Mixing-Up Metaphors > Warm-Up for Cactus League Spring Training Reporting



" It's about the economy, stupid " - or is it all about the weather in Arizona? It's both!  . . . Chris Brady, Mesa City Manager has snagged a reporter for a run around the bases in the media to try to trump other Arizona cities Cactus League Spring Training. True or False? 

While spring training is a ‘second Christmas,’ others await anticipated boom

By Katlyn Ewens | Cronkite News | POSTED: Feb 23, 2016

The Mayor's Own Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness > Keeping The Promise?

QUESTION: Will Mesa mayor John Giles "step up to the plate" to lead the team here to end veteran homelessness within one year according to the oath he took to join The Mayors Challenge?
No chance "to under-promise and over-deliver" on this - it's more than "we can" - it is swearing to an oath to finish the goal within one year and complete the criteria to get confirmation from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The Mayor of New Orleans did just accomplished, as promised. - with No newspeak
As usual a lot of fanfare and skimpy details left out of Mesa Now press releases coming out of City Hall
Mayor John Giles selected to lead national effort to end veterans homelessness
Press release from City of Mesa Newsroom 01-21-2016 at 3:33:00 PM
Mayor John Giles has been selected to co-chair a national, bi-partisan effort to engage communities across the country in the effort to end veterans homelessness. . .
Mesa joined the Mayor’s Challenge to End Veterans Homelessness in January 2015 and in one year found permanent supportive housing for more than 70 veterans. Mesa has coordinated dozens of local organizations, municipalities and federal agencies to provide the resources needed to find housing for our veterans.
“I’m proud to co-chair this task force with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu as we work to honor the service of our veterans by making sure all of them have a home to call their own,” Mayor John Giles said. “By focusing our resources and maximizing our commitment, we can end veteran homelessness in our communities and our country.”
Sounds great, right? The goal in one year is to end veteran homelessness and the City of Mesa apparently does not know how many homeless vets there are here, hoping to find that out by a one-day count enlisting volunteers to do the job.
Reality Check:
The First Lady Announces the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness

First Lady Michelle Obama announced a new program on June 4, 2014 that aimed to end veteran homelessness in the U.S. by year's end 2015.

Was Mesa Mayor John Giles again late to join a national bi-partisan effort? Or just one of the things to add to NextMesa?
Readers can watch the June 2014 announcement in the 35:28 You Tube video just above.

OOooh YYEAH! :)) Play Me A Song - I'm Not The Piano Man

Just a raving MANiac promoting The New Urban DTMesa

O Yeah! A FASHION SHOW LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE HERE IN NEW URBAN DTMESA

Hey! Gotta act fast if you haven't already

AN URGENT CALL FOR
                      
Designers
Cosplay
Wearable Tech
Costumes
High -End +  One-of-A-Kind Fashion
Re-purposed
Makeup
Hair Sculpting
Models

Deadline for entries:
March 4th 2016

THIS WILL BE THE FINALE TO THE MAKER FEST 2016
How to apply:
 
Simply complete our SWMF application form, select Fashion Show http://www.southwestmakerfest.com/2016-application/

Designers - Please submit between 1 > 5 pictures of pieces you would like to enter into the Fashion Show.
Hair and Makeup Fashionistas - Please submit 1 > 3 pictures of your work and what you would like to contribute to the Fashion Show.
Models - Please submit 1 > 3 Pictures of prior modeling engagements and your size and height.

$PORT$ > Baseball + Marathons + Cycling // Caching! Caching!

O Yeah! Here we go again - Pop-Up events rule!
Following through with a number of posts about the City of Mesa's Office of Economic Development H.E.A.T initiative to create strategic advantages in certain key sectors in the State of Arizona based on the presence of regional assets, industry-leading firms and a quality workforce
- there is no "S" in there for $PORT$  
- an "A" that does not include Arts & Culture
- an "E" that does not include Entertainment.
Is City Hall in some kind of bubble? [inflated egos??]


Your MesaZona blogger would like to thank a guy named Eric Brown who's the VP of Social Marketing for MCLife 2016 for opening his eyes by writing a press release about that company's social media sponsorship for this year's El Tour de Mesa. [Link to Eric Brown after post] 
MCLife Announces Sponsorship of El Tour de Mesa
By Eric Brown19 February, 2016
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — MCLife, the residential apartment brand of MC Companies, is thrilled to announce its social media sponsorship of El Tour de Mesa this spring. El Tour de Mesa  is Central Arizona’s premier springtime cycling event and takes place this year on April 2, 2016 as part of CycloMesa.
CycloMesa takes place April 1 -3, 2016 and is a three-day bicycling extravaganza, with El Tour de Mesa as the centerpiece event. The other two major events are the El Tour Criterium State Championship and the Arizona Bicycling Summit. Plus, there will be a beer garden, live music and a food truck alley for visitors to enjoy.

“We jumped at the opportunity to be sponsors for an event like this one,” says Eric Brown, Vice President of Marketing. “We strive to get out into the community and enjoy sponsoring events that give back to others.
We are honored that beneficiaries of the event include: Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Uphill Into The Wind, The National MS Society AZ Chapter, The Winded Foundation, Marc Community Resources and ALS.”
 MCLife 2016 Press Release

Interested in participating in El Tour de Mesa?
This year the ride will be capped at 2,000 cyclists so be sure to sign up ahead of time! Cyclists can choose to ride either 72 miles or 28 miles.
The 72 mile cyclists begin at 6:15 a.m. and will ride clockwise around the perimeter of scenic Red Mountain.
The 28 mile cyclists will begin at 8:45 a.m. and start at Red Mountain Ranch Elementary School, and will finish in Downtown Mesa.
 
