Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington DC, along with several other elected officials and staff members, is set to attend the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) conference in Las Vegas on a business trip. The purpose of the trip is to attract retail to the District of Columbia and foster economic development in the city. Bowser’s office highlighted the benefits of attending the ICSC conference, emphasizing the importance of filling amenity gaps in different parts of the city and supporting the continued transformation of downtown areas. The trip is coordinated by the Washington, DC Economic Partnership, who has been organizing the District’s presence at ICSC since 2001.
The attendees from the District government include Mayor Bowser, Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie, Brooke Pinto, and Zachary Parker, as well as various other officials and staff members. Their goals at the conference include expanding the Washington, DC brand as a premier business environment, generating business leads for major development projects, fostering business relationships with retailers and brokers, and promoting unique retail and restaurant opportunities in the city’s neighborhoods. The trip was announced after Bowser faced scrutiny for her recent trip to the Masters Golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia, which was also taxpayer-funded.
During her trip to the Masters tournament, Bowser defended the transparency of the trip, mentioning that her team had disclosed information about the visit and expected an invoice for costs incurred. The mayor had been invited by a major real estate company that operates in Washington, DC to attend the tournament as part of a sports and economic development visit. She stated that the cost of the trip to the Masters tournament was estimated to be between $5,000 and $6,000 per person for air travel, but did not disclose the total cost of the trip. Bowser emphasized Washington DC’s position as the “sports capital” and stated that the city makes sports investments to promote itself globally.
The upcoming trip to Las Vegas is seen as another opportunity for Bowser and other officials to promote the District, generate business leads, and engage with potential investors and business partners. The focus will be on attracting retail to different parts of Washington DC and supporting economic development initiatives in various neighborhoods. Despite facing criticism for the transparency of previous trips, Bowser defended the taxpayer-funded nature of her travels, stating that voters have trusted her to make decisions that benefit the city. The mayor reiterated her commitment to promoting Washington DC as a global destination and showcasing its sports culture and economic opportunities to a wider audience.FOX News has reached out to Mayor Bowser’s office and the council members attending the trip for comment.
