CASE STUDIES

City of Flagstaff

Challenge

The City of Flagstaff needed to compete successfully for federal funding to meet its critical flood control and transportation needs. Landry-Creedon was retained by the City to help obtain federal funds for several projects. One project would provide flood control for Rio de Flag, protecting downtown Flagstaff, the business district and Northern Arizona University. A second project would allow additional land to be obtained to expand Flagstaff’s Pulliam Airport and protect this facility from urban encroachment. The third project involved improving the City’s public transportation system and constructing road improvements to ease congestion on I-40.

Strategy

Landry-Creedon determined that successful funding would depend to a great extent on maintaining excellent working relationships and top-level contacts with numerous key Congressional leaders and federal departments and agencies. It also required knowledge and understanding of which agencies could fund which projects. Because the agencies included the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Arizona Congressional Delegation, Landry-Creedon developed a personal contact list and communications strategy for each key stakeholder. To underscore the importance of funding, they recognized the need to communicate to the agencies and Congressional elected officials and staff that the City is the largest community and tourism destination in northern Arizona.

Advocacy

By providing individuals with consistent, timely information, Landry-Creedon enlisted the support of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Congressional Delegation to encourage funding for Rio de Flag through Energy and Water appropriations.

Landry-Creedon also worked to place language in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which fully authorized the Rio de Flag project.

The firm developed an action plan for a congressionally passed land exchange to allow the City to expand its airport in order to attract larger carriers and generate tourism dollars.

Results