Area Development Conferences, Events and Workshops
Area Development has produced more than 80 conferences and workshop events in North America geared towards economic development professionals. Programs provide the opportunity to hear from and network with leading site consultants and industry experts while featuring presentations, panels and roundtable discussions focused on the trends influencing corporate location and economic development strategy.
Consultants Forum
Best Practices for Economic Development.
Since 2006 The Consultants Forum has created and delivered outstanding informational events that attract the leading site selection consultants, CREs and serious economic development professionals from around the world. All Forum events are designed to address the industry’s current best practices through an all business, high value networking environment.
Recent / Upcoming Events
Women in Economic Development14
October 15 – 17, 2024
Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile
Chicago, Illinois
Fall 2024 Consultants Forum36
December 9 – 11, 2024
Loews Hotel
Coral Gables, Florida
The Workshop - March 2025
March 19 – 21, 2025
The Westin Riverwalk
San Antonio, Texas
The Spring 2025 Forum37
June 2 – 4, 2025
JW Marriott Plant Riverside District
Savannah, Georgia
2025 Women in Economic Development15
October 8 – 10, 2025
Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile
Chicago, Illinois
Consultants Forum White Label Workshops and Events
In cooperation with Area Development’s Consultants Forum Workshop series, the SCAgroup provides a full day onsite Workshop program conducted by four or more site consultant members. This intense interactive Workshop program is designed to meet the needs of both small 35-50 person audiences at the local or regional EDC level and large 50-100+ audiences at the state and utility level.
Example Engagements
In-Conference Workshop
Indianapolis, IN
SCAgroup presented its expanded Workshop program featuring 10 leading site selectors as part of IEDA’s August 2018 conference in Indianapolis.
Custom RFP Workshop
Richmond, VA
A one day custom RFP Workshop program to the VEDP executive management and its team that assessed a set of multi RFPs for their effectiveness of structure, content completeness and detail from a consultant perspective.
Best Practices Review
Richmond, VA
GRP management, marketing team and partnership stakeholders participated in a two day review of the regions response strategies, digital content messaging and market positioning.
Tactics Boot Camp
A program focusing on site selection and community preparedness and keys to working effectively with site consultant driven projects.
Economic Development Advisory Projects
Site Consultants Advisory Group (SCAgroup)
The SCAgroup offers development agencies its professional feedback on:
- Maximizing the impact of the locations existing and proposed marketing tactics on site consultants and their prospects.
- Assessing the current business environment and recruitment strategies to attract desired and targeted industries.
- Reviewing the quality and impact of specific responses to RFP opportunities.
Example Engagements
Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Louisiana
The SCA Group presented a two day program featuring a one day Workshop for nine (9) Parish economic development partners and a second day for its Business Development Committee lead stakeholders.
Greater Portland, Inc., Oregon
SCA Group conducted a three day site Advisory Visit to meet with GPI’s five member community partners to discuss the region’s value proposition and how to best project its advantages to the marketplace.
Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, Virginia (FRA)
The SCAgroup conducted a two day Workshop program for FRA and its key stakeholders followed by a presentation to the FRA 100+ member Annual Meeting.
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
SCAgroup provided the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and its local ED stakeholders with a Site Advisory Visit to help the area’s ED team with improved response, information and communication capabilities to site consultants and prospects.