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First Data revs up technology, sponsorship for Champ Car race

The Business Journal of Phoenix - 6:45 PM MST Wednesday

by Chris Casacchia

The Business Journal

A national credit card processor has signed a three-year deal to be the title sponsor of November's champ car race in downtown Phoenix.

Officials from the company -- First Data Independent Sales Fresno by Cardservice International -- announced the deal at a launch party Wednesday evening at the Hyatt Regency.

As part of the agreement, the California-based credit card processor also will be the title sponsor of the Las Vegas Grand Prix and gain partnership opportunities with subsidiaries of event owner DDB Ventures.

Through the agreement, First Data will bring a new technology featuring prepaid or stored value cards to the First Data Grand Prix Arizona -- a first for a ticketing and vending for this type of event.

"This is a relationship that is bringing cutting-edge technology to the entertainment business, and we're excited to be at the forefront of this trend," said Bradley Yonover, co-owner of the First Data Grand Prix Arizona and the Vegas Grand Prix Fueled by Visa.

Prepaid Visa cards also can be purchased at the event, where more than 200 VeriFone Vx 610 wireless payment systems will be deployed.

"At the First Data Grand Prix Arizona, we're able to offer consumers and vendors the ability to process a transaction instantaneously and wirelessly, and demonstrate that First Data is at the forefront of consumer transactions in the next five years," said First Data President and Chief Executive Richard Ramirez.

Point-of-sale systems such as VeriFone's Vx 610 enable vendors to use wireless wide-area networking and wireless local-area networking to send card transactions.

Another feature of the motorsports event, Earthshift '07, the "green" portion of the festival weekend, will include the first major race to feature methanol rather than gasoline, eliminating carbon dioxide emissions.

"We're hoping through our 'green' Earthshift '07 efforts that we begin to contribute to a shift in attitude about the environment and the use of resources," said Dale Jensen, who is a co-owner with Yonover in DDB Ventures.

The entertainment, motorsports and real estate development company was founded in 2005 by Yonover, an entertainment entrepreneur and real estate developer, and Jensen, a financial software visionary and largest single stakeholder of the Arizona Diamondbacks and part owner of the Phoenix Suns.

Earthshift '07 at Chase Field will showcase eco-shopping; eco-conscious musical talent; eco-fashion; organic food and drink; eco-makeovers; interactive renewable energy; solar, biodiesel and alternative transportation displays; soy finger-painting; science museum-caliber exhibits; and recycled crafts.

The race weekend, set for Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, will include rock concerts, a Taste of Phoenix and other attractions. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale May 1.

For more: www.grandprixarizona.com.

I am hyped as hell about this event! Seems tickets will go on sale May 1st and I definately plan on buying a couple. The race course is awesome...imagine seeing this from a highrise downtown condo? Downtown's appeal definately just went up a notch.

WHERE WILL THE GRAND PRIX ARIZONA TAKE PLACE?

The downtown Phoenix circuit will be 2.11 miles long and will encompass Chase Field and the

US Airways Center, as well as a good portion of the "Downtown Warehouse District." The circuit

will begin on Jefferson Street, go south on 7th Street, head east on Lincoln Street (with some turns),

and head north on 1st Avenue, go east across Madison Street and head north up 1st Street back

to Jefferson Street

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  • 4 weeks later...

Anyone know anything about this?

twin condo towers planned for midtown, called cielo. two 36 floor towers. They look cool as hell. What's the likeliness something like this is going to get built? Especially with Colins forecast that the downtown condo market has all but died?

Construction is slated to start second quarter of this year. That'd be in the next few months. These things never go off as planned, but it would be awsome to have six highrises going up all at once. We really need more than that, but i'll take what I can get.

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Ok...then you should love this news, thanks to ArtDecoFan on another forum...

This past Wednesday night David Wallach of W Developments (Summit at Copper Square) attended our Orpheum Lofts HOA meeting to fill us in on the Orpheum Phase II development plans. Originally Norm Sheldon/TASB, the developer of Orpheum Lofts, was also planning to develop a new residential high-rise on the current parking lot directly west of our building. However when the market started slowing down, he had to put his plans on hold. We residents then heard around October/November of last year that Norm was in talks to team up David Wallach for the development.

The new high-rise is named Omega. It will be 32 stories with 200 condos, five levels of parking, a 1st floor bistro cafe, 7th floor outdoor pool and spa, and top floor club house. The condos will range from roughly 725 sq.ft. to 1400 sq.ft. and start at $450/sq.ft. David Wallach passed the architectural renderings around the room, but unfortunately I wasn't able to snag any copies to share at this time. I can assure you the renderings I saw portrayed a very contemporary and sleek high-rise with sandy brown colors at the base and gorgeous light greenish glass panes. It does not look at all similar to the Summit at Copper Square. Where that building is nice and fits well with the warehouse district surroundings, this new building looks much more sophisticated and cosmopolitan.

The entrance to the building is on the SW corner at a 45 degree angle to 2nd Ave and Adams, mirroring the 45 degree angle of the Orpheum Theatre entrance.

David Wallach was very clear that he fully hopes to have the next crane joining the downtown Phoenix skyline to be that of Omega. He described himself as solely an urban developer who always strives for landmark ultra-cool projects. He likes the infill nature of this particular site and the dynamics of the different sight lines this location affords. He is currently in meetings with the city on pre-development issues and the public report process. Once construction has begun (planning for 3Q '07), the plans are for a 24-26 mo. build-out with the actual structure taking 15-16 mos. The PM will be the same gentleman who is in charge at the Summit (who is a former Army Sergeant who is always on the ball).

