Retail Star is a retail business incubator program sponsored by Madison Marquette.

The program invites budding entrepreneurs to submit business plans and compete for $25,000 in seed money, a free build-out, prime space in newly renovated Bayfair Center and free rent for one year.

Contestants will be judged by area business leaders and challenged to refine their idea throughout the 6-month contest. The winner will open in November 2009 in time for the holiday shopping season.

The program is being aggressively promoted in local media outlets. The goal of the program is to create a on-going dialogue with local retailers about opportunities at the newly redeveloped center and to identify multiple tenant prospect, including the winner.