Spark Centennial

logo for the spark centennial pilot program

Spark Centennial is a pilot program that aims to use the power of unforgettable experiences to grow revenue for local businesses, explore creative opportunities with shopping center owners, and spark wonder and connections among Centennial’s residents.

The City is assisting businesses in the development of unforgettable experiences to help “spark” interaction and connection in the community and bring new life to Centennial’s shopping centers. Check out these ongoing adventures! The City plans to offer more in the near future.

How to Participate

“With My Gnomies” is active at University Towne Center (7460 S University Blvd, Centennial, CO 80122) throughout December 2020. To join in the fun, bring your cell phone to text with our friends, the Gnomies, who will send you on a short “gnomadic” adventure. Along the way, you will window shop for the best local products and unique experience gifts you won’t find anywhere else. This entire game can be experienced outdoors, however, for the safety of all players please wear a mask and maintain distance from those outside your household.

How to Play // Four Easy and Fun Steps

  1. PLAY // Activate the GNOMIE adventure game by texting “PLAY” to the number carved in the stone at the GNOMIE home. The mission: help the GNOMIES collect all the creative sparks.
  2. SHOP // Find unique gifts at our artist-designed GNOMIE homes. The GNOMIES’ selection of limited edition local adventures and gifts will make you this season’s best gift-giver!
  3. LAUGH // Share a chuckle with the GNOMIES while they send you from place-to-place, finding all the creative sparks. Make sure to bring your quaranTEAM to be LOLing all the way.
  4. REVEL // Unlock the magical light show at the GNOMIE home after you’ve collected all the creative sparks. Get ready to dance and celebrate.

Current Events

sample window for Spark event

2020-2021

The Spark program focuses on empowering local businesses to connect with the creative community to build their customer experience offerings in a way that sparks new engagement, interest, and sustainability to their customer base.

Businesses at the University Towne Center located at University Boulevard and Dry Creek Road, are participating in a COVID-friendly holiday kickoff project to build awareness around the 2021 Spark program. Participating businesses include Rolling Smoke Bar-B-Que, Cakeheads Bakery, Professionally Faded Barbershop, and others.

“With My Gnomies”, led by creative and placemaking strategist Brian Corrigan, is a gnomadic adventure and holiday community commerce experience. Creative products and adventures implemented by participating Centennial businesses and organizations are featured in a special artist-driven holiday window display at University Towne Center. The displays include a smart-phone based puzzle that leads shoppers through a multi-stop tour of surrounding retailers. A secret light show is activated at the original window display when participants complete the journey.

This project seeks to animate vacant storefronts, enable window shopping sales through QR code technology, support entrepreneurial activity, grow existing businesses, strengthen community connectivity and identity, and spark curiosity in the future of our shopping centers.

This Holiday kickoff project will be on display through December 2020. All residents and businesses are welcome to visit (while being socially distanced and masked!) the displays, participate in adventures, and purchase available products.

A special thanks to the artists collaborating on this project: Linda Klein, Scottie Burgess, Hepp Maccoy, Carl Carrell, Frankie Toan, Katy Zimmerman and Matthew Taylor.

Nov. 2019

oh heck yeah game at southglenn

Spark Centennial has partnered with OhHeckYeah to bring a people-powered interactive game to The Streets at SouthGlenn throughout the holiday season. The video game engine, known as CATCHY: the Holi-play Edition, debuted at the shopping center’s popular Santa’s Arrival and Tree Lighting event November 22 across the street from where Hodson’s used to be. This experiential game is an extension of the Spark Centennial program’s continued goal of shopping center revitalization through creative placemaking and community wellness.

OhHeckYeah also had video game engines available at the Denver Botanic Gardens and Coors Field, and has worked with Arrow Electronics and Northeastern University as well, among others. A photo at the video games engine at The Streets at Southglenn is pictured at left. 

Oct. 2019

experience economy workshop flier

The City held a free business strategy workshop Oct. 22 focused on getting businesses ready to capitalize on the “experience economy." The workshop was intended for retailers, restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs.

The Experience Economy is one in which many goods or services are sold by emphasizing the effect they can have on people’s lives. Seventy-four percent of Americans prioritize experiences over products or things. Nationally, it’s estimated that consumers are spending $160 to $180 billion annually on experiences. In 2017, visitors to Colorado spent nearly $21 billion on experiencing our state.

Brian Corrigan of Futures United Network (FUN) and Downtown Colorado, Inc. led the workshop and taught participants how to create unique experiences that attract more customers and build a following.

 

The Streets at SouthGlenn's 10th Anniversary

Streets at SouthGlenn's 10th anniversary concert

For its 10th anniversary, The Streets at SouthGlenn threw a multi-day celebration with the people who have made the outdoor shopping center their destination of choice. SouthGlenn pulled out the stops, doing everything from a Sip & Shop program to family fun days Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The celebration included a bounce house, climbing wall, facepainting, balloon artistry and a caricaturist. 

SmashDEN x Spark Centennial Super Smash Bros. Tournament

Smash Spark event image

SmashDEN partnered with Spark Centennial to host a 64-person Double Elimination Super Smash Bros Ultimate Singles tournament on Aug. 3.

Blues, Bugs & BBQ Festival

Rolling Smoke kick started summer with neighbors at their annual Blues, Bugs & BBQ Festival. The University Towne Center parking lot was filled with live blues music, a fresh crawfish boil and delicious BBQ on Saturday, June 15. Local talent Austin Young and Grammy-nominated blues guitarist Trenton Ayers provided the musical entertainment. Admission was free; food and beverages were available for purchase.

Your Spark Centennial pop-ups:

  • Spark Curiosity – by creating events people are interested in attending
  • Spark Connection – by inspiring people to interact in meaningful ways
  • Spark Pride – by developing a sense of belonging to the Centennial community
  • Spark Investment – by demonstrating what is possible for Centennial’s future

Questions?

Email us at: spark@centennialco.gov

Other Information

24-Hour Citizen Response Center

303-325-8000

Future Spark events

If you are a interested in learning about future Spark events or are a business owner and would like to get involved, sign up for the Centennial Business Monthly newsletter.

Follow Health Guidelines

We ask all participants to follow all relevant public health orders for Tri-County Health and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

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