ICSC Members Return to DC for Federal Fly-In

After a three-year pause, ICSC members gathered in Washington, DC for the 32nd Federal Fly-In on June 12-14.

During the event, members from 28 states met with 143 Congressional offices to discuss key legislation impacting the Marketplaces Industry.

Prior to Congressional meetings, members attended briefings on top ICSC issues such as organized retail crime (ORC), access to capital, adaptive reuse/redevelopment incentives and proposed changes to the treatment of carried interest.

The meeting also featured a “State of the Industry” briefing by ICSC President and CEO Tom McGee, who highlighted information for attendees to share with Congressional leaders.

“After several years of not being able to do an in-person event, it was great to have our members together again and on the Hill. This is an important day in which elected officials can hear directly from their constituents in the Marketplaces Industry,” said McGee. “I had the privilege to provide an industry update to attendees prior to their meetings and further arm them with valuable data emphasizing the strength and importance of the communities we serve.”

As part of the three-day event, ICSC’s Economic and Environmental Committees held sessions at the event to share perspectives on ongoing and emerging issues.

“I try to attend the Federal Fly-In every year,” said Catherine Timko, principal and CEO of The Riddle Company. “I learn more here about issues impacting my clients at both the industry and federal level that I can impart in my work. This year the intel on ORC was incredibly useful and I have been able to share it with my economic development clients and the retailers we work with in cities across the country.”

The Federal Fly-In also gives members a chance to network in an intimate setting while influencing legislative outcomes.

“The Federal Fly-in was a fun and fantastic event, allowing me to connect with other ICSC members from across the country,” said Tom Onder, chair of the Shopping Center & Retail Development Group at Stark & Stark. “It is important because it provides an opportunity to sit down with our Congressional leaders and their staff, to not only educate them on our industry topics, but also advocate for key issues like organized retail crime and carried interest. Being in DC to express our concerns is democracy at work.”

Other Fly-In activities included a late-night ICSC PAC event at the Waldorf Astoria and a reception hosted at the Home Depot Government Affairs office.

“The Federal Fly-In is a special event because it puts our members face-to-face with Congress,” Betsy Laird, ICSC executive vice president for Government Relations & Public Policy, said. “Now more than ever, there is nothing more powerful than our members telling legislators how these issues impact their businesses.”