Mandan's growing population and healthy housing market hold potential to draw big-box stores, a consultant says.

Ricky Hayes of the Oklahoma consultant Retail Attractions and a partner consultant, Crossroads Communications, met with city commissioners for a noon meeting Monday at the Seven Seas.

Mandan is "under-retailed," Hayes said.

"You've been averaging 180 houses per year for the last several years," Hayes told commissioners. "There are areas all over the country that are negative growth. You have a strong indicator of retail potential, but when you drive through the streets, you just don't see the retail."

Commissioners told the consultants they want to build the city's retail to help offset residents' property taxes and use more sales tax revenue instead.

The big stores "will build what will sell," the consultants said.

Hayes said the consultants, who were paid $53,500 for the study, will tour more of the Bismarck-Mandan area and collect more data before launching their full strategy with the city's consent.

"I feel there is the potential for big-box stores, glaringly," he said. "I think there is potential for home improvement. I think there is potential for sporting goods. I think the whole market is terribly underserved."

He said many of the large chain stores toned down expansion because the economy slowed in recent years, but "everyone is out, everyone is looking for new sites now.

"Mandan's past is because you were connected to Bismarck and they missed the overall potential here," Hayes said.

Economic development incentives are expected in this market, Hayes said, but they must be used carefully so the city doesn't lose out in the end.

"We try to use something that works well for both parties. We try to put the emphasis of the incentives based on a performance," he said.

Those could be tied to a timeline and hard investments so the city is protected, the consultants said.

Hayes said he was confident a Walmart or another big box store could come to Mandan despite two Walmarts in Bismarck.

"We've seen them come to towns of 2,500," he said. The consultants said the trade area needs to be factored in.

"We have potential. We have to analyze everything and see where we are at," said Mandan Mayor Tim Helbling.

Mandy Vavrinak, owner of Crossroads Communications, said she will be able to present a data study and a market assessment for a trade show in Las Vegas later this month. "That will feature the highlights of the demographics for the trade area, population, income, education levels ... what types of stores would fit based on hard data," she said.