QC Chamber, Rock Island make downtown placemaking pact official

Rock Island aldermen on Monday, Feb. 13, officially launched the city’s new partnership with the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce by inking the deal that allows the Rock Island Downtown Alliance (RIDA) to guide creation of a vibrant, prosperous city center. In truth, however, the effort to create a downtown special service area (SSA) and reach an agreement with the chamber to provide place management services for the SSA has required what the chamber called “nearly two years of daily, boots-on-the-ground work.”  Added CEO LaDrina Wilson on the chamber’s website: “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.” Driving the new and vibrant district also were the City of Rock and downtown property owners who committed to the lengthy process and public hearings required for Rock Island to pursue the SSA and help convince other property owners to tax themselves more to pay for its improvement. City leaders also are celebrating the pact today, Feb. 15. City Manager Todd Thompson told the QCBJ, "The creation of the Rock Island Downtown Alliance in partnership with the Quad Cities Chamber will allow the city to move forward with revitalizing our downtown district into a thriving, family-friendly area where people come to work, shop and be entertained. After many months of careful planning, we look forward to working with Jack Cullen as downtown director and the RIDA board of directors to accomplish this vision." Mr. Cullen – whose chamber position as Downtown Rock Island director was strengthened by the agreement – has been helping steer the area’s revitalization effort since 2021. “What’s most exciting is we now have a proven structure and path in place (via the downtown special service area and place management organization called the Rock Island Downtown Alliance) that will bolster our ongoing revitalization efforts in downtown Rock Island,” Mr. Cullen told the QCBJ in an email Tuesday, Feb. 14. “We’ve seen this model work in downtown Davenport and countless communities across the country, and I’m eager to continue working with members of our downtown community and the city to build up downtown Rock Island as a great place to experience,” he said on the chamber’s website. “The Rock Island Downtown Alliance will aim to do this by providing custom services and programs that best suit the needs of downtown stakeholders and enhance the overall vibrancy of the business district.” For Mr. Cullen, the agreement means he will continue to team up with property owners and downtown residents to talk about ways to improve downtown. And “with the SSA established to provide funding, we are poised to make a significant impact,” he added. According to the chamber, the scope of the 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.

Before RIDA’s creation is complete, however, there are a few additional steps that must be taken. They include creating the board that will oversee the district and help guide RIDA’s work. That starts with approval by the chamber board on Thursday, Feb. 16, of a 13-person board of directors, one of whom will be the Rock Island city manager, the chamber release said. The other 12 individuals on the board 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. The chamber will submit a slate of board candidates to Mayor Mike Thoms for consideration with appointments made no later than April. Then a work plan with performance metrics and corresponding budget will be submitted for Rock Island City Council approval no later than June 30.