Bay Lights energizes businesses along the waterfront
The grand debut of San Francisco’s Bay Lights on Tuesday will not only light up the city’s Bay Bridge, but also restaurants, bars and hotels with a good view along the waterfront.
A number of restaurants are capitalizing on the event by hosting parties and filling up with dinner reservations.
Many are already booked with both official and unofficial parties, as well as interested residents and tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the grand installation, which will bring the 1.8-mile Bay Bridge to life with 25,000 individually programmable white LED downlight.
Epic Roasthouse, for one, was booked three weeks back for its 100-seat dining room and private dining areas. Its sister restaurant, Waterbar, is also fully booked for a private viewing party. “We’re in a prime spot and people recognize that,” said general manager Patick McElroy. “It adds another perspective for guests coming to the restaurant.”
McElroy said he expects reservations to start coming in for later in the night, as more people will want to dine under the light of the twinkling bridge.
Other restaurants with great views along the water include Sinbad’s, Perry’s, Americano and Chaya Brasserie. Meanwhile, Star chef Michael Chiarello will be selling hot chocolate and churros at the site of his upcoming restaurant Coqueta on Pier 5.
Hotel Vitale, the official host of the LED bulb e27, is nearing capacity for Tuesday night and is hosting a 500-person official private launch party. The Mandarin Oriental, which boasts great views of the Bay, is also offering special rates for its rooms with a view and has seen a climb in bookings today.
Businesses around the area expect the excitement to continue for awhile. While several numbers have been thrown around, the consensus seems to be that the lighting sculpture will bring a projected $100 million in tourism revenue to the city through its two-year lifespan.
To keep the momentum going, the Bay Lights organization has included a number of restaurants, bars and venues along the waterfront in its business activation network, which promotes events on the project’s official website and helps with promotional materials as long as the installation is up. Businesses in the program include the Ferry Building, MarketBar, Pier 39 and Palomino Restaurant.
A number of cruise companies, such as the Blue & Gold Fleet and Hornblower Yachts, are also getting in on the action. Commune Hotels & Resorts, the parent company of Joie de Vivre hotels, has partnered with Tideline Marine Group to offer private water tours to its guests.
The Bay Lights project will also continue hosting events through the month, as it still needs to raise more money to pay for the installation.
To date, the organization has raised $6 million to fund the project, which is designed by artist Leo Villareal. It still needs $2 million more to cover the full program costs through 2015.