Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Benderson Development are in Las Vegas for the International Conference Of Shopping Centers. Retailers from all over the globe are in town for the convention.
Mayor Brown says he will first attend a VIP reception where he hopes to speak with some of the nation's major retailers.
Monday morning he met with Bass Pro officials to get an update on how things are going. He will also be a panelist in a discussion about underserved urban markets.
"We'll be talking about what Buffalo has to offer and why companies should invest in Buffalo as part of that panel," said Mayor Brown.
"Tuesday we have that meeting with Magic Johnson's (development) company and we anticipate having a meeting with IKEA as well."
Mayor Brown also said conversations continue to secure funding to improve Fuhrmann Boulevard. "And I think that potentially there would be a local match that would be required and the city does have money put aside to be able to provide the local match for the project, if in fact it is required, so that we would not lose any time in being able to move that forward."
Joining the Buffalo delegation is former Washington D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams. Mayor Brown says that Williams was considered successful at attracting retail development to Washington D.C. while in office and he has offered to go to Vegas with the Buffalo delegation to help set up meetings for Buffalo. Byron Brown says Mayor Williams is paying his own way.
Mayor Brown says he believes there can be a successful marriage of old and new at the inner harbor.
