Scottsdale's Super Allure

By Mayor Mary Manross

Jacquielynn Floyd, a columnist for the Dallas Morning News and a “lukewarm” Cowboys fan, admitted recently that she was sorry the team didn’t stay in the running for the Super Bowl in 2008.

Why?

Here’s the explanation from her column: “In all candor, part of the reason I'm disappointed is that…I might get to go to Scottsdale and scout around for some of that punchy Super Bowl scene-setting stuff. Fun!”

I’d be disappointed, too. However, I don’t think Ms. Floyd knows half of what she missed.

It’s official. Scottsdale’s downtown was “scene-setting central” during Super Bowl week. More than 50 events and parties took place in our downtown, peppered with A-list stars and sports personalities. ESPN anchored its week of pre-game coverage from a scenic spot along the city’s stunning new waterfront corridor.

Coupled with the FBR Open, which draws the largest crowds of any PGA Tour event, Super Bowl events bought thousands of visitors to our city during the week.

Defies Pigeonholing
To their pleasant surprise, those visitors found a city that doesn’t fit any preconceived notions. Scottsdale is a multifaceted community that takes in an amazing diversity of lifestyles and landscapes.

The downtown itself is a microcosm of that variety, where you’ll find retro resorts, chic nightclubs, world-class cuisine and cutting-edge art down the street from a Western saloon, an old-time spring training hangout for Major League Baseball players or a venerable gift shop operated by generations of the same family.

Visionary
If you stand on the Marshall Way Bridge and look northeast, you will see clear evidence of the visionary thinking which unites our citizens. The development of the Arizona Canal into an urban oasis was an idea inspired by a citizens committee dating back two decades.

Much farther in the distance you will see the McDowell Mountains, which Scottsdale purchased to preserve in their natural state. When we are finished acquiring the beautiful McDowell Sonoran Preserve, a third of our city (an area larger than San Francisco) will be forever protected.

There are, yet, other contrasts. Scottsdale is a renowned resort community where visitors come to relax and unwind. It is also one of the premier business locations in the Southwest and the home of advanced medical research collaboratives.

It has been named one of the 100 best communities in the nation for children, and one of the best places to retire. The Census Bureau’s latest estimates say it is the 78th largest city in the United States, with more than 230,000 residents. Yet, it still has the genuineness of a small town.

It really is a great place. We take a great deal of pride in Scottsdale, just as the fans take in their Super Bowl-bound teams. We were very pleased, along with the rest of the Valley, to have hosted this year’s big game.

Scottsdale is a tremendous place to visit and an even better place to live. After all, we get to experience this tremendous community 365 days a year!


SCOTTSDALE EVENTS
Sunday A'Fair
Times: 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays: March 2, 23, 30 and April 6
Location: Scottsdale Civic Center Mall
Phone: 480.994.ARTS
Admission: Free
A popular favorite among residents and visitors, Sunday A'Fair is a free afternoon arts festival that takes place on the beautiful grounds of the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, adjacent to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Now in its 18th season, the event features concerts and performances by the Valley's top entertainers, a diverse selection of arts and crafts available for sale, hands-on activities for children and families and free docent-guided tours of the sculptures on the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall. Seating is available on the lawn, and portable chairs and picnic baskets are welcome. Food and refreshments are also available for purchase. Bring your family and friends and make it a Sunday A’Fair!

Native Trails
Times: Most Tues., Thur. & Sat., noon to 1:30 p.m., Now-April 5
Location: Scottsdale Civic Center Mall
Phone: 480.421.1004
Admission: Free
Every January through April the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, just north of the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, comes alive with Native American music, dance, art and traditional foods.
Addl. Info: Native Trails, presented by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and produced by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, is in its sixth season of free noontime festivals dedicated to exploring the rich and varied cultures of Native America. We invite you to come along on this sensory journey to the first nations of Arizona and North America. Musical performances using traditional instruments such as flutes, gourds and drums will delight your ears. A variety of tribal dances ranging from powwow dancing and fancy dance to the excitement and energy of the traditional hoop dance will amaze your eyes. And the rhythmic drumbeat in your chest as you join the performers for a traditional round dance will energize your spirit! Please note: There will be no performances on the following dates: March 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15 and 25.

To get information on Scottsdale happenings, go to eservices at https://eservices.scottsdaleaz.gov/listserve and subscribe to Scottsdale Update a free, weekly e-mail newsletter on city events, meetings and services. The TV edition airs 4:55 p.m. daily on CityCable 11.

INFO LINK
City of Scottsdale
scottsdaleaz.gov