SPOKANE, Wash. – Long heralded as a center for outdoor enthusiasts, this Inland Northwest city is drawing new crowds eager to explore the city’s emerging urban scene packed with new and interesting dining, hospitality and entertainment happenings.  From small-town quiet or big-city hustle-bustle, there’s much to see, do, and explore in this city’s energetic urban core.

Over the past five years, nearly 500 new construction projects with a total value in excess of $1.1 billion have transformed the city’s downtown, creating a lively and bright tourist and convention destination. 

At the center of downtown Spokane’s recent revitalization is River Park Square, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex with nearly 40 specialty tenants on six levels.  The downtown retail center houses the only regional location for several national retailers including Nordstrom, Restoration Hardware, Banana Republic, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, and others.  Unique dining experiences include three full-service restaurants, a café, espresso bar, and the Atrium Cafes on 3 food collection.   AMC Theaters offer moviegoers state-of-the-art cinema on 20 screens.  And in the coming months the Children’s Museum of Spokane will open its new headquarters in the center’s lower level, bringing another destination attraction to the center.

Originally built in the early 1970‘s, River Park Square underwent a $115 million expansion in the late 1990’s to stimulate a seriously declining downtown. Downtown redevelopment was part of a public-private collaboration between the center’s developer, River Park Square LLC, and the City of Spokane. 

“Our vision was to redevelop River Park Square into a destination retail center to serve as the catalyst for a revitalized downtown and to redefine Spokane as the regional hub for shopping, dining and entertainment,” said Betsy Cowles, president of RPS, LLC. “The new River Park Square is succeeding at fulfilling this vision.”

Arts and Culture Scene Emerges
Spurred by the transformation of River Park Square, an exciting new urban environment has emerged as a regional hub for arts, culture and entertainment.  At the western end of downtown, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture’s (MAC) $28 million expansion provides a new venue for world-class art exhibits, national touring collections, lectures, and more.  At the east end, the Spokane Convention Center and Opera House offers center stage for Broadway shows, concerts, and other live performances.  A $70 million facility expansion to the convention center complex, approved by voters last year, is currently underway. 

The Davenport Arts District, a ten-block area of downtown, features a number of new and proposed art galleries, restaurants, and performance venues.  The Fox Theatre is undergoing a $28 million restoration into a live music hall for the Spokane Symphony 
and others.  The Big Easy houses a concert hall, restaurant, and parking; the $7 million venue opened in early 2004 and is staging live entertainment for capacity crowds.  Heroes and Legends, a high-tech sports bar opened in 2003 and Spokane’s first upscale jazz club is being planned. 

Project director Doug Smith, whose mixed-use project RailSide Center occupies a major portion of the District, is enthusiastic about the change in community culture. “We’ve been able to bring in more performing and visual arts, develop better retail, and the variety and quality of restaurants has improved,” he said.  “There’s a more international flair here as well.”

Hotels, restaurants offer variety downtown
Just two blocks from River Park Square, the turn-of-the-century historic Davenport Hotel, visited by presidents, movie stars and celebrities over its 89-year history, re-opened in 2002 following complete restoration by developers Walt and Karen Worthy.  Designed by the renowned architect Kirtland Cutter, the legendary Davenport features unprecedented elegance and one-of-a-kind grace, as well as modern amenities.

The Davenport joins a variety of downtown hotels, including the upscale Hotel Lusso, a boutique hotel, and such river-view inns such as Red Lion Hotel, and the Spokane Doubletree. 

Upscale, ethnic and traditional dining establishments abound downtown, including award-winning bistros, cafes, lounges and restaurants, accommodating virtually every taste and style.

“Downtown Spokane is fortunate in that projects have been developed all over the urban core, so when you want to go to a restaurant, there are lots of places to choose from,” said Rob Brewster, a young entrepreneur whose developments include housing, pubs, office space and restaurants.  “The result is energy all over downtown, not just in a block or two.  Living, working and visiting downtown Spokane is fun - all day and all night.”

New and traditional events draw thousands
New community-wide arts and cultural events have emerged in recent years, many centered around River Park Square.  The First Night New Year’s Eve arts celebration and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day community rally and march are drawing tens of thousands of singles and families into downtown are growing in popularity. 

They complement well-established, popular regional events including Bloomsday, Spokane’s annual 12K road race, Hoopfest, the nation’s largest three-on-three basketball tournament, and Spokane’s annual celebration of spring – the Lilac Festival and Torchlight Parade.  These events bring packed crowds to the downtown core annually. 

According to the Spokane Regional Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB), the downtown renaissance in Spokane sparked by River Park Square has enhanced the lure of the community as a tourist and convention destination.  “The Spokane region has proven itself as an extremely desirable destination for visitors,” said John Brewer, president of the Spokane CVB.  “Thanks to downtown revitalization, our community is undertaking a new direction.” 
 
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