Double-Entendre: Dinosaurs Seen Here In Mesa

Except for Tom Wilson, the Director of The Arizona Museum of Natural History (2nd from the right), nothing seems natural about this posed photo opp used by the City of Mesa's Newsroom in a press release from early May. It's the most recent visible transformation in creating a new façade on the sidewalk-scapes in The Old Donut-Hole designed to draw new visitors to the museum.
At the unveiling - what we see are four city officials wearing official City-issued navy blue polo shirts: that's City Manager Chris Brady at far left, then Mayor John Giles, District 4 Mesa City Councilmember Chris Glover and District 5 Mesa City Councilmember David Luna.
All getting some "face-time" with a prehistoric beast in a new $380K  instantly- iconic feature where City Hall was originally located.

Missing in the real life-size fabricated plastic replica of a female Acrocanthosaurus bursting from the exterior of the AZMNH is Marc Garcia, President and CEO of Mesa's office of tourism VisitMesa.com , whose motto and tagline can be seen to the left in a panoramic vision of the open expanse for a fast-growing city into the exurbs. He's been busy pushing for a new sports complex that was dead-on-arrival two years ago, revived on a new financing plan with a refreshed brand Mesa Plays.



Perhaps it's a good and timely thing that Tom Wilson's Free The Dinosaur project wants to attract some new visitors downtown - with the closing of the LDS Temple in May 2018 for two years, millions of people will have no reason to visit downtown for the Easter and Christmas Festival of Lights staged on the Church's ground. 
AzMNH has raised the $380,000 needed to complete the Free the Dinosaur project. But more donations are needed to maintain the dinosaur façade.
Visit azmnh.org and click on the blue “Donate Now” button.
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“The Arizona Museum of Natural History has played an important role in downtown Mesa for decades. It deserves an iconic feature that cements the museum’s status as a landmark for our city, and I think this dinosaur is the perfect reflection of that, . . ." 
- - District 4 council member Chris Glover.
“Students from across the state come to the Arizona Museum of Natural History in downtown Mesa to explore the past, . .  The new dinosaur bursting from the building is a great photo op for our visitors to commemorate their time here. I’m sure she’ll be a regular on social media feeds.”
- - Mayor John Giles