Marketing Kit Invites Accelerated Investment in Prince George’s City Centre
Initiatives Prince George Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Downtown Partnership today released a City Centre marketing kit aimed at attracting investment in downtown projects. The kit will be a major tool in upcoming marketing events and activities IPG and the City of Prince George will engage in, beginning with the annual International Council of Shopping Centres Conference this coming weekend. As well, realtors and others representing downtown properties can use the marketing kit to support their own efforts.
A feature component of the kit is a 16 page full-colour prospectus highlighting development opportunities in the City Centre of Prince George. Flowing from the ‘Smart Growth on the Ground’ plan completed in 2009, the brochure maps out projects in catalyst districts of the downtown. It also describes current and planned investment, both public and private, including stimulus projects like the $25m RCMP Detachment and $15m Downtown District Energy System that the City of Prince George is moving forward with in its commitment to downtown revitalization.
The development of the marketing kit is one of a series of action items identified in the Downtown Partnership’s plan for downtown development.
Mayor Dan Rogers, Chair of the multi-stakeholder Downtown Partnership states, “An effective and targeted marketing program has been recognized as a major component of an integrated downtown development strategy, and I have no doubt that this product will attract the interest of investors.”
The prospectus affirms economic growth stimulus to the city overall stemming from Prince George’s successful bid to host the 2015 Canada Winter Games; expansion of regional resource development and its impact on the city as a supply and services centre; the growth of Prince George as an international transportation hub; Prince George being ranked #1 as having the most cost-competitive business location amongst cities profiled in Pacific US and Canada by KPMG; and dominance as a health and education centre.
Katherine Scouten, Vice President Economic Development for Initiatives Prince George and co-lead on the Downtown Partnership is optimistic about the impact of marketing, “Prince George is experiencing growth after a long period of diversification, and this brings genuine opportunity for investment and re-vitalization in the core of Northern BC’s largest city.” The impact of today’s launch is buoyed by other news this week that BC Stats has estimated Prince George’s population growth this past year at 1.2% following 4 years of consecutive growth of 0.8% annually. Scouten adds, “This confirms the time is right”.
Development sites owned and promoted by the City of Prince George are identified in the Prospectus, along with prospective mixed use, commercial, residential and institutional projects for the City Centre.
Ian Wells, Manager Real Estate for the City and also co-lead with the Downtown Partnership adds, “Revitalization is underway already in our downtown, we look forward to communicating this with developers while discussing specific projects.”
Further marketing activities and events are planned for 2011, and will include more detail on the new Revitalization Tax Exemption by-law that the City of Prince George will advance this year. The new program currently under development includes an ‘early-benefit’ option for developers that would make it unique within British Columbia.
Partners in this project are members of the Downtown Partnership: City of Prince George, Initiatives Prince George, Downtown Prince George, Lheidli T’enneh, RCMP, Prince George Chamber of Commerce, Beyond Homelessness Standing Committee, Prince George Native Friendship Centre, and Northern Health.
Contact Initiatives Prince George at 250-564-0282 for more information about the marketing kit, or visit www.pgcitycentre.ca the prospectus can be downloaded.
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