Tubby
08-28-2005, 08:18 AM
Own a Lexus? You're a VIP at arena
By Kevin Smith
Staff Writer
August 28, 2005
Sunrise · The convertible was gorgeous, wearing that shade of red seemingly reserved solely for perfect apples and Italian sports cars, but the mid-engine two-door was sent away, exiled to a less exclusive parking area.
The Ferrari F430 Spider could go more than 190 mph, but it couldn't go into the Lexus Lot at the Office Depot Center.
"He was very nice," said gate manager Frank Claveau, who waved off the sleek convertible after waving in a family in a Lexus sport utility vehicle. "So was the guy in the Corvette, and the Jaguar, and the Hummer."
The Lexus Lot, located on the south side of the arena, is open at every event to the first 200 Lexus vehicles arriving. The exclusive lot is part of the luxury car dealer's agreement with the 20,000-seat arena, which also included title sponsorship of 72 suites and the levels on which they reside.
"This is part of the overall luxury ownership experience," said Mike Brumm, Lexus southern area merchandising manager. Giving Lexus drivers such extras, he said, fosters loyalty and shows the drivers how much the carmaker wants them happy.
News about the Lexus Lot has been seeping out somewhat slowly. Weston's Sharon Small, who arrived Aug. 19 for a monster truck event, only learned of the perk during her previous visit to the arena when a parking attendant told her about it.
"I said, `How much do I owe you?' and he said, `Nothing,'" recalled Small. "I said, `Nothing? Why not?' and he said, `Because you drive a Lexus.' I think it's great."
While several other people attending the monster truck event said they learned of the lot only recently, others have known about it long enough to make it part of their planning. Danielle Nelson of Margate and her daughter left their car across the street at the Sawgrass Mills shopping mall, then climbed into Darcee Mixon's Lexus sedan for the trip across the street into a prime parking slot.
"I wouldn't go out and buy a Lexus because of it," said Mixon, a Davie resident. "But since we have one, it's a nice amenity."
Convenience is a plus, but so is cash.
"I was prepared to park way over there and pay them $10," said Ed Wilcox of Weston, who instead left his SUV three rows away from the steps to the center. Michelle Bianco of Sunrise, after making her first arrival in the Lexus Lot, said it was as thought the carmaker handed its own money to the parking attendant.
"You get something free for a change," she said, smiling.
Bianco's response was quite common, according to Claveau, who said drivers often were thrilled to find themselves directed to an exclusive parking lot simply because of the car they were driving.
"It's a nice surprise," he said. "They get really excited ... they tell their families and everything."
By Kevin Smith
Staff Writer
August 28, 2005
Sunrise · The convertible was gorgeous, wearing that shade of red seemingly reserved solely for perfect apples and Italian sports cars, but the mid-engine two-door was sent away, exiled to a less exclusive parking area.
The Ferrari F430 Spider could go more than 190 mph, but it couldn't go into the Lexus Lot at the Office Depot Center.
"He was very nice," said gate manager Frank Claveau, who waved off the sleek convertible after waving in a family in a Lexus sport utility vehicle. "So was the guy in the Corvette, and the Jaguar, and the Hummer."
The Lexus Lot, located on the south side of the arena, is open at every event to the first 200 Lexus vehicles arriving. The exclusive lot is part of the luxury car dealer's agreement with the 20,000-seat arena, which also included title sponsorship of 72 suites and the levels on which they reside.
"This is part of the overall luxury ownership experience," said Mike Brumm, Lexus southern area merchandising manager. Giving Lexus drivers such extras, he said, fosters loyalty and shows the drivers how much the carmaker wants them happy.
News about the Lexus Lot has been seeping out somewhat slowly. Weston's Sharon Small, who arrived Aug. 19 for a monster truck event, only learned of the perk during her previous visit to the arena when a parking attendant told her about it.
"I said, `How much do I owe you?' and he said, `Nothing,'" recalled Small. "I said, `Nothing? Why not?' and he said, `Because you drive a Lexus.' I think it's great."
While several other people attending the monster truck event said they learned of the lot only recently, others have known about it long enough to make it part of their planning. Danielle Nelson of Margate and her daughter left their car across the street at the Sawgrass Mills shopping mall, then climbed into Darcee Mixon's Lexus sedan for the trip across the street into a prime parking slot.
"I wouldn't go out and buy a Lexus because of it," said Mixon, a Davie resident. "But since we have one, it's a nice amenity."
Convenience is a plus, but so is cash.
"I was prepared to park way over there and pay them $10," said Ed Wilcox of Weston, who instead left his SUV three rows away from the steps to the center. Michelle Bianco of Sunrise, after making her first arrival in the Lexus Lot, said it was as thought the carmaker handed its own money to the parking attendant.
"You get something free for a change," she said, smiling.
Bianco's response was quite common, according to Claveau, who said drivers often were thrilled to find themselves directed to an exclusive parking lot simply because of the car they were driving.
"It's a nice surprise," he said. "They get really excited ... they tell their families and everything."