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TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: The Mayor's Office
DATE: August 13, 2025
SUBJECT:
Engagement of the Aurora Regional Economic Alliance ("Alliance") to provide special services in Special Service Area One through December 31, 2025.
PURPOSE:
To engage the Alliance to provide special services in the downtown area through the end of the year
BACKGROUND:
In 1994, the City Council established Special Service Area One to provide a revenue source to fund additional services intended to beautify and enhance the quality of life in the downtown areas that were different from services offered generally throughout the City. Historically, the City engaged Aurora Downtown, a not-for-profit corporation organized by property owners within the special service area, to deliver these special services - which, among other things, consisted of marketing, beautification, and entertainment efforts, all focused in downtown.
In late 2024, as a result of efforts to consolidate a variety of civic entities into the Alliance, the City began to conclude its relationship with Aurora Downtown with the understanding that Aurora Downtown, would eventually wind down its operation and seek dissolution by the Secretary of State.
Since its relationship with Aurora Downtown ended in February, the City has been negotiating with the Alliance to assume Aurora Downtown's role as the provider for special services within SSA One, at least on a temporary basis. The proposed attached to this ordinance will allow the City and the Alliance to work together to provide the traditional downtown programming during the final months of 2025, while allowing time for the City to consider its future options for the use of the special taxes collected in SSA One for tax years 2025 and 2026. SSA One, in its current form, will expire at the close of tax year 2026 (December 31, 2027) unless it is extended by the City Council.
DISCUSSION:
The Alliance is willing to perform the services set forth in the Agreeme...
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