CLARK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM
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Petitioner: |
Shani Coleman, Director of Community & Economic Development |
Recommendation:
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Receive and accept a strategy development plan (action plan) for guiding the location and creation of an innovation district within Clark County to promote economic development and diversification and authorize the Director of the Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) to take steps to begin implementation of the action plan. (For possible action)
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FISCAL IMPACT:
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BACKGROUND:
In July 2022, Clark County engaged HR&A Advisors, Perkins & Will, and BuroHappold (HR&A team) to conduct a feasibility study to assist the County in identifying if an innovation district was appropriate for our community and if so, developing a strategy for guiding the location and creation of an innovation district.
Preliminary work began with stakeholder engagement where project stakeholders identified by the County, including County leadership, County and State officials, transit system representatives, University leaders and heads of programs/institutes, local community organizations, and innovation ecosystem companies and their representatives, real estate professionals, all to discuss a potential vision, program, and programming strategy for the innovation district hub to anchor innovation activity of economic development.
There was mapping of regional, local and study area innovation ecosystem assets to understand potential connections to an innovation district, as well as recommendations on specific focus areas for the district. Analysis of the local and regional real estate market including office, multifamily, retail, and hotel uses.
We held a series of visioning workshops and presentations of findings from early analyses to a diverse group of stakeholders and facilitation of an interactive visioning exercises to capture the community’s voice and establish values and principles for the district.
The result is a strategy including recommendations on establishing a governance framework, developing a brand, leveraging funding opportunities, and an identification of catalytic projects and programming to establish a new Innovation District for Clark County.