WOODFIELD MALL ROLLS OUT THE RED (AND GREEN) CARPET FOR HOLIDAY GROUPS
Released: 08/15/05
MEDIA CONTACT: Andy Perez or Bonni Pear
Miller-Pear Public Relations
(312) 649-0466 or info@millerpear.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WOODFIELD MALL ROLLS OUT THE RED (AND GREEN) CARPET FOR HOLIDAY GROUPS
Schaumburg, Ill. (August 15, 2005) - Woodfield Mall in northwest suburban Chicago will roll out the red (and green) carpet this holiday season for hundreds of motorcoach and tour groups visiting the Chicago area's largest shopping center. The V.I.P. treatment begins upon groups' arrival to the fully-enclosed center where they are welcomed by friendly, holiday-clad greeters bearing gifts of mall discounts and holiday goodies. Woodfield, the top tourist destination in Illinois, offers spectacular holiday hotel packages, a bevy of services and conveniences, nearly 300 stores and restaurants - including dozens that cannot be found anywhere else in the Midwest - and a breathtaking holiday showcase boasting the areas largest indoor tree adorned with more than 850,000 lights and flanked by two-story reproductions of illustrious Illinois landmarks.
The Woodfield Signature Meet & Greet welcomes groups down a red or green carpet where every group member receives a souvenir Woodfield holiday shopping bag filled with a Passport to Savings, offering exclusive discounts of up to 20 percent at more than 100 participating stores and restaurants, along with, a mall directory, and seasonal TY Beanie doll. The driver and group leader each receive a limited-edition Woodfield Mall holiday ornament, a $10 Woodfield gift certificate redeemable at any of the centers stores and restaurants, and a token for a free soda. Reservations are necessary in order to participate in the Woodfield Signature Meet & Greet program. For reservations or information, group leaders and tour companies can call 1-800-847-9590.
"Groups from across the country make Woodfield their top destination during the holiday season," says Marc Strich, general manger of Woodfield. "We enjoy making these guests comfortable and their visits enjoyable while they shop and dine at one of the largest collection of stores and restaurants in the
region."
Holiday Hotel Packages
Discounted hotel packages ranging from $80 to $119 per night offer an unsurpassed value, including a $20 to $50 Woodfield gift card (redeemable for shopping or dining anywhere within the center) for each nights stay. Woodfield Mall Official Hotels, the Schaumburg Marriott and the Hyatt Regency Woodfield, along with other Preferred Partner hotels offer door-to-door shuttle service to and from the mall, a discounted or complimentary breakfast and/or cocktail hour, a workout center and swimming pool, in-room cable and in some locations, kitchenettes. All partner hotels are within 5 minutes from the mall.
Unmatched Merriment
On Saturday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m., the man of the season makes his Woodfield debut in a free, public Santas Arrival extravaganza featuring a much-anticipated performance by The Joffrey Ballet, showcasing selections from Robert Joffrey's The Nutcracker. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey(r) Circus clowns will also be on hand to entertain the crowd with their hilarious hijinks. Starting that evening and running through December 24, Santa Claus will be available for photos during all mall hours at the base of the towering tree in Comcast Connections Court. Digital photo packages are available for purchase.
"Woodfield is the only shopping center where Santa's Arrival is heralded by world-class performances from artists like The Joffrey Ballet and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey," says
Marc Strich, Woodfields general manager. "We hope visitors from across the Midwest will come to enjoy this eye-popping extravaganza and the official, annual unveiling of Woodfields spectacular holiday dicor."
The much-touted Illinois Collection holiday dicor centers around the areas largest indoor tree, a magnificent 54-foot fir, weighing in at close to 6,000 pounds, and donning more than 12,000 ornaments and 6,750 feet of ribbon and garland. Twenty-foot-tall skyline replicas of the Sears Tower, Wrigley Field, the State Capitol, the John Hancock and Stone Container (the one with the diamond roof) buildings are juxtaposed against the tree. A wintry Chicago street scene unfolds at the base of the tree, where four moving trains and topiary reindeer are set in the snow. Through the brightly decorated storefront windows, boys and girls from 1 to 92 revel in an advance peek at Santa Claus.
Shopping Galore
Woodfield is Illinois largest mall. Stores range from the unique fine art and jewelry dealers, cutting-edge clothiers for men, women, teens and children, and home furnishing emporiums to nationally-recognized department stores JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Marshall Fields, Nordstrom and Sears. Notable newcomers since last holiday season include clothing retailers JB Robinson, Buckle, Jimmy'Z, IRIDESSE, Aldo Accessories, Forth and Towne, French Connection, Sony Style, and BEBE SPORT.
"To find that special gift for everyone on your gift list, there is no better place to shop than Woodfield Mall," says Strich. "Woodfield has the largest variety of stores and merchandise in the region. When you get hungry, stop for a fine meal at one of our many restaurants."
The 38 restaurants and food specialty shops of Woodfield will satisfy anyone's appetite with the best burgers and fries, salads, seafood, steaks and Asian fare. All restaurants offer sit-down service including Todai Seafood Buffet, a Japanese all-you-can-eat seafood house, The Cheesecake Factory, home to the largest menu in the mall and more than 30 cheesecake varieties daily, kid favorite Rainforest Cafi, hamburger champion Red Robin, the salad-lover paradise of Ruby Tuesday
and make-your-own, Asian stir-fry Stir Crazy Cafi, P.F. Changs China Bistro and Texas de Brazil.
Seasonal Amenities
Making visitors' shopping trips easy and stress-free is top priority at Woodfield. At the Chicago Tribune Holiday Service Center shoppers can find the coat and package check, gift wrap services, and package shipping. The Woodfield Customer Service Center located in Comcast Connections Court, near the great tree, is where visitors can find friendly staff to answer questions, mall maps, information on sales and store promotions, stroller and wheelchair rental, and access to www.shopwoodfield.com - a great resource for making the most of the Woodfield shopping experience, on-site or before ever leaving home.
The official web site of Woodfield, www.shopwoodfield.com features an online gift guide, information about new merchandise, current sales and holiday happenings, an interactive mall directory, ready-to-print savings coupons, and even a special page of news and programs of particular interest to out-of-town visitors. Web users can create a holiday wish list to be e-mailed to friends and family and sign up for a weekly Woodfield e-bulletin round-up of news about favorite stores, events and special offers.
Located in Schaumburg, Ill., at Golf Road and Route 53, Woodfield Mall is easily accessible from key regional arteries I-290 and I-90, which forms a direct route to the mall from downtown Chicago. O'Hare International Airport is located eight miles east of the center. The mall, which is the largest in the Chicago area, welcomes millions of visitors and hundreds of motorcoach groups annually. For more information on Woodfield's hotel packages, tourism offerings, holiday hours, seasonal programs and services, log on to www.shopwoodfield.com or call (847) 330-1537. For ideas of other area attractions, contact the Greater Woodfield Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.visitgw.com or (800) VISIT-GW.