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What's New in Tucson - November 2006
See Soaring Sonoran Predators – See some impressive flying by winged predators of the Sonoran Desert—falcons, owls and hawks—and get a close-up look at the roadrunner, during Raptor Free Flight shows at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM), now through April 15. This very popular, twice daily program is a dynamic demonstration of birds of prey flight, which takes place in the open desert and showcases the natural behavior of the birds. Located west of Tucson, surrounded by Saguaro National Park West, the ASDM is open every day of the year, though hours and times vary with the season. For more information, go to http://www.desertmuseum.org/.
Christmas, Tucson Style –Tucson’s award-winning Borderlands Theater presents its annual rendition of The Nativity Story, “A Tucson Pastorela,” December 14-23 at Leo Rich Theater. Set in Tucson, this original drama features incredible and wacky adventures of the shepherds, some sheep, and a dog on their way to Bethlehem to witness the birth of the Baby Jesus. Along the way, the travelers run into sneaky devils and shining archangels; while the holiday mood is accented with regional music, including Tohono O’odham Indian “waila” songs, and carols in both English and Spanish. For ticket information, contact Borderlands Theater, (520) 882-7406, or http://www.borderlandstheater.org/.
Winter Tennis, Anyone? – Next month, more than 60 tennis courts in midtown Tucson will be filled with about 500 of the nation’s best junior players. The United States Tennis Association will present the National Winter Championships December 27-January 1 at Randolph Tennis Center, with additional sites in close proximity (Fort Lowell Park, Himmel Park, Tucson Racquet Club, and the University of Arizona). Tucson Parks and Recreation, rather than a private facility, again will host the formidable event, which is one of four major, annual tournaments for ages 12-14. For more information, contact Jeff Brack, at jeffbrack@randolphtenniscenter.com. The Copper Bowl regional, youth tennis tournament will be headquartered at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort’s 31-court site, January 2-7. For details, contact Jason Dickinson at dickinsonsports@msn.com, or visit http://www.dickinsonsports.com/.
Mariachi New Year’s – Two of Southern Arizona’s hottest, up-and-coming mariachi bands will perform at the “New Year’s Eve Party” of the Tucson International Mariachi Conference, Sunday, Dec. 31 at a plush foothills-area resort hotel. One of the bands—Mariachi Divas—is a diverse, all-woman ensemble that recently wowed audiences in Los Angeles; the other—Los Gallegos—is an eight-piece band of brothers creating their own blend of Tejano/norteño sounds. Proceeds from the party benefit Children’s Services at La Frontera Center. To reserve tickets ($150/person), or sponsor a table, call (520) 838-3908. For more information, go to http://www.tucsonmariachi.org/.
New Tucson-D.C. Nonstop – Passengers now can fly nonstop from Tucson International Airport to Dulles International Airport, outside of Washington, D.C., on United Airlines. The new, nonstop flight is scheduled until the end of April, but airline officials say they would like to continue it year-round if passengers support it. The flight, on a 120-seat Airbus A-319, departs Tucson at 9:35 a.m. and arrives in Washington at 3:40 p.m. The return departs Dulles at 5:05 p.m., arriving in Tucson at 8:07 p.m. For ticket prices, and other information, check the Weekly Fare Finder and other resources at http://www.airtucson.com/.
Omni Goes Boutique – Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa has plans to create the Southwest’s premier, boutique-style resort-hotel. The Omni, located on Tucson’s northwest side, will start a $40 million renovation and expansion in June 2007. The changes, centered on a “rustic chic” design, will include addition of new courtyards, gardens, patios and other features that make the most of Tucson’s outdoorsy weather. Added will be 72 luxury guest rooms, increasing total guest rooms to 239 from 167. When completed in 2008, the property will feature an enhanced 15,000-square-foot spa, two championship golf courses, a new 7,500-foot ballroom, and a new variety of restaurants. For more information, visit http://www.tucsonnational.com/.
Hip Comes to Town – An airport-area hotel will be converted into a Hyatt Place—one of a new category of “select service” hotel chains offering stylish design, innovative technology, and hip urban attitude at a moderate price. The Hyatt Place is the new brand of Global Hyatt Corporation and, much like Starwood Hotel’s Aloft brand, it caters to today’s sophisticated, young business travelers. It will feature “stay as you live” amenities, including round-the-clock food and beverage service; guest rooms with a cozy TV den; fully integrated work stations offering power-bar connectivity where guests can plug in laptops, MP3 players, or video games and have them played on a 42-inch flat-panel television; and a cashless environment in which guests can use either their room key or a credit card to pay for food and beverage purchases. Starwood Hotels has announced plans to build one of their first Aloft brand hotels in Tucson in early 2007.
A Trail for All Reasons – This scenic Sonoran Desert park offers camping, hiking, picnicking, bicycling, horseback riding, plant and wildlife viewing, and an archaeological site, all just minutes northwest of Tucson. Hiking and riding on the trails are popular activities, with eight trails varying in length and difficulty. The Canyon Loop Trail (2.3 mi.) is representative of the various habitat types found in the park; while the 50-Year Trail (7.8 mi.) is popular with equestrians and mountain-bikers; and the Birding Trail (1 mi.) offers hikers a chance to see some of the park's 170-plus species of birds in three different types of habitats. Catalina State Park is accessed from the town of Oro Valley on North Oracle Road (AZ State Hwy. 77), nine miles north of Tucson. For more information, visit http://azstateparks.com/Parks/CATA/index.html.
Fast Tourism Facts –The Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau has posted a new Research and Facts section at http://www.visittucson.org/, in the Media section. This new section has eight categories of tourism-industry facts and figures, such as Tourism Industry Data (Tucson airport, and hotel statistics, for example), Visitor Profiles, Golf Courses, Spas, Restaurants, and Events; it also lists links to helpful resources, including city, county, and state organizations. The section was created as a resource for journalists, community leaders, and others interested in the details of Tucson and Southern Arizona tourism.
Holiday Hotel Discounts – The Holiday 2006 Super Savers program is online and ready to take your reservations. The Tucson Super Savers allows anyone, anywhere to book a Tucson hotel or resort stay, between November 20 and December 30, with the best available holiday rate. For more information: http://www.tucsonsupersavers.com/.
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