Council support for BID urged

I have worked in downtown Chattanooga for almost 40 years. I watched during the 1980s as the retail here closed, most of the restaurants closed and remember when there were few hotels. Downtown shut down at 6 p.m.

We have changed a lot. We have many restaurants, hotels and visitors. But we have lots of vacant office space, and much of the center city has dirty sidewalks, trash, graffiti and poor landscaping. Frankly, it is somewhat embarrassing.

The city cannot maintain this area more than it does and not do the same thing all over the city, which it cannot afford. I was a bit dubious as were most of the folks were when we were asked to serve on a committee to look at forming a business improvement district. After spending a year on this, the whole group was convinced that this is the thing to do. I have visited BID areas in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville, and it has convinced me even more.

We as property owners are paying for this with our own money. Since we are paying for it, we think we need a voice on the governance of it. This will benefit downtown workers, visitors to our businesses and restaurants, visitors to our community, and help fill up some of that vacant office space and some vacant storefronts. It is necessary and has been proven to work in more than 2,000 communities around the country. I urge our city council to vote yes next week. Keith Sanford President and CEO Tennessee Aquarium Chairman, Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau