Deadline Approaching for
2010 Heart of Anchorage Awards Nominations!

The annual Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd. Heart of Anchorage Awards event highlights hard work and dedication to excellence by honoring employees, leaders, and business owners in the downtown community. The nominations deadline is Thursday, February 25th by 5:00pm. Nomination forms & supporting documents are available online, as well as a complete description of the award categories.

Read more and make your nominations at: http://bit.ly/8ZKnYZ

2010 Fur Rondy Road Closures in Downtown

Whether you work in downtown and need to know how to get to your parking spot during the 2010 Fur Rondy, or just want to know where to get a parking spot so you can get your Rondy on, we've got the information you need to navigate the road closures for the upcoming 2010 Fur Rondy!

Read all about the closures at http://bit.ly/bsZhen

And now for something completely different

I'm sure those with a sweet tooth have already noticed two new stores in downtown, both within a 50 paces of each other (and conveniently located next to my dentist's office.) Drooling on keyboard guaranteed: http://bit.ly/bel9Yx

Tourism Marketing Funding at Stake

The Alaska Travel Industry Association has put out a call to action for Senate Bill 138 currently sitting in the Senate Finance Committee. This bill will provide a tourism corporate income tax credit for businesses that make voluntary contributions to Alaska's marketing campaign, giving Alaska a proper and sustainable funding source for destination marketing. ATIA is asking every person who understands the economic value of tourism to write their Senator urging them to call for a prompt hearing of SB138.

Please contact Dawn Williams at 907-646-3310 or dwilliams@alaskatia.org to help.

And since we're talking tourism...

By now you are probably all aware that Princess/HollandAmerica will be coming into the Anchorage Port every other Monday beginning May 22nd. We encourage downtown businesses to stay open until at least 9:00pm on those nine Mondays. There will be free shuttles for all passengers to and from the ships until 9:00pm.

Let's all work to create a great downtown experience for these passengers! If you have ideas that you would like to share or need more information, please contact Kris Natwick, our Membership Director, at 279-5668 or via email.

Upcoming ADP Membership Meeting March 3

Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd. will be hosting its monthly Membership Meeting on Wednesday, March 3 from 9:00am - 10:00am at the Alaska State Trooper Museum. Agenda topics will include: new ADP Membership perks from ACS for both your business and your family; ADP Membership perks from and the "Wellness Fair" at the downtown Alaska Club in March; what to expect form the HollandAmerica cruise ship docking every other Monday May 24 - September 13; and various staff updates from ADP. See you there!

What's blooming in downtown this summer?

The Municipality of Anchorage is facing an unprecedented budget challenge in 2010, but recognizes that Anchorage residents and visitors enjoy the city's summertime flowers. In order to maintain the city's beloved flowers while reducing costs to taxpayers, the Municipality created a working group of private horticulture groups and advocacy organizations (including Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd.)

Because we know downtown likes a good party, we've decided to organize a brand new downtown event that will serve as a kick-off to the flower season AND a fundraiser for the City of Flowers program:

The Festival of Flowers will take place in Town Square and on E and F Streets on June 5th, 2010 from 12 noon to 5:00pm. Ideas for the festival include: raffling off a Gardener's Potting Shed; pre-selling hanging baskets and flower flats from P & M Gardens; auctioning off flower pots and gardening accessories; hosting a flowers-themed First Friday event and donating proceeds to the "City of Flowers" program; organizing a golf tournament; and soliciting community sponsorships.

If you would like to be a part of the planning or would be willing to assist with any of the fundraising efforts please call Cheri Spink at 279-5655.

Summer Solstice seems so far away...

It may seem far off, but the time to start planning is now! AWAIC is unable to sponsor the Summer Solstice Festival in Town Square this year, so Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Ltd. has decided to take on the event!

ADP is organizing a Downtown Summer Solstice Festival that will feature the Hero Games along 4th Avenue; the Humpy's Solstice Concert in Town Square; and the 4th Avenue Family Festival also along 4th Avenue.

The Downtown Summer Solstice Festival will take place on June 19th. 4th Avenue will be the hub of activity from 12 noon to 5 p.m. then the fun will shift to an all night concert in Town Square that will go until midnight.

We are looking for sponsors for the Summer Solstice Festival and Hero Games. Please consider becoming a part of this fabulous festival! If you would like to be a part of the planning or would be willing to assist with any of the fundraising efforts please call Cheri Spink at 279-5655.