Conference to feature local and national leaders in real estate, planning, transportation and municipalities
Tampa, Fla. (May 1, 2017) – With a focus on navigating Florida’s changing landscape, leaders in real estate, development and related fields will offer insight on a wide variety of topics at the 2017 Urban Land Institute Florida Summit held May 25-26.
Panelists will share strategies on everything from creating more livable cities to succeeding in a continually changing commercial real estate market. In addition to many of the state’s top real estate and development executives, panels will feature notable speakers in transportation, hospitality, planning and finance, as well as elected officials.
The statewide conference, held at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina in downtown Tampa, is expected to welcome more than 700 prominent professionals from all over Florida. Programming will include four general sessions, ten concurrent sessions and optional offsite mobile tours.
General sessions include:
• “Big Deals: The Changing Landscape of Tampa Bay” – Panelists will discuss the anticipated impact of some of the area’s largest development projects, including the 42-acre redevelopment project in downtown Tampa, anchored by the relocated University of South Florida medical school campus; the growing Wiregrass Ranch master-planned community in Wesley Chapel; and the rapidly expanding Lakewood Ranch community, east of Sarasota, which has ranked as one of the nation’s 10 fastest growing communities. John Rymer, Principal of Rymer Strategies will moderate. Panelists:
o James Nozar, CEO, Strategic Property Partners
o Rex Jensen, CEO, Lakewood Ranch
o J. D. Porter, CEO, Wiregrass Ranch
• “Planning, Building & Designing Livable Cities” – Former Charleston, South Carolina mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. is credited for leading the city’s transformation into a livable, vibrant location through strategic planning and design during an unprecedented 40-year-term from 1975-2016. Riley will share a presentation on lessons learned and the vision that helped Charleston become Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best City” in 2016. A panel discussion will follow, moderated by Charles Bohl, Chair of ULI Southeast Florida/Caribbean, and Director of University of Miami’s Master of Real Estate Development program. Panelists:
o Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Former Mayor, City of Charleston, Distinguished Visiting Fellow, ULI
o Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa
o Glenda Hood, Former Mayor, City of Orlando
• “Florida’s Future: How will Demographic Shifts Affect Your Business” – Demographic trends can be overwhelming, misleading and difficult to predict. John Burns, the founder of John Burns Real Estate Consulting and co-author of the book “Big Shifts Ahead,” will highlight and clarify national demographic trends that will significantly impact almost every business. After his presentation, he will speak with key developers and builders within the state on how they plan for future demand and lifestyle preferences. Panelists:
o Michael Belmont, President, Minto Communities Florida
o Pam Parisi, Vice President, Marketing, Newland Communities
o Greg T. West, Chief Development Officer, ZOM Holding Inc.
• “Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country” – Florida is touted as a care-free paradise, yet it’s also known for its perils – alligators, sinkholes, pythons, hurricanes and sharks, to name a few. But there’s far more to Florida than its sideshow freakiness. In his new award-winning book, “Oh, Florida!” veteran Tampa Bay Times reporter Craig Pittman explains how Florida subtly influences all the other states in the country, for better or worse.
There will also be ten concurrent panel sessions. Highlights include:
• “You Can Get There from Here: Moving Florida from Dangerous by Design to Walkable by Design” – A discussion on improving walkability and pedestrian safety in Florida’s major cities, moderated by Christine Burdick, President of the Tampa Downtown Partnership. Panelists:
o Billy Hattaway, Transportation Director, City of Orlando
o Bryan Alzati, Design Manager, Gensler
o Diana Alarcon, Transportation and Mobility Director, Fort Lauderdale
o Kathryn Moore, Director of Public Engagement Strategies, Influence Communications
• “Housing for All: Addressing the Affordability Challenge” – A session on affordable housing that explores national trends in finance and policy, and how these trends affect local development patterns, moderated by Lucia Garsys, Chief Development and Infrastructure Administrator for Hillsborough County. Panelists:
o Jaimie Ross, President & CEO, Florida Housing Coalition
o Stockton Williams, Terwilliger Center for Housing, ULI
o Marshall Gray, President of M/I Homes Tampa Division
• “Creative Retail Therapy: What’s Fueling Retail Transformation?” – A panel discussion on the many place-making components needed to attract consumers in an ever-changing retail market, moderated by Debra Dremann, Founder and CEO, LEAP Development Group, LLC. Panelists:
o Jamey Flegal, Development Partner, Hutton
o Kevin Jennings, Development Partner, Hutton
o Tom Henken, Vice President & Director of Design, api(+)
o Ryan Kratz, President, Colliers International Florida
The first general session of the Summit begins at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, and the final session ends at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 26. On Thursday morning, attendees can choose from four optional off-site mobile tours exploring either downtown St. Petersburg, Pasco County, Ybor City or the downtown Tampa Riverwalk.
The 2017 ULI Florida Summit will be held at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, 700 S. Florida Ave. For more information on the conference, or to register, visit ULI Florida’s website. Follow @ULIFlorida on Twitter and join the conversation using the hashtag #ULIFlorida.
About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (http://www.uli.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in sustaining and creating thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has over 40,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. The ULI Tampa Bay District Council sponsors educational forums and events such as trends conferences, transportation and housing programs, and project tours.
Contact:
Tyler Killette
727-895-5030 x 107 (office)
813-270-7854 (cell)
Tyler@b2communications.com