SPOKANE, Wash. — They say they're all about helping show off downtown Spokane, that's according to the Downtown Spokane Partnership.
The organization's mission is to make downtown vibrant, clean and safe. They'll often work with developers to make that happen or simply take charge.
"Downtown, frankly, and Spokane is a little under the radar. But we really have all the ingredients," said Downtown Spokane Partnership President Mark Richard. "We've begun reaching out to companies, whereas in the past, we've been a little bit more responsive."
Nike's new downtown store is a recent example where the partnership first met with the company three years ago.
So what's their strategy to make that happen?
First off, they gather, manage, and share data about Spokane. The Downtown Spokane Partnership shares downtown's story, its vibrant aspects and they make sure downtown looks nice.
"We can also put on a little extra spit and polish. So with our clean and safe team, we were literally out before this visit just making sure our planters look great, making sure the sidewalks are clean and those kinds of things," said Richard.
They'll share the aspects of relatively affordable lease rates in Spokane, job opportunities and nearby colleges and reasons why it makes sense to move into downtown.
"Just the fact that we see close to 2 million visitors in that park every year. And it's really right on our back doorstep. That's a pretty compelling argument," said Richard.