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5. NEWS RELEASE (Cont'd) <br />would really be the overall focal point and that should generate sub - <br />uent improvement going out. <br />Mr. James L. Marchelewicz, WNDU- TV'Reporter and Photographer, asked, <br />pparently a decision was made between three major retailers. Could <br />t is cause a delay ?" Mr. Bloomqui -st advised, "No. The concept is okay. <br />That plan can move along most rapidly, and I'think -- particularly for <br />Jeanne, as she isn't going to believe me - -but it's easier to go, at this <br />point in time, with the three major retailers, than with two. Jeanne <br />would say why can't you go with one. It goes back to the concept of <br />c ideal mass of marketing, retailing, where it most assuredly is evi- <br />dent to us that we can move along a lot faster and more easily with <br />thlree retailers than with two." <br />Ms. Derbeck added they would all be more willing to come then, but <br />w uldn't it be kind of a race then with the Grape Road development? <br />Mr. Bloomquist advised that it is a race and a contest, but there is <br />a configuration where we could go and the Grape Road development could <br />gc at the same time. It is not in our opinion a configuration where <br />Grape Road could go with an anchor by four major retailers and the <br />downtown with three; that is just too many new stores 'in the market. <br />W are assuming we will go with something.. We are dealing, in certain <br />circumstances, with the same major retailers that the 'Grape Road <br />developer is; in some cases not, but most assuredly it is a contest, <br />a d that is one reason why South Bend 2000 group will have this broader <br />base with its expanded resources. Commissioner Cira asked if he would <br />care to elaborate on the major retailers; what kind of interest and by <br />w om? Whether they are outside interests of the City, or businesses <br />already in the City? Mr. Bloomquist said he can't indicate names at <br />all. The interests would be both. <br />Mr. Gene Evans, Civic Planning Association, stated that he noticed <br />most of the conversation is about the possibility of attracting retail <br />Outlets, and he would assume Mr. Bloomquist is not overlooking other <br />kinds of service- oriented businesses. Back to the point where we as- <br />s med that Associates was going to build their headquarters in the <br />downtown area, which everyone said -- though fantastic -- that's a captive <br />a dience and that can support retail business. Now Associates has <br />withdrawn and we have no replacement for that kind of activity and <br />yet we are still talking about retail outlets, and then dealing with <br />t e question, 'Can we attract this populace in this area where this <br />store is, as opposed to concentrating on at least some degree on <br />similar operations such as Associates would have provided -- office <br />people--who may only shop at noon, but it is a fantastic amount of <br />money that is available to a retail business ?' Mr. Bloomquist said <br />t at anything that can be done to attract the office workers into <br />the downtown area they would fully support, endorse, and that many <br />ol the insitutions represented in South Bend 2000 have continuously <br />o er the years made efforts in that direction, and, of course, that <br />h ppens to be a major thrust of Dr. George Wing and his Committee <br />at present. He stated his frank opinion relative to workers downtown <br />it will not support a lot of retailing just by having a cast of office <br />workers in the downtown area - -that absolutely critical to the retailing <br />efforts in downtown is to be able to bring in particularly the housewife <br />f om surrounding areas. - 6 - <br />