Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
River City Company seeks county support for Scenic Storefronts small‑business grants
Summary
River City Company requested funding to grow its Scenic Storefronts building-improvement matching grant program that helps fill downtown retail spaces, citing downtown’s outsized contribution to county tax revenue and early program successes.
River City Company asked Hamilton County to support its Scenic Storefronts building improvement program, a one-to-one matching grant fund designed to help ground-floor retail fill vacant storefronts and catalyze downtown revitalization.
Emily Mack, president and CEO of River City Company, said downtown produces outsized tax revenue for the county — citing prior-year figures for hotel and general fund contributions — and argued helping small businesses renovate ground-floor spaces supports countywide revenues. Sarah Matson, the organization’s senior director of economic development, described the Scenic Storefronts program as a restricted matching fund that already has approved projects and a pipeline of additional applicants.
River City Company framed the request as investment in long-term tax generation and small-business vitality rather than ongoing operations; commissioners sought a précis of expected county outlay and program accountability measures. No formal county action was taken during the hearing.
