Retailers, investors gather for West Texas Idea Exchange

Retailers and investors gathered for the West Texas Idea Exchange Thursday.

The retail conference is organized by the International Council of Shopping Centers and is held every spring. It brings together retailers, developers from across the region and allows them to gain information about current retail trends and allows them to network with other businesses.

More than 250 retailers, brokers, developers and shopping center owners from Texas, California, Arizona and New York gathered inside the convention center Thursday.

“We’re trying to attract and retain that millennial. That young professional that is here, that is all across the region,” Jessica Herrera with the City of El Paso’s Economic Development Department said.

In today’s market, ICSC finds food and beverage is becoming a centerpiece and retail can’t act on its own.

In downtown El Paso, with developments and construction underway, Herrera says the market is promising.

“It takes time, but I think we have a lot of really good indicators, that there’s a lot of confidence in our market and there’s a lot of confidence in downtown,” Herrera said.

Herrera says the streetcar project, the ballpark and future hotels will help downtown become a hotspot in the future, giving people options and an experience.

“They really reinforce the sense for cinergy, they need to tie in with another, they need to be part of one another.”

Experience is exactly what ICSC says the public is looking for. Entertainment, outdoor recreation and sports are now a part of retail. Sports venues in particular, are becoming part of the urban fabric of cities.

“I think flexibility is really the key for all the sports venues, we’re doing, because you want the stadium to be activated as many days as possible in a year,” Vince Tam, with HKS Architects said.

HKS Architects is behind some of the biggest sports stadiums. The latest name added to their list–the future home of the Los Angeles Rams. Tam says all of their stadiums combine both an indoor and outdoor experience.

“The sports event and venues are a catalyst for development. They’re not out on the fields anymore, with season parking, they’re very sophisticated now and they’re multi-purpose,” Marsha Getto-Aikens with HKS Architects said.

HKS says with Southwest University Stadium and a possible downtown arena, El Paso has the potential to attract a major stadium in the future.

“You could actually show some mid-tier cities the way,” Getto-Aikens said.

The conference wrapped up Thursday afternoon.