Officials hear compliments about Dublin at recent DDA conference

Dublin, Georgia has been on other communities’ minds.

This was the statement relayed to members of the Dublin Downtown Development Authority during its recent meeting. DDA MainStreet Director Nichole Padgett, Chairman Rob Miller, Derick Johnson and Jason Keyton, director of business development for downtown Dublin, talked about the Georgia Main Street Conference which was held in Rome.

“We are definitely on a lot of people’s radar,” Keyton said. “They were very complimentary of Dublin and all of the hard work that everybody has done to make it what it is. If we keep progressing, maybe we can be a host city in the future. Thanks for everybody who has done their part.” 

Keyton attended some seminars and said networking is the key to success.

“You build your network and expand on that,” he said. “There are some great people out there doing some great things. They are eager to partner and work with you.” 

Padgett agreed.

“I was able to talk and meet with other managers from different downtowns,” she said. “We connected. There were things that we are doing that they took away and things they were doing that I took away. I’ve got so many contacts. It was amazing.” 

Miller said the conference was informative.

“We are doing everything right,” he said. “It was a very good conference and trip. There were different size towns there. I hope we can take more of us next year when it’s in Athens.”

Johnson got to see and talk with a lot of people from all over the state.

“The classes for me was a big benefit,” he said. “To see from start to finish the real purpose of the DDA, why it was formed and what it stands for and the impact it has on the community was really different for me to see. I also went to one about the different funding and that was good for investors and people who are starting business in downtown. That is really helpful to them. I wished I would have known about some of that.”

Keyton is making a list of all of the empty spaces in downtown Dublin. He met with real estate offices and wants to keep up with it.

“We need to know what’s available out there, how much it is and what grants are available,” Keyton said. “We have some great things coming downtown. There are several people who want to open businesses.” 

In other meeting news, the board:

• Met with Heather Cochran, DDA marketing director, at the beginning of the meeting. She shared that in the previous 28 days, Facebook use of Downtown Dublin’s page had been up approximately 48 percent and the engagement was up 57 percent.

“That’s really exciting,” Cochran said. “Obviously, we’re doing something right. We have a lot of events coming up and we want to get that out there.”

• Approved 50 percent of the cost for the facade grant approval to The Velvet Cup.

– Padgett encouraged DDA members to support the 9/11 remembrance program held by the city of Dublin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.

“Us being downtown merchants, and being downtown, I think it is very important that we go and support,” she said. 

– Padgett reminded members about Scott Thompson presenting Dublin’s Top 10 for the 250th will be held at the Dublin Carnegie from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cost is $15 at the door.

– The fourth annual Chili Cook-off has been scheduled for Oct. 17.

– Padgett gave an update about the Farmers Market, where they continue to average 40 vendors each week.

“It’s like a festival out there,” she said.

New Farmers Market t-shirts will be sale at the location, Padgett said.

–  Theater Director Glenda Berry said they had a good turnout for the showing of “The Princess Bride” on Friday, Aug. 21 and for  “Tombstone,” which was part of a 2 p.m. senior adult showing, on Thursday, Aug. 27. 

“We’ll be doing senior movies the last Thursday’s of every month,” Berry said. “They stayed after the movie and chatted. It was a great thing for us to do.” 

She mentioned having a taste and see cinema feature where there would be a movie and the theater would partner with a downtown restaurant to serve food that connected back to the featured show.

– Berry announced they held auditions for “Elf Jr.,” the next Dublin Community Theatre production, which will feature 40 members in the cast. The shows will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21 as well as at 2 p.m. on Nov. 21 and on Sunday, Nov. 22.  

“Early ticket sales are off and running,” she said.