Phoenix Focuses On Downtown Hotel, Nightlife

<B> Phoenix Focuses On Downtown Hotel, Nightlife</B>

By Judy Jacobs

Inspired no doubt by the mythological bird for which it was named, the city of Phoenix is undergoing a downtown renaissance that the city expects will benefit business travelers and convention planners for years to come.

A brand new stadium, at least three hotels, a science center, and a series of new restaurants and retail outlets--all within blocks of each other--are part of the ambitious effort.

As in many U.S. cities until recent times, Phoenix's downtown shut down after 5:00 p.m., when urban workers fled for their homes in suburban and outlying areas. On weekends, the city center was virtually deserted. This is no longer the case--and will be even less so in the future, when the compact neighborhood is expected to attract an increasing number of business travelers and conventions.

Construction will begin later this year on two major properties--a 700-room Westin and a 400-room Doubletree--that will nearly double the current downtown inventory of hotel rooms.

The two existing hotels, the Hyatt Regency Phoenix and Crowne Plaza Phoenix, have just 1,243 rooms between them. Another property, the 90-room Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, opened in the downtown area in April.

Meanwhile, the increased number of hotel rooms is being complemented by new facilities and entertainment venues, some of which are already in operation. Most notable of these, Bank One Ballpark, or BOB as it is affectionately known, opened in March as the home of the city's new baseball franchise, the Arizona Razorbacks.

The ball park, which seats 48,500, was built with $238 million in funding raised by a one-quarter cent Maricopa County sales tax increase instituted in April 1995. The stadium has a retractable roof, which can be pulled back in about five minutes. In addition to providing a new group venue when baseball is in season, it also is available for rental by groups of up to 48,000 people on non-game days.

Smaller groups interested in an event at the stadium can consider one of its six party suites, which accommodate between 60 and 70 people each, and are available on non-game days and for some baseball games. The Sun Pool Party Pavilion, which can cater to 33 guests, includes a swimming pool and jacuzzi and is available on game and non-game days.

BOB also includes a banquet room that can seat up to 200 people, but the room has views of downtown Phoenix rather than the ballpark.

<B>Sports & Science Venues</B>

Also in the ballpark, Friday's Front Row Sports Grill, a sports theme restaurant, offers views of the game and a venue for parties, both during the games and at other times. Some 420 seats, at tables that accommodate four or five people each, have views of the baseball games. Sports memorabilia from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Coyotes and Phoenix Mercuries adorn the walls.

Besides watching the baseball game, attendees can try their hand at a high-tech video game room, billiard tables and hoop-shooting games. Private parties can bring in a band as well. Friday's also has two private suites, each accommodating between 40 and 60 people.

Just across the way, the Arizona Science Center, which opened last year, provides another downtown venue for off-site parties. Here groups can explore the human body, discover how the mind works, escape into virtual reality or learn about Arizona's unique environment and landscape. There's also a Fab Lab for experiments with car-crash apparatus and a planetarium to explore the heavens, as well as a 285-seat Iwerks Theater with a 50 by 67-foot screen. The entire facility is available for rental and will accommodate a total of 2,400.

Venues for smaller groups include several outdoor spaces--the Upper Terrace accommodating 250 for receptions and 80 for banquets, the Canyon Terrace accommodating 250 and 130, and the Star Terrace accommodating 150 and 80 respectively. Indoors, the Peak Gallery can accommodate 100 for receptions.

There's also the planetarium, the Iwerks theater and four classrooms, each capable of holding 20 to 30 attendees.

The ballpark, the science center and the new hotels planned are spurring additional development in Phoneix's downtown area.

In fact, a host of new restaurants and nightclubs has either recently opened or is on the way. Leinenkugel's Ballyard Brewery, a micro-brewery and warehouse-style restaurant with banquet facilities for 65 to about 700, is one new addition that is already in operation.

Jackson's on Third, which began operations this spring, offers four different venues for parties: a patio with trees and a waterfall, a martini and cigar bar, a sports bar and a nightclub. Each of these meeting spaces can accommodate about 150 people.

Joining the list soon will be Alice Cooper'stown, a theme restaurant and entertainment complex being opened by sixties rock star and local resident Alice Cooper. Opening at the end of September, it will include a 32-foot video wall and stage for live concerts and be decorated with sports and rock-and-roll memorabilia. Barbecue will be the specialty of the house, and a patio, accommodating up to 200 people, is being specifically designed for group events.