I know we have been talking a lot about Mesa lately, and I know you might wonder what all of the fuss is about.
In my opinion, the first extension of the light rail line in the Phoenix area is kind of a big deal. This extension brings new people to the system, new places to shop, and new restaurants and entertainment venues to visit. Many people are not yet familiar with downtown Mesa, but I believe that will change with the opening of the light rail line.
We have heard some awesome success stories about places along the first 20 miles of the line. New restaurants have opened, people love riding to sporting events, and the overall economic benefits to the area have been talked about a LOT.
Smart investors have already started buying property near the light rail extension. Think about it. You have new businesses coming in, they are working on bringing in a bunch of college students, and there will be a whole lot of new interest in the area once these trains are heading down Main Street. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out…
At last week’s METRO Max event, we had the opportunity to try new places, meet with business owners, and walk down Main Street to see some of the cool restaurants and shops that are already there. Heck, we’ve already talked about the new brewery coming to Mesa, you know that will bring a few of you out to see the area!
While the good times appear to be coming, the light at the end of the tunnel is indeed a train. We all know that there is still a long road ahead for some of the business owners along the line in Mesa. Construction and street closures can be tough on these businesses. Hopefully, METRO learned some very valuable lessons from past experiences – it certainly wasn’t all happy happy joy joy for everyone involved.
Below, you will see a recent press release from METRO telling us about more information about the METRO Max Rewards program in Central Mesa.
Support Central Mesa businesses with METRO Max Rewards
Rally around local businesses along the future light rail route and save!
PHOENIX, AZ — Show your valid transit pass or METRO Max Rewards card to cash in on savings at businesses along the future light rail extension into downtown Mesa. METRO Max Rewards is a discount card program to provide increased visibility to those businesses that will experience light rail construction. It is one of several business assistance programs geared towards supporting the local business community through construction of the 3.1-mile light rail line, which is expected to commence in late May/early June.
Visit METRO Max to get started! It’s free to participate as a Central Mesa business owner and consumer. Thus far, nearly 100 businesses – restaurants, retail, salons, hotels, medical and automobile service providers, etc. – have signed up to offer discounts and other special rewards through the program. If you do not have a transit pass, the METRO Max Rewards card is available for print or download online.
“Small businesses are the key to a strong community. We moved our family-owned and operated business to Mesa in 2002 after 19 years of doing weddings and special events across metro Phoenix,” said Y-Knot Party & Rentals owner and the state’s only Master Wedding Vendor Sharon Olsen. “We are so excited about the future of Mesa and what light rail will bring to our community. We jumped at the chance to be more involved with the project and the METRO Max program offering a 10 percent discount.”
Weekly emails will be sent to share the latest METRO Max rewards and events. Information will also be posted on Facebook (/InsideMETROlightrail) and Twitter (@METROrail or hashtag #METROMax).
“The Mesa business community is strong and will only get stronger with the advancement of light rail,” said Mesa Councilman and METRO Board Vice Chairman Dennis Kavanaugh. “We all have to do our part to keep visiting and supporting the local business community and METRO Max is an easy, money-saving way to do that.”
The Central Mesa light rail extension will travel east on Main Street from Sycamore to Mesa Drive and includes four stations and a park-and-ride facility. A Design-Build team has been selected: Valley Transit Constructors, a Kiewit/Mass. Joint Venture. Construction is anticipated to begin in late May/early June with design also moving forward. The line is expected to open in late 2015, ahead of schedule. For more project information, visit www.metrolightrail.org/centralmesa.
So, get out and go see what’s happening in Mesa. It might surprise you to learn more about some of the cool things going on. One tip I learned from the METRO Max rewards program is the fact that Gotham City Comics and Coffee serves a “Spider Man coffee” that rocks, like crazy. Check them out at 46 W Main Street. I’ll be back for more, for sure…
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