Agenda item

            The Director of City Centre Development reminded the Members that the Council, at its meeting on 1st June 2016, had agreed that a Belfast delegation would attend MIPIM 2017, which was taking place between 14th and 17th March.  She undertook to provide the Committee with an overview of the preparations which were underway for the Council’s attendance at MIPIM, the largest international market for real estate professionals which was held annually in Cannes, France.  

            She reminded the Members that, in March 2016, the Council had led a successful Belfast delegation of 53 people from 23 sponsoring organisations to MIPIM and highlighted some of the positive outcomes to the Committee, namely that:

·        the strong Belfast plc proposition had put the City back on the investment map;

·        15 expressions of interest to visit Belfast had been made by major institutional investors and a number of funders sourced at MIPIM were now actively investing in developments or very seriously considering investments in the very near future; and

·        a significant hotel company was actively seeking a site in Belfast.

            The Director explained that, while she had been appointed as the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for MIPIM 2017, an internal City Centre Programme Board, constituted in June 2016 and led by the Chief Executive, would provide strategic oversight.  The Members were also advised that a private sector steering group had been set up to support the work on the sponsorship and messaging, and that it had agreed to hold sponsorship at the 2016 levels.  The Committee was reminded that the Council had agreed to allocate £60,000 to MIPIM, with additional costs to be met through private sector sponsorship.

            The Director confirmed to the Members that preparations for MIPIM 2017 would be progressed in tandem with other strategic initiatives including the Belfast Agenda, Place Positioning, and the International Marketing Strategy.

            The Committee was reminded that, in 2016, Belfast had gone to MIPIM with strong messages around tax, talent and technology. The Director explained that the messaging for 2017 would build on these, but would also include strong references to tourism and transport. She highlighted that the aim of MIPIM was to showcase specific investment opportunities around these themes, such as the Transport Hub which would transform Belfast, the visitor attractions, the North Foreshore, the Sirocco site, the North East Quarter, in addition to specific development opportunities for new hotels, retail, offices, and leisure space.

            The Director advised the Members that, following a competitive procurement process, the Council had appointed Lanyon Communications Ltd. to support the preparations, sponsorship and stand development for MIPIM 2017.  She provided an overview of the key preparations which had been planned to date, including a Sponsor’s launch event on 1st December to be held at the Belfast Telegraph building, symbolising the future regeneration of the City.  The Members were also advised that a Public launch would take place in February 2017, in the Belfast Waterfront, as an opportunity to galvanise the Belfast delegation, and publically project the international ambitions of the city.

            During discussion, the Committee noted the information which had been provided and agreed that a report would be submitted to a future meeting, highlighting the successful outcomes which had arisen from Belfast’s participation in MIPIM 2016, noting that some investment proposals were commercially sensitive.