AGENDA

At the Great River Casino Resort Event Center 

3001 Winegard Dr Ste 130, Burlington, IA 52601

Speaker: Chad Bird, City Manager

Location: General Session Room

Speaker: Lee County & Burlington

Location: General Session Room

Kick off the conference with a relaxed evening at The Lamp Post in the Great River Resort! Mingle with fellow attendees over delicious food, drinks, and great conversation in a casual, welcoming atmosphere. Whether you're reconnecting with familiar faces or meeting new colleagues, this is the perfect way to start the week. Come hungry, come thirsty, and come ready to enjoy a fun night with our conference community. 

Breakfast opens at 8 a.m. Annual meeting starts promptly at 8:30 am.

Speaker: Matthew Stoffel and Chip Shultz 

A legislative and policy update focused on TIF, urban renewal tools, and Iowa’s changing development framework, including how communities should think about project structuring and housing-related objectives. This topic is timely because Iowa’s 2026 property tax bill changed key urban renewal/TIF rules, including new limits on TIF duration and recognition of workforce housing as an economic development objective.

Speaker: Katie Milton Jordan

In this keynote, Katie Milton Jordan will help economic-development practitioners move beyond basic AI tool use and understand how artificial intelligence is reshaping the practice of economic development. Drawing from her work as an economic developer, AI educator, and operator of an AI-enabled economic-development organization, Katie will introduce practical thinking lenses for making sense of the AI shift and what it means for communities, businesses, site selectors, and stakeholder expectations.

Attendees will leave with a clearer framework for understanding AI’s impact on economic development, plus concrete examples of how AI can support the work they already do - from RFI responses and stakeholder communication to inbox management, community positioning, and day-to-day organizational capacity. The session is designed to give practitioners both a strategic view of what is changing and a practical way to recognize where AI can create real capacity inside their own organizations.

Speaker: Chris Lee, County Conservation Director

A session exploring how leadership models, nonprofit/501(c)(3) structures, and conservation-oriented strategies can intersect with economic development and community identity. The topic fits the growing emphasis on long-term place strategy, resilience, and community differentiation.

Speaker: Dave Miller and  Shalimar Mazetis

A  breakout on preparedness, continuity, and how communities can integrate resilience planning into broader economic development strategy. This is a strong topic because federal resilience guidance now emphasizes aligning economic development, hazard mitigation, and recovery planning before disasters happen.This interactive workshop will provide an in-depth look into tourism marketing in Iowa: what is trending, what is working in both rural and metro communities, how data has changed the way tourism professionals think and act and how to maximize partnerships for gain rather than drain. It will also provide ideas for how rural communities, including those near metro areas, can benefit from the mega-draw of Iowa’s largest cities without losing their identity. Participants should bring a laptop to maximize this fast-paced workshop. 

Speakers: Panel Coming Soon

Location: General Session Room

Join a panel of economic development professionals as they share how they are incorporating AI into their day-to-day work. Panelists will discuss practical applications, lessons learned, and real-world examples of using AI to draft communications, streamline research, improve reporting, enhance prospect outreach, and automate administrative tasks. The conversation will also explore how AI is influencing the future of economic development, workforce productivity, and organizational efficiency, providing attendees with ideas they can apply in their own communities.

Learn about the recently updated infrastructure, commercial and residential development in Downtown Burlington.

Tour the two adjacent sports facilities, including a bubble

Tour of the Flint Ridge business park and discussion of recent progress.

Thursday | Evening Drinks & Dinner | The Busted Cup

Join us for a lively evening of drinks, food, and networking. Enjoy a laid-back atmosphere with plenty of indoor and outdoor space to relax, connect with fellow attendees, and soak in the local charm. Whether you’re winding down the day or gearing up for more conference fun, this casual gathering is the perfect way to experience the community and enjoy great food and cold drinks,

Take a peek at the Burlington Activities and Restaurants tab to view all the great places to grab a bite for dinner!