durham inc.
NETWORKING DOWNTOWN DURHAM SUMMIT
1 Nicole J. Thompson. 2 Perkins + Will Managing Director Zena Howard.
Downtown Durham Inc. hosted its annual Downtown Durham Summit virtually this year on April 21. Hundreds of industry experts, panel leaders, major developers, and elected officials and staff convened to share the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 in their respective fields, in addition to new projects on the horizon. This year’s four-hour event was led by DDI President and CEO Nicole J. Thompson, who started the Zoom meeting with a brief overview of DDI’s annual report. She discussed the economic successes and difficulties from the past year, upcoming commercial developments, and partnerships to support the struggling culture and arts scene. “Downtown is more than just the numbers; we need to ensure that we protect and honor the culture that makes downtown so special,” Nicole said. “And as downtown continues to grow and prosper, we must ensure that this growth includes everyone.” Keynote speaker Bruce Katz concluded the online event by focusing on the economic shock caused by the pandemic but also the economic opportunities ahead. 3
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3 Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina CEO Christopher Chung. 4 Durham City Manager Wanda Page. 5 Capitol Broadcasting Company Senior Vice President Michael Goodmon. 1
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