What’s New in Greater Phoenix? April 2012
Each month on behalf of the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau, I put together a montly newsletter about the new happenings and various promotional packages being offered.
Here are some highlights this April:
Construction begins during spring 2012 on the ASU Tempe and Downtown Phoenix Campus Student Recreation Complexes. The new Student Recreation Complex (SRC) on the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus will be housed at 350 N. 1st Ave., between Fillmore and Van Buren Streets, directly south of the Lincoln Family YMCA. The 73,800-square-foot building will have space for strength, fitness, and cardio equipment, a student lounge, a bike co-op, lockers, multipurpose rooms, basketball courts, a jogging track, and a rooftop swimming pool.
Further east, the Tempe campus SRC is being expanded and will be located at the northwest corner of Apache Boulevard and McAlister Avenue, where the SRC tennis courts are currently located. Two replacement tennis courts will be built directly east of Sonora Center in the landscaped area visible from Rural Road. The SRC will remain open for use during construction of the 84,500-square-foot expansion. When it’s complete, students, faculty and staff will benefit from a new wellness area, gymnasiums, locker rooms, strength, fitness, and cardio space, a multipurpose athletic court, space for social gatherings, and a fitness assessment area. Construction is slated to be complete on both SRC facilities by August 2013.
Resort Packages:
Get out of town–or just get out of the house–and settle into Greater Phoenix for a sweet escape at the Kimpton Firesky Resort and Spa. Perfect for moms and daughters to enjoy together, the “Sweet Escape Package” package offers two welcome cocktails at Taggia, complimentary dessert at any dining experience in Taggia or a Kimpton restaurant, certificates for shopping discounts at Fashion Square and beyond, and 25 percent off of a 60- or 90-minute treatment at Jurlique Spa. The special package rate starts at $209 through May, and at $109 from June through September.
The historic Arizona Biltmore has a celebrated history as a playground for savvy travelers, including many celebrities and other VIPs. And now travelers can play harder, and more affordably, with the resort’s Exclusive All-Inclusive “PLAY” Package.” Everything from upgraded accommodations in Ocatilla to rounds of golf, fine dining, spa treatments and tennis are included, so you can enjoy the best of the Biltmore at a special package rate starting at just $669* per night.
Phoenix Events:
Phoenix Pride Festival will take place April 21-22, and is all about partnering with the community and organizations sharing the LGBT mission for equality. It’s the largest LGBT event in the state of Arizona, and there will be plenty of events designed to entertain you throughout the weekend. There will be over 150 entertainment performances on five stages. The festival will also bring a variety of food vendors. For over 30 years, Phoenix Pride has been organizing marches, rallies, parades, entertainment, and education events to celebrate the Phoenix LGBT community.
Chase Field opens its doors (and roof) to welcome fans for the 2012 Arizona Diamondbacks MLB Season. There have been a number of improvements to enhance the fan experience, ranging from food and merchandise to technology and dynamic signage. A recent addition is the D-backs Digital Experience in the ballpark. Fans can use their smart phones to order concession items from nine locations. Another element of the Digital D-back experience is the availability at no cost for fans to watch replays on-demand from their seats via AT&T Wi-Fi. For the first time ever, D-backs fans can use D-backs FanPass, which allows fans to store their tickets on their credit card and swipe at the gate for entry. To enjoy this MLB season with the D-backs, get your tickets at online.
