Listen and shop? Aurora mayor to give State of the City address at Fox Valley Mall
Most mayors give their State of the City address to people in business attire during a luncheon at a restaurant or banquet hall.
But Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin next month will present his speech in an unconventional venue: a shopping mall.
Irvin announced this week that he will deliver his third State of the City address from Center Park, a parklike setting inside Fox Valley Mall.
"This has never been done before," Irvin said during a media briefing. "This will be the first time that we've ever had a State of the City in a venue such as this. And it's going to be amazing."
Irvin's address is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. The theme will be "3Rs: Renewal, Redevelopment and Revitalization."
Irvin said the mall is "the absolute best place" to have the speech because of its history and importance to the city.
The newly renovated Center Park is a roughly $7 million upgrade. It's the first phase of internal and external improvements that are planned over the next several years.
"Fox Valley Mall has made a significant commitment to the community and upholds our theme of renewal, redevelopment and revival in its current plans," Irvin said.
J. Scott Samson, senior general manager of the mall, said the facility was "thrilled and deeply honored" to be asked to host the speech.
"With Aurora under construction, it's the perfect site," Samson said. "We literally will be standing in front of a construction site, where we're building the second phase of our Center Park project."
Since Irvin took office, the annual address has been held in the evening so more residents can attend. "I remain committed to making this a true community event," he said.
Irvin's first address in 2018 was at the Paramount Theatre. Last year, he spoke at Aurora University.
The event is being organized by the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce and the Aurora Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Free tickets to the seating area will be available on the city's website beginning at noon Monday. The address also will be streamed online.
While the number of seats is limited, the mall will be open during the event.
"We encourage everyone to come out and watch from the surrounding areas," Irvin said. He urged residents to "shop before and after" the speech.