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THE WELCOME <br />WAGONS ROLL <br />CITIES EAGER TO BOOST SALES -TAX REVENUE ARE AGAIN <br />OFFERING SWEETENERS TO DEVELOPERS AND CHAINS <br />By Steve McLinden <br />ETAIL PAYS THE BILLS, MUNICIPALITIES ARE <br />learning now, if They did not know before. This reality has never been more appar- <br />ent to hundreds of municipalities emerging from the economic meltdown only ro <br />struggle with slimmer budgets in the face of closed stores and spending shy consum- <br />ers, Little wonder that economic development types are in hot pursuit of new retail <br />blood to compensate, flocking to ICSC meetings and other deal - making venues <br />in record numbers. "Municipalities are putting more emphasis on retail recruit- <br />ment today because they know they need quality of place to make their communi- <br />ties more vibrant," said Lacy Beasley, a municipalities consultant in the Nashville, <br />Tenn., office of retail- advisory- firm The Shopping Center Group. `They see it not <br />only as a very necessary tax generator, but as a foundation for community growth." <br />The municipalities section at RECon 201.3 — the Cities of the World Pavil- <br />ion — will host a record number of exhibitors this year who are corning to hold <br />a sort of international - retailer "casting call." This is the kind of thing that cities <br />need to be doing, says Beasley. "Especially with retail being the fastest- changing <br />and most dynamic of the sectors," she said. She would know, having worked with <br />42 towns across four states, helping to enhance their retail rosters — and their <br />tax rolls. Beasley's efforts of late helped net some large mass - merchandisers now <br />APRIL 2C13 / SCT 37 <br />