Phoenix community members attended a networking event at the Sheraton Phoenix Hotel Tuesday night to celebrate the upcoming Super Bowl and the opening of the Valley Overlook, a new outdoor venue at the hotel.
Mayor Greg Stanton spoke to the attendees who were mostly local Phoenix business professionals, with an emphasis on growing business within the state rather than relying on the economic boost from the approaching Super Bowl.
“So many people in this room are really responsible for moving this city forward,” Stanton said. “Not just for the Super Bowl…they are making it happen 365 days a year.”
Stanton remarked on the city’s growth, citing over $4 billion in investments since the last time the Super Bowl was in the region in 2008. These investments include 250,000 square feet of new retail, 1,500 new hotel rooms, 30 new restaurants and 20 miles of light rail.
“The Super Bowl is a great organizing entity, but we are here for the rest of the years to come,” Stanton said.
Many of the tourists visiting Phoenix because of the Super Bowl may come from within the state, Stanton said. He hopes the events surrounding the game will encourage people to participate in the downtown area.
Stanton also noted the changing landscape of the downtown area.
“The best look is at the ASU law school coming up,” Stanton said. “It’s the best hole in the ground I’ve ever seen.”
The Valley Overlook venue is over 6,400 square feet, according to the Sheraton. The event was decorated with small tables for standing, couches for sitting and heaters for warmth. Bulb lights stretched across the open roof, brightening the venue at night. The string quartet Urban Electra provided music for the event.
Mike Ehmann, the hotel’s general manager, also spoke at the event. He said the upcoming Super Bowl would be one of the single largest sources of media attention for the downtown area. He encouraged attendees to submit information on their businesses for the public in advance of the event.
Local group Radiate PHX hosted the networking event. Dorina Bustamante, the event’s organizer, said the organization’s goal is to connect people and help grow the “urban heart of Arizona.” The organization currently has more than 300 members, Bustamante said.
She said that Phoenix is in a position to grow and expand.
“When people say there are usually six degrees of separation, I like to say that it’s only two degrees in Phoenix,” Bustamante said.
Bustamante said Radiate PHX’s goal this year is to continue to introduce as many people as possible to one another, creating awareness of the downtown business culture.
Attendees were positive about the upcoming Super Bowl.
“I feel that business coming from all over is great for drawing more artists to the area,” attendee Kaitlyn Hawkinson said. “It will make Phoenix a magnet for the arts and cultures. I hope people become more aware of things like the Phoenix Center of the Arts and Roosevelt Row and to see small businesses grow.”
Contact the reporter at cassidy.trowbridge@asu.edu
