State of Downtown October 2, 2008  · Invite · Mayor's Remarks ·  · Watch online in Real Video or Windows Media · On October 2nd, Mayor Dyer was joined by community leaders, small business owners and other elected officials, to celebrate the accomplishments and progress in reshaping and revitalizing Central Florida’s urban core. This year’s event also featured a panel discussion lead by Mayor Dyer. The panel featured nationally-known experts in the fields of downtown development and urban revitalization and focused on how Orlando can sustain the revitalization of its downtown core during tough economic times. The group also discussed ways the community can best-position Downtown Orlando to propel Central Florida’s future economy. In order to ensure local businesses are able to thrive, the City of Orlando is doing its part. During his remarks Mayor Dyer announced the launch of a newly-enhanced Mayor’s Business Assistance Team (BAT), which will continue to allow the City to set the stage for businesses to succeed and give business owners help during tough economic times.