Giant marquees that are at "least four stories tall flash digital ads in front of the US Airways Center and next to Chase Field," and these "marquees, signs and screens add up to an $8.6 million, first-year investment and mark the first phase of the city's new Legends Entertainment District," according to Emily Gersema of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The city of Phoenix "provided $2 million for the initial investment," with the rest coming from the Suns, D'Backs and investors. The district "seems largely focused on advertising, but the Legends district's general manager, Judd Norris, is promising more attractions." Norris: "We want to start by bringing more interaction -- have people send Twitter or text messages that would get posted (on the marquees) like 'Go Suns.' And we want to start to sink our teeth in the 'legend' aspect." Norris said that additions to the district "will include a legends' mural highlighting star athletes on the Luhrs Building near Central Avenue and Jefferson Street, and a 'Walk of Fame' near Jefferson Street that would be similar to Hollywood's Walk of Fame for movie stars." Included in the "legend" category are former Suns G Dan Majerle and former D'Backs LF Luis Gonzalez. Phoenix Community Economic Development Department Program Manager Eric Johnson said that Legends "will not begin sharing revenue with the city until its second year." Norris did not disclose any figures, but said that Suns and D'Backs officials are "happy with what they're seeing so far and they are enjoying a boost in advertising revenue." D'Backs President & CEO Derrick Hall said, "We could not be more pleased with the look and the results. There's definitely a continuous flow of energy" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/25).
