Through multiple layers of hearsay, I have learned that the major player here in my neighborhood has stated that he will no longer develop rental units and instead focus on commercial. 

I am thinking developers/operators and some funds/institutional money will be big players in these zones, although if smaller investors can find big enough value add opportunities there could be the potential for some big long term savings.Interestingly enough it appears that the Mall of America is smack dab in the middle of one of the OZ's.

I am sure there is truth in this, if attendance jumps- people eat around the stadium and also vacation to LA to see the possibly greatest player.

Where do you normally start researching the economic clout players in a given area then since you do not use a database?

I was a football, basketball, soccer, hockey player but never had the grades to be able to play for my schools so i was part of the school drama and later speech and debate team wich let me expirince life and environments completely different from mine while also providing a family feeling i was in search for. 

My wife works for a significant player in the REI market in rural Nova Scotia.

Growing up as a baseball player.

Sure, you could go with the players with the highest stats possible - but they won't be affordable.

I’d expect 20 plus calls to get 1 deal.So likely your annual budget is a percentage of what the big players spend on this stuff per month.I have bought multiple properties for about double what you’ll spend on direct mail.  

In NE Florida, jax, all auctions have gone online, 5% down, 95% rest is due noon the next business day, via cashiers check, bag of cash maybe..the big boy players store their 100% full cash with the court account already....ive also heard local escrow account will wire that morning too, which makes sense, .......Im interested in auctions, but until i am 100% all my own cash, i feel it is almost impossible to get a hard money lender to move 95% of the cash by noon the next day...no way.... to me, you can pretty much rule out using hard money all together to fund online auctions...they don't seem to go together.. it is 100% liquid own cash or private money ready to wire from escrow..