Seattle is truly on the global stage this week.

Starting Sept. 11 and running through Sept. 13, the International Downtown Association convenes in Seattle for its 70^th annual conference. The event features almost 1,400 community leaders, urban planners, and elected officials from 46 states and 10 countries.

“This conference is an annual highlight for urban experts from all corners to convene, learn from one another and examine how we can keep moving our downtowns forward,” says Downtown Seattle Association President and CEO Jon Scholes. “(We) can’t wait to show leaders in our industry how downtown Seattle is being revitalized with a new waterfront development, a record residential population, vibrant public spaces and a mix of uses that make downtown Seattle one of the most dynamic urban cores in the country.”

The $806 million waterfront project is an extensive revitalization of 20 acres along Seattle’s seawall that connects the city’s waterfront to Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, and other core neighborhoods. Completion is slated for early next year. A key component was last month’s opening of the Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion, a 50,000-square foot project that includes educational components, a public garden, and a rooftop viewing platform.

Downtown Seattle now has 106,000 residents, about 14% of the city’s population. The Downtown Seattle Association also says the number of monthly workers downtown topped 60% of the daily average for the first time since prior to the pandemic.

“We are already seeing results from our efforts to revitalize Seattle’s core,” says Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, who last year launched his Downtown Activation Plan designed to revitalize and clean up the city. “This conference is an incredible opportunity to exchange ideas and share with other city leaders how we are building a downtown for the future.”