Special to Iredell Free News
Downtown Mooresville has been chosen as the host community for the 2025 North Carolina Main Street Conference. The three-day conference, held annually in March, is organized by the N.C. Department of Commerce and its NC Main Street and Rural Planning Center and is the largest statewide downtown revitalization conference in the country.
“We are thrilled at the opportunity to showcase our vibrant, bustling Downtown to our peers from across the state. Our district is flourishing with independently owned businesses, including more than 40 that are women owned,” said Mooresville Downtown Commission Board Chairman Kim Saragoni. “Over the last decade $58 million has been invested in our now thriving hub which currently encompasses only 24 acres. To put that in perspective, our Downtown generates an average of 100 percent more in property tax revenue than the typical chain store all while supporting resident entrepreneurs and keeping jobs local.”
Executive Director Kim Atkins, who took the initiative to begin active partnerships with both the NC and Main Street America programs in 2009 added: “It’s a testament to the meticulous hard work that our Board of Directors, partners, investors, and volunteers have contributed over the years to be able to share our successes as a downtown at such an impactful conference.”
Attracting over 750 attendees, the conference features an array of speakers, events, breakout sessions, and educational opportunities focused on building stronger downtown communities through preservation-based economic development. Participants are empowered with success stories, evolving trends, strategic planning, and creative initiatives that help maximize downtown revitalization, small business development, and the rehabilitation of historic properties.
Expected attendees include downtown economic development professionals, government staff, elected officials, community leaders, and business and property owners from more than 80 North Carolina towns, as well as exhibitors, presenters, vendors, and sponsors from across the US.
The principles of the Main Street programs are designed to create downtown districts that will not only survive but will also thrive with new activity and locally driven economic vitality. Each year distinguished commendation is bestowed to Downtown communities that achieve recognition as a Nationally Accredited Main Street America program based on their achievements. The MDC has held the prestigious status for the last two years.