Tourism alone insufficient to fill downtown shops
Printer-Friendly
Email this Letter
Post a Comment (0)
Your July 2 editorial [What is downtown Leesburg?] errs in saying the town “does little advertising to tourists,” and “Leesburg needs a stronger marketing campaign.”
For the fiscal year 2008, the town’s Economic Development team spent more than $130,000 on advertising, public information and public relations, largely to promote tourism.
By my estimate, since 2003 the town has spent more than $3 million in tax dollars on various efforts in the name of attracting tourists and business, including wayfinding signs and various studies of why people don’t shop downtown, plus three full-time staffers at town hall. Staff cannot document one business they have attracted or retained during this period.
But your editorial may be correct in saying that “downtown Leesburg may be trying to do too many things.” Tourism alone is insufficient to fill the shops downtown. The downtown needs to be more functional for town and county residents, which is a much larger market. More businesses and workers means more clients for our struggling stores.
The many downtown shops that have closed in the last month cannot be blamed on government alone. However, the town has shot itself in the foot for years by failing to address heavy-handed regulation and the lack of parking in the historic district.
Town Manager John Wells’ reorganization of our zoning and engineering departments is a significant start. Our council’s unanimous approval of my proposal for a 75-day limit on BAR reviews is significant, but there is more to do with reforming what the BAR reviews and updating our 14-year-old design guidelines.
But it will take time to see the fruit of these reforms. The reorganization only took place July 1, and the limit on BAR reviews on July 8.
In addition, we must look seriously at proposals by members of the Downtown Improvement Association to add more retail, office and residential downtown, which will put more “feet on the street.” In addition, trying to bring a high-quality, privately financed performing arts center to the Leesburg area will attract folks to shop and eat downtown.
In summation, the town government for the first time in years is making serious changes to our processes and is examining expanding parking. These will bring more jobs and opportunities for residents, not just tourists. They will bear more fruit than all the money thrown at marketing, advertising, public relations and studies.
Kenneth Reid
Leesburg Town Council member and council liaison to the Leesburg Economic Development Commission
You must be logged in to post a comment.