Determined to grow local trade areas that are “under-retailed,” the New Orleans Business Alliance once again took to the national stage at the world’s largest retail industry conference. 

Held in early May, the International Council of Shopping Centers annual conference attracts national chains and franchise leaders and decision-makers from all corners of the nation.

The Business Alliance’s goal? Meet those leaders where they are to attract jobs, grow the tax base, and improve the quality of life for all New Orleanians.

As we have for the past several years, the New Orleans Business Alliance led a delegation to RECon to engage the more than 37,000 industry professionals and 1,200 exhibitors.

Preparing for RECon

With such a large number of professionals and exhibitors in attendance, the New Orleans delegation takes a targeted approach that requires preparation weeks in advance. The Business Alliance uses industry-leading analytic tools to identify the best retail matches for communities within Orleans Parish.

With the key information and packages in hand, the team relentlessly pursues retailers attending the Las Vegas event to convince them to come to our city. 

Convincing Prospects

A key goal of the delegation is to market the city’s assets and convince retail prospects to conduct site visits in New Orleans. Our tools are data and research.

The delegation also attends information sessions to gain insight into best retail and mixed-used development practices used by other cities in order to find the best fits for the Crescent City.

The New Orleans delegation consisted of a strong and diverse group that included a mix of real estate professionals, law firms, local and regional economic development organizations, community leaders and public officials.

Together, we positioned the New Orleans brand and worked more than 140 touchpoints with key retail professionals.

Retail Moving Forward

A strong diverse retail sector is important for any city, especially in such a unique city like New Orleans. A modern retail environment attracts more visitors, provides more jobs, adds to our already incredible quality of life, and creates opportunities for place-based investments to fit all of our neighborhoods.

For the New Orleans Business Alliance, retail recruitment is a year-round effort, and we appreciate our supporting partners!

A very special thanks to the New Orleans representatives: Downtown Development District, Stirling Properties, ANNALA + WILLS, First Hartford Realty Corporation, JECohen & Co., The Domain Companies, The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk and Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, LLC. We also thank District E Council member Cyndi Nguyen and her economic development team members for their support and attendance.