By: Deborah Johnson Wood
The Neighborhood Business Alliance will sponsor its first ever mayoral debate tonight, Thursday July 26. The debate, which will be moderated by Rapid Growth’s Managing Editor Andy Guy and broadcast live from the Wealthy Theatre, gives Grand Rapids business owners the opportunity to ask candidates George Heartwell, Rick Tormala, Jim Rinck, and Jackie Miller about their ideas for, among other things, picking up the pace of economic development within the city's neighborhood business districts.
“The goal is to help residents and business owners understand which candidate will support businesses in our neighborhoods and stimulate reinvestment across the city as a whole," said Guy, who's also a project director at the Michigan Land Use Institute and a resident of Belknap Lookout. “We've spent the last 10 to 15 years undergoing a dramatic renaissance in the downtown core. One of the major challenges now confronting the city is replicating that prosperity in our neighborhood business and residential areas.”
The NBA asked members to submit questions for the candidates. The NBA then determined which of those questions to ask tonight, according to NBA President Kelly Wolthuis. Audience members may also pose questions.
"Our members know that their businesses play a vital role in the economic health and success of Grand Rapids," Wolthuis said. "But they want to be assured that the person who is voted into office to lead this great city recognizes the importance of neighborhood businesses and is willing to support them in everyway possible."
The evening begins at 6 PM with a time to meet the candidates. The debate runs from 7 to 8:30 PM and will be aired on GRTV cable channel 25.
Source: Kelly Wolthuis, Neighborhood Business Alliance; Andy Guy, Rapid Growth Media
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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