Typically, public agencies undertake developments with the goal of creating positive cultural, economic, fiscal, and development impacts in their communities. Johnson Consulting uses proven methodologies for estimating impacts for convention centers, sports facilities, tourism attractions, and other development initiatives. Economic impact is measured by the new local spending associated with a project, and fiscal impact measures the benefits to various levels of governments in the form of incremental tax revenue. Johnson Consulting is well respected for our use of established economic and fiscal impact models to estimate a project’s impacts.

Johnson Consulting professionals are qualified as expert witnesses for professional, minor league and collegiate sports, TIF, real estate, municipal finance and hotel transactions. Our staff prepares research associated with case and trial issues, document reports for submission in support of issues and stand ready to serve as witnesses for cases.

Lending institutions, underwriters, and joint-venture partners require independent and objective data and opinions. Public agencies and private developers use our feasibility studies to secure project financing and support. Our studies appear in municipal bond offering statements, public offering documents, and private placement memoranda. Johnson Consulting reports have been used to substantiate billions of dollars in investment decisions, reposition important economic development initiatives, and redirect projects to a more successful outcome. Our strategic and analytical techniques are comprehensive and highly respected by developers, rating agencies, bond insurers, and investors.

Johnson Consulting understands that the ongoing success of any project, facility, or enterprise is dependent on effective management, capable leadership, and organizational flexibility. With that in mind, Johnson Consulting conducts operational reviews and audits, performs organizational and management reviews, benchmarking studies, and other analyses that clarify the lines of responsibility, identify efficiencies, and give clients the knowledge and criteria to evaluate outsourcing and privatization options. The benefit for a client is a strategic vision that provides the flexibility and adaptability to achieve its operating objectives.

Johnson Consulting understands the complexity of developing large-scale mixed-use projects in public and public/private sector settings. Our firm often partners with and/or leads multi-disciplinary teams on projects. Development management services are commonly outsourced to Johnson Consulting, providing additional capacity and expertise to complement a client's in-house capabilities. Our firm has experience in managing design and construction services, the development and dissemination of information for use by legal and financing personnel, and the evaluation of proposals and costs. Our project management tools and industry relationships provide clients with a single point of responsibility and solid project management expertise from project strategy development to project commissioning.

Large-scale economic and real estate development projects are often financed through debt offerings or specific budget lines that are repaid through or supported by dedicated tax or revenue sources. Numerous projects for financial advisors, lenders, and proponents of public and private projects have benefited from Johnson Consulting's participation in developing and presenting a credible finance plan. Our staff has forecasted project-based sales, income, property, hotel occupancy, auto rental, and food and beverage taxes, as well as numerous other revenue sources that support publicly-financed projects. In addition, we have creatively devised business improvement district funding strategies that allow infrastructure and other project amenities to be funded by internal tax or fee mechanisms that may be part of development agreements, outside of tax jurisdictions.

Aiming a project in the right direction from the onset establishes a crucial foundation for subsequent implementation. We have an extensive database of project profiles, along with financial modeling tools that allow us to test initial assumptions and establish proper development and management criteria. Our strategy development approach ensures that baseline assumptions are supported by defensible examples and parameters, and that all parties understand a project's goals, financial considerations, and the most effective way to achieve the objectives. Our strategic analyses address the relationships between the various parties in an objective, thoroughly tested, and credible manner.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a form of economic incentive which uses the increase in local and state tax revenues generated by a new development project (the increment) to finance certain costs associated with a project. This financing is typically structured by the applicable local government issuing tax increment bonds, the proceeds of which are used to finance the approved costs. The increased increment base is then used to retire the bonds from project development. Johnson Consulting is the leader in the industry for TIF related developments and specializes in assisting private entities, cities/counties/states, and other financing authorities on the essential TIF application deliverables to substantiate a project’s viability to its community.