In the past five years there has been five Main Street directors.  Staff has met with the Chamber management and we both agreed that most people downtown call the city with issues, concerns or ideas.  The Chamber has agreed that the City/EDA will take on the communication responsibilities to the downtown building owners and business.  This will include various committees to ensure that issues are heard.  The city has been working to fill the vacant downtown storefronts and also works with outside agencies to help new businesses that may open downtown.  This has included the new brewery in the Deco and a new store going into River City Center.  

City staff will manage the business side of downtown while the Chamber staff will handle events, their impacts and fund raising for events. Chamber staff will still attend meetings and will be kept abreast of issues by the city.

The downtown flower baskets were something that Main Street has done in the past.  Last year, Shakopee Public Utilities and the city did the baskets and city staff maintains them along with the various planters downtown.  This collaboration will let the Chamber focus its funding more strategically on events, marketing and funding possible improvements like benches or public art.

The main changes to the current contract is the city will take on more interaction with the merchants and building owners and the city will become a sponsor while the Chamber will ensure that the three main events are held downtown including Rhythm on the Rails, a Fall event and the holiday event.