There will be events available for families and people interested in just enjoying the weather and going for a ride.
There will be El Tour Fun Ride beginning at 11:00am on April 2, 2016 on the day of El Tour de Mesa. All ages are welcome all weekend to celebrate cycling, hop on a bike and have a good time with friends and family.
 

Come on out and join us at El Tour de Mesa and enjoy all that CycloMesa has to offer. MCLife will be there supporting and participating in the event, as well as promoting the event through February, March and April.
Link >> http://cyclomesa.com/

Bicycle Summit

9AM-5PM AT THE MESA CONVENTION CENTER

The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, with support from the City of Mesa and the Perimeter Bicycling Association of America, is convening an Arizona Bicycling Summit event on Friday, April 1. This event will take place from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Mesa Convention Center, directly across the hallway from the El Tour de Mesa Expo and rider packet pick-up area.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2

Perimeter Bicycling's El Tour de Mesa

RACE STARTS AT 6:15AM

Join us on Saturday for the Start/Finish of El Tour de Mesa, paired with CycloMesa. Cheer on the riders as they finish and join the fun at the festival, complete with tons of activities for everyone.

Cyclomesa Unchained 9AM-2PM

Come check out the thrill of the extreme sports zone! This Zone includes BMX Stunt Shows, rock wall, bungee trampolines and more! 

 

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Custom Bicycle Competition AWARDS AT 1:45PM ON THE COMMUNITY STAGE

Have a custom bike? Enter the custom bicycle competition where you can win cash for the best custom bicycle. Don't have a custom bike? That's okay! come to the event and VOTE on the bikes you love! 

Email erica@downtownmesa.com for an application to submit your bike!

 

Here's a link to a 6:33 YouTube video uploaded by Eric Brown on 15 Aug 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Cubs Fans! Get Out To Watch Spring Training

Cubs Pitchers And Catchers Begin Spring Workouts

By Al Yellon  @bleedcubbieblue on Feb 20, 2016, 3:00 pm

MESA, Arizona -- A much smaller crowd than I expected (especially on a gorgeous Saturday morning) gathered at the fields surrounding Sloan Park in Mesa to watch the Cubs' first official pitcher/catcher workout of the spring . . .

Really detailed and well-written reporting from Al Yellow with a photo and video gallery + a link for the Complete Guide to 2016 Cubs Spring Training.

Link to whole site >> http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/2/20/11079164/cubs-pitchers-catchers-spring-workouts#360677445

 

Some comments that local tourism officials might find interesting -people are asking about development around the sports complex 

              Unrelated to actual baseball-related activity... 1 reply

Have they developed the area around Sloan Park yet? I know there’s a hotel there, just wondering if there’s anything else near the ballpark at this point. I know that was the plan when they originally moved

 

 So far, the hotel is the only development.

There’s no talk of more at the present time, but I do know eventually they’d like to build more.

            

 

Play Ball! MLB Spring Training Scores Big Time in The Local Economy

Spring Training baseball under the warm Arizona sun has been a tradition for devoted fans since 1947, when just two teams, the Cleveland Indians and the New York Giants, came here to prepare for the rigors of the long regular season. Today, 15 teams train in the Phoenix metropolitan area in the greatest concentration of professional baseball facilities found anywhere in the United States. For visitors, the Cactus League couldn't be more convenient, with short drive times between ballparks and a full range of hotel, dining and shopping amenities. Truly, the Cactus League is the premier destination for baseball lovers.

The stats are in and they are good! According to a pair of studies  by Governor Doug Ducey and members of the non-profit Cactus League Baseball Association, spring training baseball has become a driving force in Arizona's economy. The studies estimate spring training teams and the ballparks they play in now annually generate more than $809 million in economic impact for the state.

Celebrate A Day at the Diamond at Sloan Park

Post Date:02/18/2016 10:05 AM

Celebrate the return of spring training baseball with A Day at the Diamond Saturday, Feb. 27 from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Sloan Park, 2330 W. Rio Salado Parkway, and surrounding areas at the spring training home of the Chicago Cubs.

The FREE event will include numerous fun activities for the whole family:
• Baseball clinics for the kids
• Family fun and games
• Bounce houses and a zip line
• Obstacle course
• Live music featuring Georgia Chrome and Rock Lobster
• Food and beverages for sale at Sloan Park concession stands
• Sports card show
• Chicago Cubs team shop will be open to sell souvenirs
• Chicago Cubs box office will be open and selling tickets to spring training games

Sponsors of A Day at the Diamond include the Chicago Cubs; Visit Mesa; City of Mesa; Mesa Riverview; Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities and Extra Innings East Valley.

Public Information and Communications
Contact: Steve Wright
Tel. 480-644-2069 steven.wright@mesaaz.gov

Complete Schedule
http://mlb.mlb.com/chc/mesa/schedule.jsp

college baseball coming to Sloan Park, Feb. 19-21!

Come on out and watch Northwestern University take on the University of Nevada for four games, Feb. 19-21, at Sloan