THE DAILY HERALD – Provo – The Utah County Convention Center is coming soon. Really.

To the average person who has yet to see much change to downtown Provo, specifically the block between Center Street and 100 North and 200 West and 300 West, that may seem doubtful, but planners say the behind-the-scenes work is moving forward smoothly and the rest of it will follow.

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(The Daily Herald)

DESERET NEWS - PROVO — The future of downtown Provo could look decidedly different than it does today if the City Council takes the advice of Santa Clara, Calif., retail real estate consultant Randol Mackley.

The mix of retail to attract more shoppers should start with additional restaurants, then spin off into other businesses such as men’s and women’s clothing stores, bookstores and other eclectic shops, Mackley said Tuesday during a presentation on revitalizing downtown.

Provo resident Melanie McCoard said revitalizing downtown is long overdue.

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DAILY HERALD - PROVO — A national expert in retail growth says Provo has laid the groundwork for a downtown business boom, but the city must play its cards right if it wants Center Street to stand up to local malls.

Randol Mackley, a principal with the California-based Retail Real Estate Group, told the city’s Municipal Council on Tuesday that downtown must create a unique, walkable atmosphere if it would compete with local malls, which have drawn much retail attention away from the area over the years. He said the tumultuous market often determines much of the outcome, but a little planning could go a long way toward fostering a thriving downtown.

“Downtown’s customer has changed,” said Mackley, a Provo native who has helped develop retail blueprints for several California cities. “Today’s downtown customer is choosing Los Hermanos over McDonalds. Also, they’re choosing the Covey Center over the cineplex movies.”

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THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE – Expert: Downtown Provo can be saved, in time

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