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VALLEY FAIR 292 • SHOPPING CENTER BUSINESS • May 2017 Then there's Pepper, an adorable four- foot humanoid concierge robot made by Softbank Robotics America that engages with Valley Fair customers through greet- ings, dances and Q&A; sessions. This pilot program was rolled out in two Northern California locations this past holiday sea- son to assist customers while giving them a glimpse into the future of technology. FASHION MEETS MUSIC The center will also receive new pro- gramming and programming space when it debuts in 2019, courtesy of Scott Sand- ers, Westfield's new creative head of glob- al entertainment. This Grammy-, Emmy- and Tony-award winning Broadway, film and television producer will curate the events at centers like Valley Fair, drawing from his experience producing musicals like "the Color Purple," internationally televised events like the Super Bowl half- time show and the programming of Radio City Music Hall. Westfield event facilities have played host to appearances and live performances by Lady Gaga, Scarlett Johansson, John Legend and Rihanna, among others. Valley Fair's event and entertainment space is being designed from the ground up to accommodate performances, con- certs, award ceremonies, food festivals, movie premieres, film screenings, fashion shows and charity events. "Essentially, everything from large-scale ticketed events to intimate and exclusive cocktail parties for VIPs," Hecht explains. "Given Valley Fair's location in the heart of Silicon Valley, we believe that the new events and entertainment space we are creating on the property will be an ideal environment for large-scale tech events — including product launches, conferences and demonstration showrooms." With monster office campuses occu- pied by the likes of Apple, Twitter, Fit- Bit, GoPro, Pandora Media, SanDisk, Netflix, SolarCity, Cicsco Systems, eBay, Yahoo and Zynga nearby, an investment in flexible, functional event space is not a bad idea to remain proactive among this tech elite. FASHION MEETS WELLNESS This elite demographic not only values its careers and technological applications, but fitness as well. That's why Westfield Valley Fair is integrating a variety of health and wellness amenities that can enhance the office campuses' on-site facilities, pro- vide a reason to go off-site or supplement these facilities when employees are out of the office. "A distinct focus of the property's new retail lineup will be on health and wellness amenities," Hecht says. "This includes gyms, spas, yoga classes and micro-fitness training, as well as athleisure fashion and activewear brands." These new additions will complement existing tenants like Athleta, Champ Sports, Saje Natural Wellness, Mainland Skate and Surf and Sports Fever, along with healthy dining options like Frujuice, Jamba Juice, Sushirrito, Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle and Loving Hut Vegan Cuisine. Valley Fair's newest eateries will reflect current popular dining trends, including open-air spaces, locally sourced ingredi- ents and social settings. "Westfield is rolling out new urban din- ing districts at Valley Fair that combine gourmet restaurants, open-air cafés, in- novative street food concepts, fresh food marketplaces, and rooftop wine and cock- tail bars," Hecht notes. "We have found that by providing exceptional dining expe- riences, Westfield properties can truly di- versify their appeal to a broader clientele, while simultaneously giving our shoppers more reasons to come to Westfield more often — and then extend their dwell times when they do visit." While Westfield attempts to stay ahead of the curve and on-trend with today's consumers, the company is ultimately hoping its efforts will allow Valley Fair and its other properties to become well-diver- sified destinations that remain active from open to close. "We are determined that Valley Fair be- come not just the best destination in Sili- con Valley for upscale apparel shopping, but that it become engaging and relevant as a social destination as well," Hecht says. "A place where visitors will be able to come any time of day, every day. In oth- er words, Valley Fair will become a place not just to shop on the weekend, but to come in for anything from an early morn- ing workout at the gym to a late-night concert — where you can enjoy everything from a coffee with friends to an amazing entertainment experience." SCB In addition to more common area space, Westfield Valley Fair will also have space that can be programmed for regular performances, concerts, award ceremonies, food festivals, fashion shows and other events.