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City weighs coupon mailer, URA projects and limited promotion to support local businesses
Summary
Staff presented survey findings and sales‑tax indicators showing brick-and-mortar sales up ~32% YTD and food establishments up ~25% YTD; staff proposed low‑intervention options (mailers, ads) and said property owners prefer URA‑funded public improvements over tenant‑level support.
City staff briefed the council on options to support Castle Pines’ brick‑and‑mortar businesses, describing outreach with the chamber, landlords and individual merchants and presenting aggregate sales‑tax changes as an indicator of local activity.
Staff said they are in a research phase and presented a short menu of potential tactics: a mailed coupon/awareness card sent to every resident, rotating business highlights or ads in local publications, and continued partnership with the chamber. The presenter said many property owners prefer the city focus on URA‑eligible public improvements (streetscape, access and façade projects) rather than intervening with individual tenants.
As context, staff reported that aggregate brick‑and‑mortar sales tax was up about 32% year‑to‑date over last year and that food establishments were up about 25% YTD; staff emphasized sales tax is an imperfect proxy for business health and noted several businesses that reported cash flow or equipment‑cost pressures despite higher sales. The presenter also said that out of approximately 14 restaurants in the city, most are showing gains and only a small number are down year‑to‑date.
Council members raised concerns about potential downsides of a city‑run restaurant week or coupon program, including timing (retail seasonality), who bears the cost of discounts and whether such promotions can disadvantage independent merchants. One council member suggested consulting the regional restaurant week organizers to benchmark expectations and financial outcomes.
Staff did not request immediate council action but asked for direction on desired involvement; they will continue to gather merchant feedback and may return with a formal policy question once recommended approaches are refined.
