October 15-18 Event Marks Close of 75th Anniversary Celebration and Start of ULI’s Next 75 Years

Media Contact: Trisha Riggs, 202/624-7086; [email protected]

WASHINGTON — (February 6, 2012) – The Urban Land Institute (ULI), a global research and education institute dedicated to responsible land use and building thriving, sustainable communities, will mark the conclusion of its 75th anniversary and the start of its next 75 years at the institute’s 2012 Fall Meeting, set for Denver’s Colorado Convention Center October 16-19. The theme for the meeting, “What’s Next,” will explore short-term and long-term challenges and opportunities facing real estate and land use in the 21st century.

As the largest of the institute’s events and one of the industry’s premier meetings, the annual ULI Fall Meeting routinely draws up to 7,000 members and guests, including internationally renowned land use experts representing all land use disciplines. The special programming being planned to recognize the pivotal point in the institute’s growth will add significantly to what is already a highly popular meeting among both seasoned industry professionals and those starting their real estate careers.

The ULI Local Arrangements Committee, which is charged with maximizing the visibility of real estate markets in the Denver metropolitan region and the Mountain West to meeting attendees, is being co-chaired by ULI Trustee Thomas W. Toomey, president and chief executive officer of UDR, Inc. in Littleton; and former chairman of ULI Colorado William E. Mosher, senior managing director of Trammell Crow in Denver. The committee also assists with ULI’s fundraising efforts for the meeting.

According to Toomey, the Fall Meeting’s recognition of ULI’s 75th year will be oriented toward looking at what’s next for the industry and the institute, both in the near-term and over the next 75 years. “Dramatic changes related to demographics, the economy and the environment are necessitating a major overhaul in what and where we build, and will continue to do so in the decades ahead,” Toomey said. “The 2012 Fall Meeting will set the stage for what ULI has yet to accomplish. Now, perhaps more than ever, is the time for leadership in the planning, design and development of our built environment. I’m excited that so many extraordinary real estate professionals will be visiting this great metro area, and helping us mark this special moment for ULI’s history and its future.”

Denver last hosted ULI’s Fall Meeting in 2006. “Denver is establishing itself as a visionary market that is rapidly climbing the ranks as a first-tier city,” Mosher said. “This meeting will give us a chance to share the positive growth and expansion that is happening throughout our region. Few cities share Denver’s track record of investment in and support for regional approaches to community infrastructure. We look forward to showcasing the energy that is so apparent in the city and surrounding communities, and making it a centerpiece for the meeting. ULI members who have not been here since the last Fall Meeting are in for an exciting and valuable experience.”

There are numerous economic benefits for a city hosting ULI’s annual Fall Meeting. Attendees generally spend more than $6 million during the event, including hotel costs, travel costs, food, dining and other expenses. In addition, ULI spends several million dollars throughout the metro area and surrounding communities on securing space for the meetings, including convention center space, hotel meeting space, and various functions involving dining, entertainment and tours.

However, a longer-lasting benefit – one that distinguishes ULI’s major gathering from similar events held by other organizations — is the future investment and development activities by ULI members that can be triggered by their visit to a city. The potential is great, because as land use leaders, ULI members are constantly seeking promising opportunities for community building and contributing to the built environment.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.