Food, Beer and a Dancing Lee Brand at State of Downtown

By David Taub, Senior Reporter

Published 8 years ago on

March 29, 2017

Hundreds showed up to the Warnors Theatre for the State of Downtown. They were greeted by a live band, ate great food from the likes of Kiku’s and tasted preview of nearly a half-dozen breweries on the new Fresno Ale Trail.

The event, held by the Downtown Partnership, featured a five minute speech by Mayor Lee Brand, who touted the accomplishments of downtown and his first three months as head of City Hall. But first, Brand displayed his best dance moves.

Brand touted the opening of the Fulton Mall to traffic, scheduled for later this year. He said over $100 million has been invested by the private sector.

He also touched on the impending $70 million state grant from Cap & Trade funds. “That’s the largest single grant ever for the city of Fresno. That money will primarily be spent downtown.”

Brand said more jobs are coming to Fresno via a major retailer. “Amazon has identified Fresno as a preferred site to bring an e-commerce plant…We will find out that in a couple months, it will bring 3,000 jobs to Fresno.”

For the full video of Brand’s speech, click below.

Contact David Taub

Phone: 559-492-4037 / e-mail

This story was not subject to the approval of Granville Homes.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Does Merced County Need an Independent Commission to Draw Board of Supervisors Districts?

David Taub,

Senior Reporter

Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email