Singing The Town’s Praises

As popularity of downtowns grow, Sundance begins economic development strategy study

Downtown areas are experiencing a surge in popularity, according to Matt Wagner of the National Main Street program. As malls and superstores slowly dwindle, he told a room of local business owners and stakeholders, many of us are once again seeking a more personal experience in a small, downtown business.

Wagner visited Sundance along with Linda Klink from the Wyoming Main Street program on a fact-finding mission for a “transformation strategy development technical study”, an award recently granted to the city by the organization. The goal, he said, is to transform downtown areas into something, “unique and distinct within a competitive environment”.

The secret to achieving this, he continued, is a strategic and cohesive approach, figuring out the strengths of the current downtown area and what makes the city unique and capitalizing on those things.

However, he continued, “we’re the methodology”, while it’s the people who make it happen. A successful revitalization of a downtown area requires buy-in, care and support from the community.

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