(Atlantic) The Atlantic City Council is considering hiring Retail Coach, a business recruitment company.
Retail Coach Program Director Austin Farmer appearing at the Atlantic City Council meeting Wednesday, gave an hour-long presentation on what his company can provide to the City regarding retail business recruitment and development.
Farmer said Retail Coach focuses on three things.
The company has worked in Fort Dodge, Pella, and Carroll. City officials in Carroll stated they have three new retail prospects since signing on with Retail Coach. Atlantic City Councilman Pat McCurdy asked Farmer what makes him think Atlantic is a prospect considering the town’s population of only 7,000.
The Council didn’t take any action on the proposal; however, members put out some positive vibes.
The Company has been in business for 20-years and now serves 120 communities in 40 states. Farmer says Retail Coach has added five million square feet of retail space to its clients over the past five years. The hiring cost is $40,000; the Atlantic Chamber and CADCO are willing to split the travel and reimbursement part of the contract, which is $2,500 each if the City funds the $35,000 contract. Atlantic City Administrator John Lund says the City is financially strong and able to afford the cost. Lund says the money would come out of the Local Option Sales Tax Fund.
