| Tourism pitches aim for Mich. neighbors
It had been 10 years since Eileen Boone had considered returning to her native Michigan to explore the attractions here. But after seeing a television commercial showcasing the state, the 46-year-old Chicago resident and her husband Rick decided to trek to the small towns of western Michigan to take in the sights and spend a few days enjoying the outdoors. "I just thought they were so exceptional," she said of the ads that showed scenic images of Michigan. "I liked the simplicity; getting back to nature. It wasn't overdone." With the economy in the dumps and many Michigan residents cutting back extras such as vacations and weekend getaways, attracting tourists like the Boones -- from neighboring states whose economies are more robust -- is once again the game plan of tourism officials this year.
2008 Chicago Auto Show - 2008 Audi A4 Special Edition Unveiled
Audi of America Inc. today announced the debut of the 2008 A4 Special Edition at the Chicago Auto Show. The new configuration was created for customers wanting a thoroughly modern German luxury sport sedan with more exterior appeal and attractive packaging. This adds to the popular S line exterior bumpers and grille introduced as standard features on the A4 for the 2008 model year, which include a sportier front bumper and grille design, lower side door flares, and integrated rear trunk lid spoiler. Designed for A4 sedan and Avant models equipped with the 2.0 TFSI engine, exterior differentiation for the Special Edition includes a new standard 17-inch wheel that features a 9 Y-spoke design pattern. Standard interior features for quattro-equipped models include leather-trimmed heated front seats and metallic paint.
Cactus League tickets selling despite struggling economy
Tickets to a Chicago Cubs-Chicago White Sox Cactus League matchup were snatched up just minutes after they went on Internet sale last week, a week before they were available at the box office. And several other games are selling rapidly, said Robert Brinton, executive director of the Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau. Things are looking very good. Brinton, along with Valley hoteliers and other tourism leaders, met Tuesday at the Phoenician Resort to hear from White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, a day before he and fellow major league baseball owners meet in Scottsdale. The White Sox are scheduled to leap from Tucson to the Valley for spring training in 2009, the same year the Los Angeles Dodgers jump cross country to join the Cactus League. Despite Reinsdorfs humorous take on baseball as a business The employees make more than the owners, yet people love them and hate us, Reinsdorf said spring training is big business for local tourism leaders.
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