NIAGARA FALLS — They couldn’t say much, but what they did say was clearly good news for Niagara Falls.

In a meeting with the news media where only limited details could be provided, three government leaders expressed their optimism at what was called an “exciting” response by developers to a request for proposals to develop 310 Rainbow Blvd.

The near 1-acre parcel, a former hot air balloon landing site, was presented as a RFP to developers recently, mostly through trade publications in the U.S. and Canada and some advertising throughout the state, said Christopher Schoepflin, president of USA Niagara Development Corp., which received the proposals.

While some of the responding developers were regional, Schoepflin said that others had national reputations and were from downstate or outside of New York state.

The three officials, including Schoepflin, Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster and Sam Hoyt, Schoepflin’s boss and regional president of the state Economic Development Corporation, could not release the actual details of the proposals due to state restrictions on the RFP process.

“We can’t accidentally give a leg up (to one of the developers),” the mayor explained. “It’s a competition.”

The three credited the improvements in the downtown area, including the creation of Old Falls Street as an event space and the renovations of the Rainbow Mall into a culinary school, for spurring interest from an impressive number of developers. Due to changes happening in the downtown area, and despite the current economy, “we were emboldened to go forth with a request for proposals,” Dyster said.

The seven proposals are currently being reviewed and scored by a small committee led by Schoepflin which will include input from both Dyster and Hoyt.

The short list of developers will be asked to come in for interviews in early January and by mid-January they expect to announce the preferred developer for the parcel, with the first shovel expected to be dug, if all goes well, by the end of 2012. Construction is expected to take about two years.

“What we’re seeking is a multi-use urban site, built to the lot line,” Schoepflin said, noting that such buildings have proven in many revived cities as vital in restoring urban activity. Multi-use buildings often include ground level retail, commercial office space, and residential and overnight lodging, creating what Schoepflin called “an energetic urban space.”

Hoyt, a former Buffalo/Grand Island state assemblyman was appointed six months ago as regional president of the state economic development corporation, overseeing two subsidiaries including USA Niagara and the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. in Buffalo.

Hoyt lauded the mayor and USA Niagara, for laying the groundwork for what was deemed a significant response by interested developers.

“What the mayor has worked so hard on is an urban 24-7 environment in which other cities across the country are seeing real momentum in potential,” Hoyt said.

“I view this community and this area at a great point — a tipping point,” he added. “So much positive has been done. Now we’ll hopefully see the fruits of our labor.”

The mayor said the developers uniformly seemed to understand what the city was seeking in the request for proposals.

“One of the things we were really impressed with was the vision shown in the proposals,” Dyster said.

The proposal deadline was Dec. 9. Developers were asked to present ideas for the flat, rectangular land, located directly across from the where the new Niagara County Community College Culinary Institute is being built within the former Rainbow Mall.

The RFP created by USA Niagara detailed the assets of the property, including the nearby attractions, the soon to be opened culinary institute and renovated adjacent parking ramp for 1,600 cars. In addition the RFP detailed a recent study showing the area can support an upscale hotel, entertainment, retail and residential space.

The site, on occasion referred to as a “former balloon launch site,” will now officially be referred to by its address at 310 Rainbow Boulevard, Schoepflin said.

“I don’t want it to be the former anything,” he said. “I want it to be the future something.”