City of Tukwila Launches 100-Year Celebration.

18-months of Events and Promotions Begin in January 2008

TUKWILA, Wash. -- The City of Tukwila has a big reason to celebrate; it is turning 100 in 2008. And, city officials are marking the birthday with 18-months of events and promotions. These activities are designed for residents as well as people living in Washington State and beyond who might travel to the area. Details are available at www.tukwila100.com.

Beyond a long list of community events, promotions and hotel packages, the Centennial celebration will highlight the past, present and future of the Tukwila area. Festivities will begin in January and continue through the end of June 2009.

"Tukwila's 100th birthday is the start of our future, and we're sharing our excitement with all of Washington," notes Katherine Kertzman, Tukwila tourism and marketing program manager.

A huge celebration party, a backyard wildlife festival, historic presentations, sporting events, Chinese cooking with celebrity-chef Martin Yan, Memorial Day at the Museum of Flight, fireworks on the 4th, heart-healthy activities, hotel and shopping packages and holiday delights are all part of the Tukwila Centennial celebration.

The festivities begin at an event on January 8, 2008, at the Westfield Southcenter Shopping Center. At that event, a new Tukwila brand to commemorate the 100 years will be unveiled. The new brand was created by Exclaim, the marketing firm that helped develop Seattle's new travel and tourism brand, Metronatural.

"Beyond showing our community pride and spirit, we are focused on changing perceptions," adds Steven Mullet, Tukwila mayor.

For years, Tukwila has been known primarily as the Southcenter Mall, and is overlooked for many of its significant attributes: outdoor living and trails, sporting facilities and parks, historical significance within King County, entertainment and hospitality, and diverse neighborhoods and communities. It has also been plagued by misperceptions about its residents, businesses and community benefits.

To re-focus attention around Tukwila, the city has gone to significant lengths and is investing resources in a public education effort focused around the 100 years. Beyond celebrating the big milestone, the city is also creating dialogue around the economic development future of the region as well as highlighting the area's significant historical background and its vibrant community.

The countdown to the Centennial started in October with a "100 days to 100 years." More than six hundred people received digital countdown clocks branded with this tagline. And, as part of the countdown, a new fact about Tukwila is posted to the tukwila100 website each day. By the kick-off party in January, 100 facts about Tukwila will be posted to the site. Examples include:

* More than 44,000 people are employed by the 2,000 plus businesses within the city limits;

* There are 18,000 Tukwila residents;

* In 2006, taxable sales activity within the city of Tukwila amounted to around $2 billion;

* The city is sectioned into four neighborhoods: Allentown, Riverton, Foster, and Thorndyke;

* In 2002, Tukwila was the first city in Washington, and only the fourth in the country, to be certified as a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation;

* There are 55 languages spoken by the students within the Tukwila School District;

* Each Spring, a Multicultural World's Fair is held at Foster High School in Tukwila to celebrate the ethnicities and cultures evident in the schools;

* And, with less than nine square miles to its name, Tukwila offers 15 community parks for public use.