New Services Enhance Downtown Albany Bid RestaurantT Week

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Downtown Albany Valet & Stand Flyer

ALBANY, NY (04/18/2008)(readMedia)-- Visitors taking part in the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District’s (BID) latest Restaurant Week dining promotion from Monday, April 21 through Saturday, April 26, will have access to convenient new parking and transportation services. Today, the City of Albany announced the launch of new Valet Parking and Taxi Stand services on North Pearl Street between Steuben Place and Columbia Street, beginning Friday, April 18. The pilot programs are a collaborative initiative between the City of Albany, the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID), LAZ Parking, DeCrescente Distributing, the Albany Business Association, Albany County Stop DWI, Buzzy’s Taxi, Capitaland Taxi, Duffy’s Taxi and Yellow Cab. Regular hours for Valet Parking (cost of $7.00) will be from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Taxi Stand will operate from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

To increase awareness of the new services and bring added convenience to Restaurant Week patrons, the Downtown Albany BID has arranged for both services to be available on all five nights of Restaurant Week. During this week only, an additional Valet Parking stand will be located on the north side of State Street between James Street and Broadway to accommodate patrons of participating restaurants on lower State Street, Green Street, South Pearl Street and Broadway. During Restaurant Week, Valet Parking services will begin one hour earlier, at 5:00 p.m.

“In 2004, we were the first downtown in the Capital Region to offer a fixed-price Restaurant Week dining promotion,” said Pamela Tobin, executive director of the Downtown Albany BID. “We’re always looking for ways to keep the promotion fresh and exciting for patrons, and we saw this as the perfect time to launch these new services in partnership with the City of Albany and the many other organizations that made them possible.”

Tobin continued, “We regularly welcome up to 13,000 visitors during Restaurant Week, many who are visiting downtown for the first time in years and are apprehensive about navigating the district and parking. It is our hope that the Valet Parking service will add to their overall experience and encourage them to visit downtown again at a future date.” She added, “For visitors who prefer not to drive, the Taxi Stand is an efficient and convenient way to return home after an enjoyable evening on the town.”

During April’s Restaurant Week, 20 restaurants will offer fixed-price meals for $16.09. The price supports the “Downtown Albany: Worth Discovering Since 1609” brand campaign. Participating restaurants are: Amo La Bella, Bayou Café, Café Capriccio, Envy Lounge, Franklin's Tower, Hudson Harbor Steak & Seafood, Jack’s Oyster House, Jillian’s of Albany, Kelsey's Irish Pub, La Serre, Marche at 74 State, Pearl Restaurant & Lounge, Pearl Street Public House, Savannah's, V&R Restaurant, Victory Café, Webster's Corner, Albany Mansion Hill Inn, Albany Pump Station and Nicole's Bistro. Menus, restaurant contact information and restrictions are available at www.downtownalbany.org.

Restaurant Week patrons can enter to win hundreds of dollars in downtown dining gift certificates by filling out a brief survey about their dining experience. Prizes include: 1st Prize - $600 (12 dinner certificates); 2nd Prize - $300 (6 dinner certificates); 3rd Prize - $100 (2 dinner certificates).

As an extra bonus, coupons included with the surveys offer buy-one-get-one-free tickets to Albany Conquest arena football, discounts from Blue 82, $10 tickets to Capital Repertory Theatre’s production of Hank Williams: Lost Highway and free passes to the Palace Theatre’s movie series.

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The Downtown Albany BID, incorporated in 1996, is a private, not-for profit 501© (3) organization that works to restore, promote and maintain the character and viability of downtown Albany and to improve the quality of life and overall image of downtown for all those who work in, live in and visit the Capital City. Ample public parking is available at downtown’s public garages, lots and on-street metered spaces. Metered parking is free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and all weekends. For information about the Downtown Albany BID, call (518) 465-2143 or visit www.downtownalbany.org.