Downtown Tucsonan - February 2009 - (Page 4) a lo o k bac k thank you tucson for making the downtown tucson Partnership’s inaugural FIRst nIGHt festival a success! downtown buzzed with energy on new Year’s Eve as an estimated 3,500 people attended the event, held at 7 locations throughout downtown. 1,900 folks bought admission buttons and many more people turned up to enjoy the free entertainment and fireworks. we appreciate everyone coming out and supporting this first-time festival and for choosing to celebrate new Year’s Eve downtown whether at FIRst nIGHt or other events. the festival reflected our diverse community in the varied performances and activities as well as the many generations of tucsonans who took part in the festivities. we hope to make FIRst nIGHt an annual event and a lasting tradition for downtown. Cara Rene Vice President for Community Development Downtown Tucson Partnership photos by Matthew Henry and Renee Stewart D ow n tow n Low d ow n (BELATED) HAPPY NEW YEAR Feedback is still filtering in concerning downtown’s initial First Night festivities held on New Year’s Eve and the preponderance of correspondence indicates the effort was a resounding success. “The event was a definite winner and I’m thrilled with the response to our inaugural offering,” says organizer Cara Rene, Vice President for Community Development with the sponsoring Downtown Tucson Partnership. “We sold about 1,900 admission buttons required for events with a fee and estimate that anywhere from 3,000 to 3,500 people attended First Night during the course of the festival to partake of all the no-cost entertainment. People were clearly attracted by the variety of offerings and the alcohol-free atmosphere and much of the positive feedback came from people happy to take their families to a New Year’s Eve celebration where all ages were welcome.” Rene cites numerous “scenes of celebration” as she calls them, like observing parents listen to music at the Leo Rich Theater while enjoying watching their children dancing to that same music at the front of the stage. “We’re certainly off to a good start and we’re already discussing ideas for next year’s event. I look forward to continuing the creativity of First Night and growing it into a New Year’s Eve tradition for Tucson and Downtown.” by Lee Allen LOTSA HORSES While not truly a part of the gem show, many visitors in town for the mineral event will also stick around for the 84th annual Tucson Rodeo [La Fiesta de los Vaqueros or Festival of the Cowboys], February 21-March 1. The longest non-motorized rodeo parade in the country, a 2-hour procession, kicks off south of downtown at 9am on February 26th with 200,000 estimated to line the mile and a half parade route. Forty-one merchants are offering promotions like restaurant buy-one/get-one inducements as well as discounts off regular pricing for printing services, jewelry, haircuts and other goods or services. The Merchant Coupon Book will be sent to anyone completing a commuter profile or signing up for the regional Guaranteed Ride Home program (free vouchers for emergency taxi rides home for current carpoolers or bus riders). Log on to www.884ride.org before March 31 and click Coupon Book to enroll for the discounts that valid until June 30. LOTSA GLITTER Gems, minerals, fossils, lapidary collectively the largest gem and mineral show in the United States take center stage through mid-February. Dozens of gem shows, dealer displays, and special events are being staged throughout downtown and at nearby hotels. The main event is the official Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, February 12-15, at the Tucson Convention Center. Expect over 250 dealer displays and thousands of visitors. This year’s theme is “Mineral Oddities.” Commenting on traffic disruptions and Interstate 10 construction that could impact show-goers, the Arizona Department of Transportation advises, “Traffic will move smoothly and it will be easy for vendors and visitors to get around,” especially with GemRide shuttles serving all shows impacted by construction. For further information, call 322 5773 or visit www.tgms.com or www.visittucson.org/gemshow. HOTEL HAPPENINGS Following public comment in December and January, project drawings for a new 525-room Sheraton hotel downtown are slated for a March submittal date to the city for review. Plans call for the $150 million 25-story hotel to be the tallest building in town, with construction on-going in conjunction with an expansion of the Tucson Convention Center. Also slated nearby is a new, 12,500 seat arena. The new hotel has 50,000+ square feet of meeting space (to go with 25,000 square feet of expanded space in the convention center) and an additional 35,000 square feet of exhibit space. Ground is expected to be broken for the hotel in March 2010 with a grand opening in 2012, in time for the Arizona centennial. SUCH A DEAL “We’re hoping for 750 new signups because that’s how many coupon books we had printed,” admits Rita Hildebrand, Travel Reduction Coordinator for the Pima Association of Governments. She’s talking about the discount coupon books available from PAG RideShare and the Downtown Tucson Merchant Association for folks who sign up for information about sharing a ride to work. “We’ve gone virtual and now offer instantaneous interactive on-line service for those interested in carpooling or vanpooling, determining bus routes, or finding a biking buddy to join the 2,900 who are already signed up in the RideShare database, an on-going service since 1974. We advocate programs such as this to get more cars off the road, reducing auto emissions, cutting down on roadway congestion, and conserving fuel.” DIM THE HOUSE LIGHTS City personnel will be loaned out to manage day-to-day activities at the Fox Theatre when the last employees leave on February 9th. Fox interim director Rich Singer is saying publicly that the theatre foundation anticipates resuming control at some unspecified future time. In the interim, the Fox has dimmed the house lights as an operating venue some movies or self-produced events but mostly event rentals that can be booked by the Tucson Convention Center staff. Calling the action a “stop gap measure,” Singer said the Fox would have soon out of run out of funds and shut down operations without such an intervention. LOTSA FLAME One highlight of the Gem and Mineral Show is the annual Flame Off!, sponsored by the Sonoran Glass Art Academy, scheduled for 7pm, February 7, at Barrio Brewing Company, 800 E. 16th Street. Renowned glass blower Tom Philabaum founded the event that draws hundreds of spectators to watch 24 glass artists compete against the clock to create innovative examples of goblets and vessels, marbles, and/or wearable art. “It’s the ultimate opportunity to celebrate everything fun and exciting about glass,” says SGAA’s Alaxandra Berger. “This is truly one of those Tucson gems.” 4 downtown tucsonan.february.09 http://www.884ride.org http://www.tgms.com http://www.visittucson.org/gemshow
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