The Downtown Ithaca Local Development Corporation (LDC) creates economic impact through the ownership of the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, a professionally operated, state-of-the-art facility designed to attract visitors by accommodating trade shows, conferences, meetings, public expositions, business activities, and social, sporting & community events. The Ithaca Downtown Conference Center enhances the economy of Tompkins County by the attraction of events, the visibility and awareness they create, the visitors that accompany them, and the generation of new economic benefits throughout the area by that visitor spending.

The LDC was originally formed on April 4, 2003 by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance and was formally reestablished in early 2020 for the purpose of constructing and operating the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center. The LDC was awarded NYS tax exempt status on April 16, 2021.