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Regular Council Meeting <br />July 22, 2013 <br />Page 6 <br />concluded that a promotional expenditure must "advertise or publicize the City for the purpose of <br />developing new and expanded business enterprise." Mr. Hayes said over three years ago he was <br />contacted by Mr. Gilbert to consider a market analysis that would outline Paris' retail strengths <br />and weaknesses, in Paris, Lamar County and the primary trade area. He said the primary trade <br />area included Southeast Oklahoma, east to Clarksville area, South to Cooper, west to almost <br />Bonham and to the Hugo area North. Mr. Hayes said that analysis revealed there was a large <br />amount of retail leakage that the City of Paris was losing and continues to lose to other regional <br />retail markets, such as Sherman, Texas and the Dallas /Fort Worth metro area. He said Retail <br />Attractions was hired to market the City of Paris to private sector investors and they had <br />identified at least five good retail sites. Mr. Hayes said he represented about 125 cities. Mr. <br />Hayes said over the last ten months he had worked on a project with developers and local land <br />owners. He said those developers are assuring his firm that they have anchors and junior anchor <br />tenants ready to come to Paris. Mr. Hayes said if this deal develops, it will bring to the City of <br />Paris over $30 million in private sector investment and will generate not only substantial new <br />sales tax but also new ad valorem tax to the general funds of several local taxing entities. He <br />also said that the employment estimate of all of the business in the complex was between 200 <br />and 300 jobs. <br />Council Member Wright asked Mr. Hayes what determined which city he marketed for <br />which project since he worked for 125 cities. He said he had several employees in the Tulsa <br />office who worked with about 20 cities at a time. Council Member Wright asked how many of <br />those cities were in Texas and Mr. Hayes said two, one of which was McAllen. Council Member <br />Jenkins said he was not against retail, but PEDC's emphasis should be on manufacturing. <br />Council Member Grossnickle said it was a tiny amount of money spent on retail by PEDC and <br />that retail attractions were important. Mr. Hayes added that additional retail shops brought more <br />people to the City. Council Member Drake said they had to balance both and asked which entity <br />in McAllen contracted with him. Mr. Hayes said his contract was with the City of McAllen, not <br />the EDC. Mayor Hashmi asked Mr. Hayes if he knew the amount of grocery sales in the City of <br />Paris and he said he did not. Mr. Hayes said there was 80 million dollars of leakage in the trade <br />area with regard to grocery shopping. He said the area was Southeast Oklahoma and Northeast <br />Texas, not just Lamar County. He also said Paris supplied the greatest number of those sales to <br />consumers in the trade area. <br />18. Consider and approve future events for City Council and /or City Staff pursuant to <br />Resolution No. 2004 -081. <br />Mayor Hashmi said the next joint meeting with the CIP Committee was scheduled for <br />Monday, July 29th. Council Member Drake reminded everyone of the ribbon cutting on July 29t1' <br />for Campell Soup's new line. <br />