Look for the model/sales office in around 60-90 days. It will be located at the Orpheum Lofts in the SE corner retail space.

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They presented the master plan for all three blocks at the public CityScape meeting tonight. I got a shot of one of the slides but not the other showing the side profile, so I drew it up as best as I could remember.

PatriotsSquare%20003.jpg

CityScapePlan.JPG

Mike Ebert, president of RED development, told me that both the inside and outsides (facing the streets) would have retail and they are planning of building heights of "over 400', around 425' ".

The plan is being presented to the city council on Feb. 22nd and hopefully they will vote on it and the vote will be yes so this can start moving forward.

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Doppelgangers are out there, Matt. Keep your good eye out for them.

Are you bringing up my previous assertion? Something to the effect of "height is not always the best solution"?

I still strongly believe that, but height makes so much sense in Downtown Phoenix. I'm all with you on this:

  • Downtown Phoenix's skyline freakin' sucks and the only thing that can make it better is taller, more iconic skyscrapers (taller the better)

  • Downtown Phoenix needs density badly and especially housing

  • Downtown Phoenix needs something to bring residents Downtown besides sporting events

  • Downtown Phoenix needs something to bring tourists Downtown

  • Downtown Phoenix needs to have something fairly iconic Downtown so as to not follow LA's path of having a relatively lifeless Downtown

Cityscape seems like it would take care of a lot of these problems and, optimistically, set the wheels moving on more grandiose development plans in that corridor.

Like I said, I like height, but putting up a 40-story building in the middle of a residential area of 1-2 story homes makes no sense and I'm strongly against that.

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Yes Colin I was worried that you were ill or something, not just for the hieght thing, but also for the yay for Phoenix thing. I whole heartedly agree with everything you say. Downtown Phoenix sux, here's hoping these things come to fruition and it grows into itself. If I ever get my lazy butt sometime when i'm not at work I'm gonna get downtown and do some project updates.

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Doppelgangers are out there, Matt. Keep your good eye out for them.

Are you bringing up my previous assertion? Something to the effect of "height is not always the best solution"?

I still strongly believe that, but height makes so much sense in Downtown Phoenix. I'm all with you on this:

  • Downtown Phoenix's skyline freakin' sucks and the only thing that can make it better is taller, more iconic skyscrapers (taller the better)

  • Downtown Phoenix needs density badly and especially housing

  • Downtown Phoenix needs something to bring residents Downtown besides sporting events

  • Downtown Phoenix needs something to bring tourists Downtown

  • Downtown Phoenix needs to have something fairly iconic Downtown so as to not follow LA's path of having a relatively lifeless Downtown

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hey HX_guy

glad to see you on alot more. I posted the article about the Jackson St. District a few posts above i'm pretty sure.

I share your enthusiasm, I'm hoping that we could have more than just 7-10 new towers, if we are on the tipping point, and it goes the way we think, as long as growth and economy continues Downtown could really explode and become a national destination. I think it could happen here more than anywhere.

EDIT: nevermind, I found the Jackson st. thing I posted it here: in the downtown wishlist.

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I got a reply back to my email request for the site plan that was presented. Here is the PDF and also screen shots.

http://www.nitnelav.com/patriotsplan.pdf

CityScapeNew1.JPG

CityScapeNew2.JPG

CityScapeNew3.JPG

CityScapeNew4.JPG

It looks like varying heights of 30 stories, two towers at 37 stories and one at 44 (or 41, it's hard to make out). The buildings on Patriot's Square block will vary from 2-6 stories it seems.

Now the 44 story tower makes me wonder about the height. When I asked Mike about the height, it was immediately after I asked if they are still doing two residential towers, which he said one will be mixed with a hotel...then I asked about the height, which he said around 425'.

Was he possibly referring to the height of the residential/hotel towers? At 37 stories, that seems about right for 425'.

The 44 story should easily be at least 450 on the low end, if not much taller seeing how Chase is 40 stories and 487'.

In the email, they also stated "Our plans are to have retail facing out to Washington & Jefferson, as well as towards the internal public areas. Part of it will depend on the tenants and space needs."

Edited by HX_Guy
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The 44 story should easily be at least 450 on the low end, if not much taller seeing how Chase is 40 stories and 487'.

In the email, they also stated "Our plans are to have retail facing out to Washington & Jefferson, as well as towards the internal public areas. Part of it will depend on the tenants and space needs."

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Can you advise what software package was use to do these drawings? Also, are there any architects or architectural designers/drafters on this forum?

Thanks!

Martin

Not much information on this one, but it appears a hotel is slated for the parking lot directly west of US Airways Arena and south of the future CityScape site.

00001.jpg

0002d.jpg

0003d.jpg

It looks to be 35+ stories and part of the land is owned by the city which might give it a bit more chance then a completely private project.

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Thanks for posting.

It's a shame that they're even considering that. Phoenix has so little in the way of real "historic" areas that it seems the City would want to preserve every one possible. Maybe it would be overshadowed by huge skyscrapers, but, in that way, it would create a nice, historic island and would retain a lot its charm.

I almost see it as a repeat of the 60's and 70's: demolishing "old" buildings and "urban blight" to make way for "modern" skyscrapers. No one ever seems to learn any lessons.

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Well- this may just be the Times' spin-

I'm not sure- I believe the zoning height change was called for Vacant lots in the area and not for the Preserved ones...

As I saw it, the developers wanted a tall zoned lot in exchange for redeveloping a warehouse in the district....

I'll report later as I find out more.

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