Over the past four decades, I’ve had a front-row seat to the City of Fort Myers’ downtown transformation, first as a young police officer and now as mayor helping to guide its continued progress. Watching downtown evolve from an area that once emptied after hours into the vibrant heart of our city has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences of my public service career.
Beginning with a comprehensive downtown redevelopment plan in the early 2000s, the city has invested in an effort that continues to this day. But we haven’t done it alone. Public-private partnerships with organizations whose vision aligns with the city have been a key to our sustained success.
A prime example of such synergy is our partnership with the nonprofit River District Alliance (RDA). Under the leadership of Lisa Sbuttoni, who has served as president and CEO for the past eight years, RDA promotes downtown as a hub of economic, social and cultural activity, while its website (explorefortmyers.com) and social media platforms reach more than 1 million visitors a year…