Explanation
Background: This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to enter into contract with M. M. Consulting for the creation of an assessment and viability plan for a downtown business accelerator. There is growing sentiment that it is time to take the next step and create an urban core for Columbus entrepreneurs to tie together the many important people, entities, partners, vendors, customers and supporters involved in entrepreneurial and innovative activities throughout the Columbus region. The goal is to have a central place where new ideas collide with brick and mortar, design, creativity and corporate innovation. This central space will be as much physical as virtual and will amplify individual work, while exponentially expanding capacity and opportunity. It will be a coordinated web of activities providing a platform for a world class, sustainable incubator/accelerator, a center of excellence for multiple disciplines, and a lighthouse that tells a compelling story of the community, heard far beyond the borders of our city, region, and state. The objective of the initiative is as follows:
? Develop a complete document assessing how the facility should look based
on dialogue with key stakeholders in the community, as well as operators of
incubator/accelerator spaces in other markets.
? To bring all interested parties to the table in an all-inclusive approach, ensuring
an all-inclusive product.
The deliverables will include data on the current need for the product and potential tenants in the community available to move forward immediately.
Due to a numerous time constraints, passage of this ordinance will waive the competitive bidding process provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code, and allow M. M. Consulting to conduct the study based on their extensive knowledge of accelerators, small business development, and of all persons who will need to be interviewed for the assessment plan.
This legi...
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