by voice vote at the meeting’s start.
Britney Sotella and Matilda Weeden reviewed business engagement, marketing and recruitment activity. Sotella said the department is coordinating small-business workshops for residents and a lunch-with-the-expert panel on Feb. 28 that will include a CPA, a lender and an attorney to advise sole proprietors and LLCs.
Matilda Weeden described a downtown public improvement district (PID) outreach session for property owners based on the downtown master plan’s recommended boundaries. Staff reported about a dozen property owners attended the in-person session, and staff has sent surveys and postcards to downtown property owners to collect feedback.
On marketing and prospecting, staff said a new community profile and recruitment templates are complete and available to use for site visits; staff reported a site selector praised the new materials during a recent prospect visit. Christina Davis submitted six RFIs in January to the governor’s office, staff said; the RFIs together represent more than 1,500 potential jobs and roughly $530 million in capital, though not all leads will result in projects. Sotella said the department counted 10 new leads for January and currently manages about 25 active projects in various stages; staff said company names remain confidential in pipeline reports.
Other updates: a fine arts theater project is planning an April 2026 opening, and Denton will host a governor’s small business summit in October with participation from Texas Woman’s University, the city and the chamber. Staff also described a “Best Place for Working Parents” program to provide a free designation for local employers who complete a survey and meet program criteria.
Ending: Staff said they will circulate marketing materials, the strategic-plan dashboard and a more detailed pipeline report to board members in the coming weeks; board members requested follow-up materials on downtown PID responses and upcoming prospect activity.
