FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Blexrud 407-246-3107

DYER APPOINTS CARI COATS TO SERVE AS CHAIRPERSON FOR THE DOWNTOWN 
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT TRANSITION TEAM

ORLANDO, FL (March 26, 2003) – Mayor Buddy Dyer announced Wednesday the appointment of Cari Coats to serve as the Chairperson for the Downtown Strategic Development Transition Team.

Coats recently resigned from the Orlando Magic where she served as the Vice President of Business Development for the past 16 years.

“Cari Coats is a trusted confidant with the right mix of business sense and political acumen for this position. I know she will assemble a first-rate team of citizens who can look at what has been done and what we are planning to do in order to revitalize downtown,” Dyer said. “She shares my vision that our downtown must be a center for the arts, sports, entertainment, retail and restaurants,” Dyer said. 

Dyer has charged Coats with the task of putting together a committee to look at all facets of how to best redevelop the downtown area.

“It is an honor for me to have Mayor Dyer ask me to take on this critical task. The Mayor has asked all of us to imagine a great city, and for each person who lives here that means something different,” Coats said. “But almost everyone believes that we need to have a vibrant downtown for Orlando to truly be a great city,” Coats said. “Looking at ways to make that happen and finding ways to instill a sense of urgency in that mission will be the primary focus of our Downtown Transition Team,” Coats said.

Mayor Dyer also announced the Downtown Strategic Development Transition Team will be making recommendations to the Mayor and will not be confined to fact finding. As a result, all meetings of the Downtown Strategic Development Transition Team will be open to the public.

Coats, who grew up in Kissimmee, gives new meaning to the phrase “long time confidant, adviser and friend” to Mayor Dyer as they first met in the 7th grade while attending Beaumont Middle School and they both went on to attend Osceola High School in Kissimmee.

# # #