Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Prince George’s County panel urges targeted industries, incentives and permitting fixes to grow commercial tax base
Summary
Economic development leaders and county staff urged shifting from incentive-driven deals to industry targeting (health, IT, research, sports/entertainment), leveraging a $50 million EDI fund and using TIFs/PILOTs, while council members pressed for better coordination, branding and faster permitting to retain businesses.
Panelists at the Prince George’s County council retreat recommended a more intentional economic‑development strategy focused on targeted industries, coordinated permitting and stronger branding to capture retail, tourism and high‑wage jobs.
Tracy Benjamin, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Economic Development, told the council the county should move from "incentive‑driven development" to "intentional revenue generation" by courting industries that fit local assets such as transit stations and proximity to airports. Benjamin said the county’s Economic Development Incentive (EDI) fund—initially seeded with $50 million—has leveraged more than $1.4 billion in private capital to date. "This tool was created with, a $50,000,000 injection, and today, we have leveraged over $1,400,000,000 in capital investment with that $50,000,000," she said.
Panelists identified three priority industry clusters from the county’s 2022 strategy: hospitals and health services, information technology, and research‑intensive industries (including bioscience and engineering). Redevelopment Authority representatives emphasized investing in competitive venues and renovating existing facilities to grow sports, entertainment and tourism as recurring revenue sources. Jonathan R. Butler, director of Housing and Community Development, argued housing and mixed‑use projects can be revenue engines by stabilizing property values, creating construction jobs and activating retail that expands the commercial tax base.
Councilmembers raised operational concerns: several asked for clearer coordination between economic development agencies and Park and Planning after citing missed opportunities on county‑owned parcels, and multiple members urged a one‑stop approach for businesses to land in the county. Panelists said they meet weekly with Park and Planning leadership and have created a permit rapid‑response team; they invited council members to participate in an upcoming economic‑development "huddle" to align planning, permits and incentives.
Panelists also confirmed the county is considering and using incentive tools such as pilot agreements and tax increment financing (TIF) for sufficiently large commercial projects, in addition to grants for existing businesses. The session closed with a working‑lunch plan to refine the economic development toolbox and further district‑level outreach.
No formal policy decisions were adopted during the session; panelists and staff committed to follow up on marketing, a startup/venture study, and operational steps to speed permitting and improve coordination.
