By Ginger G. Golden

MULVANE – Local downtown business owners are searching for ideas to attract both visitors and new business.

“It was our first initial meeting so it was mainly brainstorming,” said Janis Hellard, executive director of the Sumner County Economic Development Commission. “We came up with a couple of things that we are going to research.”

With the casino now established and the equestrian center under construction, the purpose of the group is to look at ways to attract visitors to the downtown business district.

Hellard informed those in the meeting that a website existed where commercial real estate could be listed.

“Those databases are free for anyone in our county to list an available commercial building,” she said. “They can put their property out there and they are databases that are used by site selectors all over the world when they’re looking for properties that might fit their project.”

The website is http://gosumner.com/.

City Manager Kent Hixson told the group the Mulvane Tree Board is making a recommendation to replace trees in the downtown area.

“They’ve been there at least a decade by now and they’ve outgrown the environment, meaning the roots are pushing up and damaging the concrete,” he said. “I told the tree board to put their recommendation in writing and I’d take it to the city council.”

“I think it’s always great when people get together and try to do something for their community,” said Hellard. “I am hopeful that this will bring some very good results.”