Marshall Opens New Visitors Center At Queens Center Mall
BY JOHN TOSCANO

Photo Dominick Totino Queens Borough President Helen Marshall joined Mr. Met to officially open the Queens Visitor Center at Queens Center Mall in Rego Park. Others on hand for Tuesday's ceremony included (l. to r.): Jeffrey Owen, senior property manager of the mall; Linda Cavaliere, senior manager of tourism for the Macerich organization; Bill Egan, Queens Chamber of Commerce; Spencer Ferdinand, Queens Economic Development Corporation; Drew Manger, Con Ed's manager of economic development, and Marshall.

Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, taking advantage of the huge numbers of Queens residents who shop at the Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst, last week cut the ribbon on a new addition to the shopping mall, the borough's first-ever Visitors Center, a place to order tickets and get information about everything from upcoming concerts to legal services.

In launching the new, all-encompassing Visitors Center, Marshall declared: "We expect that thousands of shoppers will take a few minutes to stop in and find out more about 14 Queens-based not-for-profit organizations. Additional organizations are welcome to participate and plans also call for future workshops to be available within the center."

At the March 20 launching which took place at the mall, 90-15 Queens Blvd., Marshall also thanked the Macerich Organization, which manages the mall, Queens Center Mall officials, the Queens Economic Development Corporation, the Queens Tourism Council, "and all our partners for their combined efforts to make the Visitors Center become a reality".

Participating organizations which will be involved in helping the Visitors Center to carry out its mission are: the Louis Armstrong House Museum, the Queens Symphony Orchestra, Queens Legal Services, Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College, Queens Theatre in the Park, the Queens Economic Development Corporation, Queens Community House in Forest Hills, Queens Botanical Garden, the New Immigrant Community Empowerment Organization, Queens Museum of Art, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, Queensborough College Performing Arts Center and Haitian Americans United for Progress.

Marshall stated, "My office and the Queens Tourism Council look forward to this new partnership in order to develop new and innovative packages that will help to build Queens as the destination of choice for unique dining, shopping and entertainment in New York City."

The Tourism Council's mission is to promote and provide information about Queens' cultural institutions, hotels, restaurants, events and attractions.

Marshall added that representatives from the various organizations will be on hand at the Visitors Center to provide information and answer questions from tourists and borough residents alike. The center will also be stocked with guides, newsletters, neighborhood histories, maps and information about ongoing community activities.

Several participating organizations are members of Marshall's Immigration Task Force and will be ideally situated to link visitors with immigrant services, the borough president said.

More information about the center and upcoming events are available on the Discover Queens Web site at www.discoverqueens. info where links to transportation services, hotels and sightseeing tours are also available.