MUSCATINE, Iowa – Nearly 200 enthusiasts, professionals and supporters of Iowa’s historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial areas will gather here in August for the 2025 Iowa Downtown Conference.
Presented by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the conference will be Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 5 and 6, at The Merrill Hotel in downtown Muscatine.
“We are bringing people together to focus on downtowns as we believe our downtowns are the heartbeat of the community,” James Engle, the director of IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center, told the QCBJ in an email.
The conference is IEDA’s opportunity, he said, to “focus on downtown economic development to learn the latest trends, share ideas, and see practical applications in Iowa communities.”
In fact, Muscatine was selected as this year’s host, Mr. Engle added, “because of recent successful placemaking projects, large industries that value the importance of downtown, the historic fabric of the district – and we love to hit every corner of the state.”
Brad Bark, who serves as both Muscatine mayor and the president and CEO of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GMCCI), said his city is thrilled to invite statewide leaders in to see the positive changes and redevelopments across its community. “Our organized tours will showcase the heart of our city, including the Pearl Plaza, the Kent Worldwide-renovated McKee Button building, HNI Headquarters, the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, and the picturesque Riverside Park.”
Conference attendees can participate in breakout sessions and networking. They also will hear from experts and tour area companies and projects.
Featured keynotes
Some of the keynote speakers include:
- Gage Kent, chairman of the board and CEO of KENT Worldwide, and IEDA Director Debi Durham will lead a conversation on the importance of downtowns. Headquartered in Muscatine, KENT recently completed a historic renovation of the former McKee Button Co.’s factory into modern offices. Unveiled during a ceremony Tuesday, June 3, the now McKee Plaza building houses KENT Worldwide’s Consumer Brands division. Mr. Kent and Ms. Durham kick off the conference’s opening plenary and breakfast on Aug. 5. A site tour of McKee Plaza, which was a $20 million renovation project, also is among the available company tours.
- Kiley Miller, senior data center services specialist for Alliant Energy, will close the conference Aug. 6 with his “Downtown Fusion … Spicing Up Iowa’s Coolest Spaces” presentation. His prior economic development experience includes leading the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance in his Iowa hometown as well as the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corp. in northwest Iowa.
- Bill Withers, a speaker, facilitator, and workshop leader for Lutheran Church of Home, will present “Building Generational Bridges on Purpose.” As a college professor and student advisor, Mr. Withers has worked with all three most-active generations over the past two decades and continues to consult and work with organizations on generational issues.
- Amanda O’Rourke, executive director of the Toronto, Canada nonprofit 8 80 Cities, will discuss “Creating Livable & Vibrant Downtowns for All Ages.” She has more than 20 years experience leading strategic planning, partnership development, and managing high impact teams in North America, Europe and Australia. Ms. O’Rourke also has led award-winning and transformative human centered public space design projects in cities in Canada and the U.S.
Full schedule available
To see a full conference schedule, visit here. To register for the Iowa Downtown Conference, visit here. The cost for early registration through Friday, July 11, is $175; pre-registration from Saturday-Friday, July 12-25, is $225; and on-site registration is $275.
Robin Bostrom of the Iowa Downtown Resource Center is the conference lead for the 2025 event. For more information, she can be reached at [email protected] or (515) 348-6176.
Held annually since its inception in 1987, the Iowa Downtown Conference now is moving to an every-other-year format with the next one planned for 2027.
According to Mr. Engle, the conference is designed for anyone involved and interested in downtown economic development from volunteers to city staff, economic development professionals, chamber staff, Main Street communities and businesses. Representatives of all sizes of downtown districts, including urban neighborhood districts and Main Street districts, are welcome.
The event’s sponsors include: Platinum – Muscatine chamber; Gold – AARP Iowa and Arnett Muldrow; Silver – amperage, Bolton & Menk, Cobblestone Hotels, Crawford Company Muscatine, Commercial Recreation Specialists, Display Sales, Goldman Sachs, IDM (Institute for Decision Making, University of Northern Iowa), Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, ISG Architecture Engineering Environmental Planning, Keep Iowa Beautiful and MSA.
Mr. Engle said organizers hope attendees take away “three unique things that they can apply in their own communities and are motivated to get things done.”
