2009 Michigan Downtown Conference Announces Keynote Speaker Tom Izzo

To: STATE EDITORS

Contact: Jamie Schriner-Hooper of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, +1-517-335-5073

LANSING, Mich., June 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan Downtown Conference Partners announced today the closing keynote speaker for the 2009 Michigan Downtown Conference will be Tom Izzo, head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team. This year's conference is being held September 15-16, 2009 at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing, Michigan.

Izzo will close the conference the afternoon of September 16, 2009, and will be speaking on the importance of Michigan as a whole, and the roles that downtowns play in Michigan's revitalization. Izzo is originally from Iron Mountain, where his family has had small businesses.

"The trying times Michigan is facing right now, it is important to realize the impact our downtowns can play in Michigan's recovery," said Izzo. "That is why gatherings such as this conference are central in revitalizing our downtowns."

The conference is being held in an effort to help community leaders revitalize their downtowns and is titled "The Three C's to Prosperity: Creativity, Collaboration and Competition." Online registration is available at: www.michigandowntownconference.org.

Having recently completed his 14th year directing the Men's Spartan Basketball program, head coach Izzo has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including one NCAA National Championship, five regular-season Big Ten Championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, five Final Four appearances, four National Coach of the Year awards and a Big Ten-best 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

The Michigan Downtown Conference Partners include the Michigan Downtown Association (MDA), the Michigan Municipal League (MML), the Michigan State Housing Development Authority's Michigan Main Street Center (MMSC@MSHDA), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, Main Street Oakland County, and the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO).

This conference is for staff, directors and members of downtown development boards, key community leaders and planners, business owners, economic development professionals, members of retail trade and promotion associations. Members of convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce and others interested in promoting tourism and business development should also attend.

The Michigan Downtown Conference is an annual conference to help community leaders create successful strategies and case studies for revitalizing their downtowns. www.michigandowntownconference.org

SOURCE Michigan State Housing Development Authority

-0-