I can t wear them because I can t go out without getting accosted, said Woolworth, the Heat president of business fairmont hotel vancouver operations. You can t go out to eat or to a supermarket. You know, everybody wants to talk to you about what s going on. It s crazy.
When Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade made simultaneous announcements on July 7 that they would be teammates in Miami, followed by LeBron James decision that lured 10 million fairmont hotel vancouver television viewers and worldwide attention one night later, Heatmania fairmont hotel vancouver became an instant phenomenon in the sports business world.
The waiting list for Miami season tickets is growing rapidly, fans willing to pay a nonrefundable $100 fee to join. The NBA says the Heat are tops in merchandise sales, with James, Wade and Bosh having three of the five best-selling jerseys. Businesses all over South Florida are trying to cash in on the act, with everything from a LeBron Burger to a Heat Suite replete with a Ferrari rental now available.
fairmont hotel vancouver Indeed, the impact social fairmont hotel vancouver and financial, on-court and off-court James, Wade and Bosh may end up having together in their newly formed supertrio is already becoming apparent. Some estimate their collective financial impact on South Florida could exceed $1 billion, not even taking into account the $329 million fairmont hotel vancouver in playing contracts they have with Miami through 2016.
What this is going to bring to the city of Miami, what winning brings period, fairmont hotel vancouver what excitement brings, fairmont hotel vancouver is togetherness, Wade said. Everyone wants to be together. Everyone wants to be a part of it. People are going to come. They re going to flock to Miami.
Hungry? The LeBron Burger has been added to the menu at OneBurger in Coral Gables. fairmont hotel vancouver It starts with Kobe beef (a nod to Los Angeles fairmont hotel vancouver Lakers star Kobe Bryant, the leader of the two-time reigning NBA champions), with Swiss cheese, an onion ring (think championship ring) and jalapenos (for heat, er, the Heat).
Stressed? Get the LeBroyal Treatment for $149 at Seven Seas Aveda Spa Salon at the Newport Beachside Hotel, a collection of six items, an homage to James new jersey. It features fairmont hotel vancouver a massage, manicure, fairmont hotel vancouver personal training session, jet-ski rental, gift package and to top it off, a six-pack of beer.
Busy? Squeeze some work in before a Heat game at the Latitude One International Business Center, which will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week near AmericanAirlines Arena with hopes of luring corporate ticket buyers, fairmont hotel vancouver out-of-town executives and media looking fairmont hotel vancouver for places to get some business fairmont hotel vancouver tasks completed before tip-off.
Sleepy? fairmont hotel vancouver For $2,500 a night, high-end guests can enjoy the Heat Suite at The Gansevoort Hotel in Miami Beach, fairmont hotel vancouver including a rental of a Ferrari F430, private cabana access, some of James favorite snacks and an iPod with his favorite tunes. The Hotel Victor will offer its $10,000-a-night penthouse to a randomly selected Facebook fan for $163, the Heat trio jersey numbers. Downtown fairmont hotel vancouver Miami s Epic hotel is offering season-ticket holders discounts, while the Mandarin Oriental will have Live Like LeBron weekends, including basketball-shaped cookies.
Our phones are ringing a little bit and our team is actually really excited to sell it, said Brett Orlando, the Gansevoort s general manager. We actually have a little competition going on for our staff here. The first person who books it, they get a prize, too. But the reaction has been pretty incredible. I think we were one of the first out of the gate with something this fun and exciting for the city.
By the time James chose Miami, the entire fairmont hotel vancouver available allotment of Heat season tickets was gone (some corporate plans remain, fairmont hotel vancouver as do seats held back for single-game fairmont hotel vancouver and other plans). Phone banks at the arena were overloaded by callers, the team website saw a giant surge in traffic, people stop by daily at the ticket windows asking for information on when single-game tickets will be available, and even the Summer Groove charity series of events hosted by Wade and Alonzo Mourning saw a huge spike in sales, undoubtedly because of all the Heat buzz.
At the beginning of July, while Wimbledon is going on and the World Cup is going on and baseball season s in full swing, the NBA is dominating headlines around the world, Woolworth said. And in a city like Miami, it absolutely takes over everything. The news, the business news, the local news, the front page, the back page, the lifestyles section, everything is now about the Miami Heat.
The building was sold out every night back then as well, just as it will be this year. But the Heat will do things a bit differently this time around, Woolworth said. Through partial-season plans, single-game offerings and other initiatives, the Heat hope to attract a different crowd for each of their 41 regular-season home contests, instead of the same 19,600 faces every night.
In Cleveland, the Great Lakes Brewing Co. quickly went through 30 gallons of specially made Quitness, a dry hopped India pale ale that leaves a bitter aftertaste, perfectly describing the mood of Cavaliers fans after James decision. And in Toronto, Bosh s farewell is being marked by a champagne cocktail drummed up by Senior Sommelier William Predhomme of Canoe Restaurant and Bar which features sparkling wine, Ice wine, syrup, lemon, black cherries and a mint sprig.
He s had celebrity status in Miami just about from the moment he got to town in 2003, but what he s experienced in the last two weeks, he said, doesn t even compare to the glitz and glamour that followed the NBA title in 2006.
It s good to be part of it, to know you ve done something else for the city and that it s not just about winning championships, Wade said. You know what, we know that people are going to come down to Miami. There s people that are going to move to Miami. fairmont hotel vancouver People are going to be part of this community. It s going to shine a light on Miami even more.
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