Town Hall Albuquerque

Rob Dickson is Vice President of the soon-to-be-named EDo Neighborhood Association (currently the Broadway Central Corridor Partnership, Inc.).  He was involved in creating the EDo Master Plan, a 25-year revitalization strategy for Broadway Boulevard and Central Avenue. His neighborhood would definitely be affected by the proposed event center and hotel complex. Rob characterizes himself as a New Urbanist real estate developer. His projects include The Lofts at Albuquerque High and BelVedere/Urban Courtyard Living, which added 234 homes to East Downtown (EDo) since 2002.

Maura Gast is Executive Director of the Irving Visitors Bureau. Irving, a town of 200,000 in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is a leading business destination that welcomed 2.87 million visitors investing $1.47 billion in 2007. In July 2008, Gast will become the Chair of Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), the third female chair in the organization’s history. Having just finished a term on the inaugural Destination Marketing Accreditation Program board, she has also developed curriculum for the association’s Program in Destination Management (PDM) and leads several courses at its conferences and other industry forums.

Steve Grant has been the President of Huning Highland Neighborhood Association for the last three years and has served on the board for over five years. His neighborhood would definitely be impacted by the proposed development as it directly borders the potential project site. He and his wife, Kara, own and operate the “Heritage House Bed & Breakfast,” just five blocks from the Convention Center, and he also works for the Travelers Insurance Companies. He, his wife, and four children have lived in Historic Huning Highland for the last 6 years and they plan to reside there for many more years to come.