PRESS RELEASES - AUGUST 2006

City Announces President and CEO of New Downtown Management Corporation
Dallas’ West End, Fort Worth’s Main Street - Among Career Accomplishments

August 18, 2006

The City of Arlington announces the selection of Maggie Campbell as the president and chief executive officer of the new Arlington Downtown Management Corporation. Campbell’s first day on the job will be Monday, September 4.

Since 2000, Campbell has served as the president and CEO of the Old Pasadena Management District in California. The district is a nonprofit property owner association under contract with the City of Pasadena to manage a downtown business improvement district that includes 22 blocks.

In 1998 and 1999, Campbell was the executive director for the Dallas West End Association, a nonprofit organization that represents 24 blocks in the downtown historic entertainment district.
Prior to Dallas, from 1996-1998, she worked as the Promotions and Events Director for Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. where she directed festivals, events and cooperative marketing programs under contract with the City of Fort Worth.
She has worked in Mississippi as Special Events and Projects Manager for the Jackson downtown development program called Capital Center, Inc. As part of her work with the City of Jackson, she helped to plan the National Convention of Neighborhoods USA and developed, raised funds for and implemented the city’s downtown trolley system.
In 1986 and 1987, Campbell worked in Oklahoma as an executive director of Historic Duncan, Inc., a nonprofit, charitable organization under contract with the City of Duncan to manage the state’s first Main Street Program. In 1983, one of her first development accomplishments was as the Main Street Manager for the City of Taylor in central Texas near Austin. Her work with the downtown revitalization program resulted in over $4 million in private reinvestments over a three-year period.

Campbell said there appears to be a national trend back to “center cities” where there is synergy between universities and tourism attractions.
“I am excited about returning to Texas and working to help make downtown Arlington more inviting to people,” she said.

About the New Arlington Management Corporation

The Arlington Downtown Management Corporation is a nonprofit entity established this summer by the private sector with funding support by the Arlington City Council. According to Trey Yelverton, Arlington’s deputy city manager for Economic Development, the purpose of the corporation is to enhance the economic vitality of downtown Arlington and to help create a center city by forging alliances between property owners, business interests, residents and the City of Arlington.

Yelverton said the new president of the corporation will help manage an annual operating budget of about $250,000 with funds derived from three primary sources: Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 1, the Arlington Housing Finance Corporation and the hotel occupancy tax.

“Behind many successful downtown development efforts is an independent organization with a mission to enhance economic vitality and to serve downtown stakeholders,” Yelverton said.
The scope of work for the Arlington Downtown Management Corporation includes many economic development initiatives such as the implementation of the Downtown Unified Master Plan and city comprehensive planning concepts. The corporation will lead marketing efforts within the downtown area, work to strengthen ties with UT-Arlington, recruit and coordinate residential and commercial development projects, and help coordinate the most effective use of public streets, parks, walkways and historic preservation.

The Arlington Downtown Management Corporation will have offices in Suite 1D at 212 S. Mesquite St. in the downtown area, between South Street and Abram Street.