Chamber will provide place management services for downtown Rock Island

February 14, 2023
downtown Rock Island

After nearly two years of daily, boots-on-the-ground work, the Quad Cities Chamber is pleased to announce a partnership with the City of Rock Island to provide place management services for downtown.

On Feb. 13, Rock Island City Council approved an agreement for the Chamber to manage the City’s downtown special service area (SSA) through the creation of the Rock Island Downtown Alliance (RIDA).

“We are honored and thrilled to partner in this important work to help move downtown Rock Island forward. We’re ready to get started and are dedicated to creating a vibrant, welcoming and prosperous downtown and QC region,” said Chamber CEO LaDrina Wilson.

The scope of services RIDA will provide includes:

  • Enhanced maintenance, cleaning and upkeep of public spaces
  • Development, marketing, promotion and management of activities and events
  • Capital, physical or other improvements designed to enhance the appearance and functionality of public spaces
  • Research and planning services benefiting the downtown
  • Activities and operations benefiting the downtown under any agreements with the City or other public or quasi-public entities
  • Recommendations regarding any and all improvements to the downtown
  • Other activities intended to benefit or further the purposes or interests of the downtown in keeping with the purposes of the SSA.

“I’m excited to continue teaming up with businesses, property owners and residents downtown. There are so many ideas that have been generated to make improvements downtown, and now with the SSA established to provide funding, we are poised to make a significant impact,” said Jack Cullen, Director, Downtown Rock Island.

Pending approval of the Chamber Board on Feb. 16, RIDA will have a thirteen-person Board of Directors, one of whom will be the Rock Island City Manager. The other twelve individuals will include downtown residents, business owners, property owners and a nonprofit representative. In addition, there will be a set of standing committees made up of additional stakeholders.

As the majority of RIDA’s funding will come from the City, generated by the downtown special service area (SSA) revenues, the organization will present an annual work plan and budget to the City Council for approval. In addition, regular reports and check-in meetings with the City will be held.

Next steps are:

  • The Chamber will submit a slate of Board candidates to the Mayor for consideration with appointments made no later than April 11, 2023.
  • A workplan with performance metrics and corresponding budget will be submitted for City Council’s approval no later than June 30, 2023.

Read more about Rock Island City Council establishing the SSA in Dec. 2022.

Jack Cullen
Contact
Jack Cullen
Executive Director, Rock Island Downtown Alliance
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