A Brief Update of News Around Arizona

The Arizona Office of Tourism is pleased to provide this monthly update of new and noteworthy items within Arizona's tourism industry. For more information, contact Becky Blaine at bblaine@tourism.az.gov, Kim Todd at ktodd@tourism.az.gov or Marjorie Magnusson at mmagnusson@tourism.az.gov.

General

Powerhouse Visitor Center remodel complete at 20 year mark in Kingman

The Powerhouse Visitor Center passed a milestone on Wednesday, October 25, 2017, having opened its doors to visitors for 20 years and welcoming nearly two million travelers, arriving from every state and all over the world. The remodel of the Visitor Center at the Powerhouse began in May 2017. The quarter million dollar remodel, funded by the City of Kingman with contributions from the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, was completed in early October 2017, just in time for the Powerhouse Visitor Center's 20-year anniversary. The renovation project was coordinated by Burley Hambrick of the Public Works Department, and construction was completed by TR Orr, the same contractor that managed the original renovation in 1996-1997. The Center includes a new welcome desk at the Arizona Route 66 Museum, additional lighting, signage, store displays, new office and storage space, and one of the largest Arizona highway maps in the State of Arizona along with brochures from some 100 Arizona towns and attractions in newly installed brochure racks..

Culture/Heritage

New Exhibit Honors and Synthesizes 30 Years of Archaeological Research

 A new exhibit set to open on December 9 at Arizona State Museum (ASM) will honor and synthesize more than 30 years of archaeological research conducted by the Homol'ovi Research Program (HRP), and the career of the program's director, Dr. E. Charles Adams. Life Along the River: Ancestral Hopi at Homol'ovi will tell the story of the people who lived in seven villages along the Little Colorado River near Winslow, Arizona in the 1300s, and, through artifacts, maps, and the voices of present-day Hopi, share how collaborative, multidisciplinary research with descendant communities can increase our understanding of the past and enhance the interpretation of archaeological resources.  HRP's director, Dr. E. Charles Adams, will be retiring at the end of the year—wrapping up 32 years at ASM and 48 years as a professional archaeologist. The research he has directed has revealed a timeline for life at Homol'ovi, the relationships among the area's inhabitants, and the importance of the river in their lifeways. The public opening on December 9 includes many festivities: gallery tours, pottery and piiki demonstrations, musical performances, talks and hands-on activities.

 Hotel News

GreenTree Inn opened its first franchise property in the United States; rebranding the Arizona Inn as GreenTree Prescott Valley

GreenTree Hospitality Group, Inc. opened its first U.S. franchise property. The former Arizona Inn has been rebranded as GreenTree Inn Prescott Valley. The boutique 77 room property is a traveler, family friendly property, offering amenities including hot breakfast, high-speed Wi-Fi, in-room mini-fridge, microwave & coffee maker, pet-friendly rooms, seasonal outdoor heated pool, business center and more. Pro Hospitality One PV will operate under the franchise agreement. Renovations and updates have been on-going and will continue through 2018. The former Arizona Inn guests will have access to GreenTree Inn's loyalty program, GiveBack Rewards®. www.greentreeinn.com

The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Sierra Vista underwent major renovation 

The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott recently underwent a $1.5 million renovation, which took about three months to complete. The work began in May with an exterior re-stucco, and the interior was “gutted” and re-envisioned to incorporate Marriott's “Modern Calm” design, featuring subtle gray and blue tones and, of course, modern furnishings. The public space has a new front desk, coffee bar, breakfast bar, Market (for snack purchases), business center and meeting rooms with updated A/V equipment. Rooms include all new furnishings and décor, including new 50” TVs (and an additional TV in suite rooms). Bathrooms have new vanities, tub surrounds, and tile floors.

Adventure

A roaring good time opens in Scottsdale

Pangaea Land of the Dinosaurs opens in December 2017 as part of the $200 million OdySea in the Desert complex in the Talking Stick Entertainment District. The new $3 million exhibit combines the thrills of a dinosaur era-themed concept with educational elements to allow families to learn more about these mysterious creatures. The attraction offers more than 50 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs that roam through the facility as well as interactive activities such as fossil excavations, sluicing – which allows to children to pan for dinosaur fossils to bring the prehistoric world to life. Guests can come face-to-face with some of the most terrifying and fascinating creatures to ever walk the Earth with virtual reality experiences, and take a ride through lifelike habitats with stationary and walking dinosaur rides.        

Accolades

Bisbee named in Frommer's Best Places to Go in 2018

The tiny town tucked away in Cochise County's Mule Mountains and just a handful of miles away from the border of Mexico has been recognized by the editors of Frommer's as one of the “Best Places to Go in 2018.” Each year, Frommer's confers with its writers and editors from around the world to ask which places should be named as a top destination of the year. This year Bisbee is featured with only 18 other destinations throughout the world. “We chose Bisbee because it's one of the most interesting small towns in the American West. It has a rich mining history that epitomizes the Old West, and in some ways it can feel like time stopped there, yet that comes with a creative community that's vibrant and modern. Its location in the Mule Mountains means its temperatures are usually comfortable year-round, and the ecosystems in the surrounding canyons are surprisingly diverse. We think Bisbee is unique enough to deserve recognition from a worldwide audience.”--Pauline Frommer, President of FrommerMedia

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