by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
When Chicago Pizza and Village Bread Cafe open this month, it will bring to seven the number of new businesses that have set up shop this year at the Landing. That’s exactly the opposite of the trend among shopping centers due to the slump in the economy.
On Nov. 13, 2003 Sleiman Enterprises became the Landing’s new owner and manager. Partner Toney Sleiman addressed several hundred people in the riverfront mall’s courtyard that night with the message, “It’s about time.” Since then, the mix of tenants at the Landing has changed with a shift away from retail stores and toward more entertainment venues and events.
In addition to having become a popular nightlife destination, the Landing’s location is perfect for restaurants and food court vendors to do great business during the week.
“We have a captive audience for lunch,” said Sleiman. “Shopping centers in the suburbs don’t have 40,000 people to draw from.”
The Landing also has a staff that programs more than 600 events each year. It’s a way to give people a reason to come to the Landing, said Director of Public Relations Rachel Nudge.
“One of the things that sets us apart from other shopping centers is having an in-house marketing and event team. We drive traffic to the Landing and just about all of the events are free and open to the public. We want people to understand there’s always something going on here,” she added.
One of the promotions during football season is the Friday “Show Us Your Teal” prize giveaway. In conjunction with the City’s initiative to encourage people to wear their Jaguars attire on Fridays, the Landing staff sets up a prize wheel and offers people wearing team gear to spin and win. Prizes include free meals in the food court, Jaguars merchandise and game tickets.
Another way the Landing attracts people is through hosting events for nonprofit organizations. Having the venue, support staff and facilities has made a major impact on their ability to raise funds and awareness of their causes.
“They just open their doors for us and they never charge us for anything,” said Lorie Strange, marketing and communications director for the American Heart and Stroke Association. “The first thing a nonprofit organization is concerned about is how much a promotion will cost. The less we have to spend on an event the more we can put toward our programs.”
The next major charity event hosted at the Landing will be at 5 p.m. Oct. 29 when hundreds of “zombies” invade for what’s being billed as “Landing of the Dead.” Each costumed character has been asked to bring two nonperishable food items that will be donated to the Sulzbacher Center. Sleiman expects to collect more than 600 food items.
Sleiman said he’s pleased to be able to help nonprofits promote their causes and projects. It’s also a way to bring more people Downtown and to the Landing.
“The thing I’m most excited about is being able to help charitable organizations who have events,” he said. “We devote a lot of marketing staff time to helping those groups. We donate the stage in the courtyard and the sound and light system and people to run it. Anything we have that they can use we give it to them.”
356-2466