-High-Profile Event Will Expand to Los Angeles & Phoenix in 2014-
QUEENS, NY, Oct. 14, 2013 – Queens Center, owned by Macerich (NYSE:MAC), capped off a highly successful celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with the launch of CultureArte, its star-studded, two-day weekend event that entertained thousands of shoppers by honoring the richness and diversity of Latin culture through music, dance, fashion and beauty.
Key elements of CultureArte included live dance performances by salsa superstars Yesenia Adame and Rodrigo Guzman, as seen on "Dancing with the Stars," an exclusive concert by Aurora & Zon del Barrio with Chocolate, featuring Larry Harlow, and a high-energy fashion show from JCPenney, Club Monaco, Steve Madden, Macy’s, Caparros Shoes, and Natural Look Salon by Aveda. Other special attractions included interactive beauty demonstrations by Natural Look Salon, a photo experience sponsored by Vanidades, one of the most popular Spanish-language women’s magazines, and hourly performances by local Latin folkloric musicians, dancers and cultural academy groups. Latin-inspired autograph signings, plus special offers and promotions also were part of the first CultureArte, sponsored by Universal Music Latino, Marriott Courtyard La Guardia, Univision Radio’s X96.3 New York & Mami 92.7 Miami stations, Microsoft, Vanidades, Natural Look Salon & Spa by Aveda, JCPenney, Club Monaco, Steve Madden, Macy’s, and Caparros Shoes.
"Macerich recognizes the tremendous importance of Latin culture in the U.S. today, and we are very pleased to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in a modern and meaningful way with CultureArte," said Ken Volk, Chief Marketing Officer, Macerich. "This sophisticated, high-energy program was a big success in Queens and we look forward to introducing CultureArte to our shoppers in other key Macerich markets next year, including Los Angeles and Phoenix."
New York is the second largest Hispanic market in the United States, and the shopper base surrounding Queens Center is nearly 36% Hispanic. In all, Queens Center experiences more than 27 million shopper visits each year – drawn in great part from its diverse and robust urban environment. Overall, Hispanic purchasing power in the United States is growing faster than any other group, and is currently valued at $1.2 trillion annually.
"The Latin influence is a vibrant part of New York City, and is a key inspiration in today's fashion, food, entertainment and more," said John Scaturro, Marketing Manager, Queens Center. Queens Center and our retailers believe CultureArte is a wonderful way to connect with Hispanic shoppers and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of this culture in our community."
Beyond CultureArte, through October 15, Macerich is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a national sweepstakes in partnership with Universal Music Latino, offering a trip for two to attend Latin Music’s Biggest Night at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on November 21. More details are available at www.MallSweepstakes.com.
Queens Center provides a first-class shopping environment of nearly 1 million square feet for its namesake borough – a vibrant New York City market of over 2 million people. Situated at the hub of mass transit and at the intersections of Queens Boulevard, the Long Island Expressway and Woodhaven Boulevard, the borough’s only regional mall offers anchors including Macy's, H&M, and JCPenney, plus 200+ specialty retailers and food experiences.
Macerich (NYSE:MAC), an S&P 500 Company, is a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. Macerich currently owns approximately 61 million square feet of gross leaseable area consisting primarily of interests in 58 regional shopping centers. Additional information about Macerich can be obtained from the Company's website at www.macerich.com.
LatinSphere, a full-service Hispanic advertising and experiential marketing agency located in Long Beach, CA, was the Agency contracted to create and produce CultureArte.
Media contacts:
Kimberly Hastings, kimberly.hastings@macerich.com, (602) 384-6600
Kerry Shelanski, kerry@ks-comm.com, (303) 501-0062