Second SkySong Building to House Ticketmaster Operations
SCOTTSDALE November 1, 2007 - Representatives of SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, announced they have secured a lease agreement with Ticketmaster, the world's leading ticketing company, whereby Ticketmaster's Arizona operations will be located at SkySong. Ticketmaster will lease 34,000 square feet in the second SkySong building, currently under construction at the 37-acre mixed-use center at the southeast corner of Scottsdale and McDowell. Ticketmaster, an operating business of IAC, is scheduled to move into the building when completed in May 2008.
SkySong is being developed as a hub for technological innovations and a portal for expanding global trade with a focus on collaboration and cooperation with Arizona State University. Ticketmaster's operations at SkySong will include research and development, software support and help desk, a client and employee training facility, IT/IS labs, and Vista, the company's integrated visitor management solution for museums and exhibitions. In Arizona, Ticketmaster's local marketing group supports many clients including ASU Gammage and public events, Jobing.com Arena/Phoenix Coyotes, US Airways Center/Phoenix Suns, University of Phoenix Stadium/Arizona Cardinals, Cricket Pavilion, Dodge Theatre, City of Surprise, Los Angeles Angels, Mesa Amphitheatre, Fort McDowell Casino, Arizona Opera, Ballet Arizona, Chandler Center for the Arts, City of Phoenix Convention Center and Theatres, City of Tucson Convention Center and Theatres, PF Chang's Marathon, and the FBR Phoenix Open.
"Ticketmaster is an innovative and cutting-edge technology company that recognizes and appreciates the unique opportunity to provide employees with a creative work environment in a great location," said Steve Duncan, Senior Vice President of Higgins Development Partners, co-developer of the project with The Plaza Companies in partnership with Arizona State University Foundation and USAA Real Estate Company. " We welcome them and look forward to providing them the environment to expand their innovations and services."
"Ticketmaster is exactly the kind of innovative, global firm that should be at SkySong," said ASU President Michael Crow. "There is significant opportunity for collaboration with ASU researchers and innovators, and it is a perfect example of how we are bringing 'ASU talent' back to the university and the State of Arizona."
"We are delighted to be returning to our roots," said Albert Leffler, Ticketmaster Vice President New Project Development, who co-founded the ticketing company while serving an Internship in Arts Administration at Gammage Auditorium at ASU. "While SkySong will provide a comfortable and practical work place for us, it is also the potential of integrating with ASU's superb research and academic environment we find so exciting."
SkySong is a mixed-use development consisting of 1.2 million square feet of office and retail space at full build out in addition to residential units. Organized around a central Plaza and a grand boulevard lined at ground floor with retail, SkySong is designed for innovative companies whose global business success is enhanced by a facilitated collaboration with ASU's human and technological assets. The completed project will be a vigorous, 21st century center for innovation, commercialization, entrepreneurship and business development. Strategically located between downtown Scottsdale and the ASU main campus in Tempe, SkySong is a catalyst for the revitalization and redevelopment of the area. Since SkySong was announced in 2005, private investments in new businesses and residential developments have sprung up around it.
Through the collaboration of the development team, ASU Foundation, Arizona State University and the City of Scottsdale, the goal of the project is to create an environment where innovation, technology and business interact. It will position Greater Phoenix, Scottsdale and ASU as global leaders of the knowledge economy and substantially benefit the residents and businesses of southern Scottsdale. The center will be home to organizations and activities that co-mingle and stimulate new forms of global commerce, research, technology, art, education and economic development.
The focal point of the pedestrian-friendly boulevards is the iconic SkySong shade feature, a series of swooping conical frames peaking at 125 feet. It is symbolic of the character of the project - innovative, technology-based and imaginative. It will be visible from both Scottsdale and McDowell roads and provide an exciting and comfortable area for the Center's workers and neighbors to gather. A priority was making the site of the former Los Arcos Mall inviting and user-friendly, helping to foster and encourage the creative activities that will take place within the development. The perimeter of the entire site and all the interior surface parking areas will be densely landscaped. The pedestrian oriented central plaza has curbside parking with vehicular circulation created through intersecting carriageways.
Construction on the first building, a 157,000 square foot, 4-story structure, is completed and tenants will be moving in later this year. Development of the initial residential phase and the parking structure in the southeast corner of the project is also advancing. The accelerated development schedule is ahead of the build out terms committed to when leasing the land from the City of Scottsdale to become a catalyst for the area's revitalization and redevelopment.
ASU will be one of the key tenants of the first phase. The University is planning to occupy approximately 80,000 square feet with units focused in three areas: entrepreneurial support and development, interdisciplinary research programs in engineering-related fields, and education technology. Several premier ASU programs that facilitate the transfer of technology developed at ASU into the marketplace and develop new entrepreneurial talent from within the University and business community will be located at SkySong, including Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative, Arizona Technology Enterprises (AzTE), and ASU Technopolis. In addition, the University will have Interdisciplinary research programs in engineering-related fields and research programs. SkySong will become a focal point for the intensification and expansion of programs in these fields and the development of new research in this area.
Ticketmaster, along with Entertainment Publications, the leader in membership savings packages offering consumers 50% savings on the things they do every day, join a growing list of global companies locating at SkySong including Canon U.S.A, a global leader in professional business and consumer imaging equipment, information systems and other special industrial products; Qwest Communications Inc., a leading provider of high speed Internet, digital television, digital voice and wireless services; Finao Capital, a venture capital firm that focuses on early stage technology companies; two innovative, entrepreneurial companies from Mexico establishing U.S. operations at SkySong, Ensitech, a software development firm offering on-demand solutions for eBusiness, and Energy Ventures, a provider of performance management services for companies committed to electric power production; Aurigin Technology Pte. Ltd., a Singaporean technology business that develops innovative products for the optoelectronics, photonics, microelectromechanical and biomedical industries and produces components found in consumer electronics such as computers, digital cameras and portable music players; Litree Co., a Chinese firm specializing in water purification technology; the Chinese firm, Fscreen Sci-tech Co. Ltd., developer of solar-energy technology; American Solar Electric, designer and builder of photovoltaic (solar electric) power systems for commercial, industrial and residential clients; and Sebit, an eLearning company from Turkey.
Media Contacts: Michele Irwin, SkySong Media Relations, 602-390-9226 Karen Leland, ASU Media Contact, 480-965-0013 www.skysongcenter.com Ticketmaster, Bonnie Poindexter, 310-360-2321