Cuevas adds Main Street Director to current roles for City
By Toni Miles
Courtney Cuevas has been tapped as the City of Long Beach’s Main Street Director.
Long Beach Community Affairs Director Courtney Cuevas hit the ground running (again) as the new year rolled around – new year, new title. Now, the Long Beach native has added yet another role and title to her resume – Main Street Director for the City of Long Beach.
“I found out that I would be serving as the 2025 Main Street Director in November [of 2024],” Cuevas says. “It’s an exciting opportunity. My official title is Main Street Director, and, in this role, I will be working closely with business owners, community leaders and our board of directors to help develop initiatives that increase tourism and foot traffic in Long Beach.”
“I had the privilege of shadowing the past director during the Sea Santa Sail-A-Bration Parade, which gave me a great opportunity to learn about the core of this position and what the community expects from Main Street. As part of my responsibilities, I’ll be collaborating with the business community to create events, programs and partnerships that benefit our downtown area and strengthen the local economy.
“Our board of directors includes Tanner Montella, Brooke Rester, Pam Sanders, Courtenay Pierce, Taylor Williams and Delores Tillson, each of whom will help shape our initiatives for 2025,” Cuevas says.
As Cuevas transitions into this new role, she takes the time to share the history of the Main Street program and why it’s important.
“Main Street is a nationally recognized program that focuses on revitalizing downtown areas and supporting local businesses through community-driven initiatives. It’s centered around the Four-Point Approach, which involves organization, promotion, design, and economic restructuring.”
“Long Beach has been a part of Main Street for a while-it just operated under a different name, the Long Beach Community Development Association. The organization was still recognized with Mississippi Main Street and Main Street America,” Cuevas says. “Long Beach will now be re-engaging with the Main Street program, working to increase support for local businesses and creating vibrant events and initiatives. As for membership and events, Long Beach Main Street looks forward to launching events and membership opportunities for all Long Beach businesses. It will also create more opportunities for community engagement and foster a thriving, vibrant downtown district that both residents and visitors can enjoy.”
This new position is also a labor of love for Cuevas.
“Currently, Long Beach is an associate member of Mississippi Main Street,” Cuevas says. “There are three different levels of membership within Main Street, and we are working toward becoming a network member in the upcoming year, with the goal of becoming a designated member in the future. As an associate member, all of our work is currently done by volunteers, and this position, as well as the role of Main Street Director, is not a paid position.
“In the future, as the program grows, there may be opportunities to bring on additional staff to help manage events, programming, and initiatives,” Cuevas says.
As the Main Street Director, Cuevas says the primary goals are to help revitalize downtown Long Beach by increasing tourism, promoting local businesses, and creating a welcoming, vibrant space for both residents and visitors.
“Some of the specific goals I have for 2025 include organizing community-driven events that attract people to the downtown area; creating more opportunities for local businesses to collaborate and promote each other; enhancing the design and accessibility of the downtown district to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment; and building partnerships with local organizations to amplify the impact of Main Street initiatives. I’m excited to start working on these goals and to see the positive impact they’ll have on our community,” Cuevas says.
Cuevas says she believes her role serving as the Community Affairs Director for the City of Long Beach will bolster her work as Long Beach Main Street Director.
“I believe that my experience in this role will definitely help me as the Main Street Director,” Cuevas says. “In both positions, community engagement is key, and I have a strong understanding of what it takes to bring people together to support our city’s growth. Additionally, my connections with local businesses, government officials and community leaders will be invaluable as I work to help Long Beach thrive through the Main Street program.”
There are many ways for residents, businesses, and organizations to get involved with Main Street.
“We encourage everyone to volunteer at our events, offer sponsorships or partner with us for community activities, provide feedback and ideas on how to improve the downtown area, and support local businesses by shopping, dining, and attending events. Main Street thrives when the whole community comes together, so there are plenty of ways for everyone to make a difference,” Cuevas says.
While Cuevas holds the title of Long Beach Main Street Director, she knows it “takes a village.”
“I’m truly excited about the opportunity to serve as the Main Street Director and work alongside our wonderful community,” Cuevas says. “This is an exciting time for Long Beach, and I look forward to seeing all of us come together to create a downtown that we can all be proud of. If you have ideas, want to get involved, or just want to chat about the future of Long Beach, I’m always happy to hear from you. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together in 2025,” Cuevas says.
