State of Downtown Odessa Address celebrates businesses and looks to future

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - The State of Downtown Odessa Address celebrates what downtown has accomplished and plans for the future.

“We want to recognize the businesses that are downtown and how hard they work to make Odessa grow,” said Downtown Odessa Executive Director Elizabeth Prieto.

Mayor Javier Joven spoke as well as keynote speaker Katie Neason.

City Manager John Beckmeyer has a goal in mind for the area.

“To make it a place where people want to go and spend time not just to do business but to enjoy and again to make it the heart of the city,” said Beckmeyer.

Businesses were also honored. Beckmeyer says in previous years downtown had become run down, which is what makes this new effort to revitalize it so exciting.

“Come downtown and see what all has come in downtown, look at the opportunities that still exist and how we can grow it more and more,” said Beckmeyer.

Prieto says they not only host events, they also work on infrastructure.

“We provide infrastructure grants and other grants to help bring the businesses up to code,” said Prieto.

Beckmeyer says they’ve been pushing for a brighter future for Odessa and it starts downtown.

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