FlashPark™ Launches At The Grove

LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Caruso Affiliated, one of the largest and most successful privately held real estate development companies in the United States, announced today the launch of its new, unprecedented parking technology titled FlashPark™. Debuting at Los Angeles' premier retail and lifestyle destination The Grove, which is owned and operated by Caruso Affiliated, FlashPark™ makes parking a stress-free experience.  By using a smartphone, guests enjoy two hours of complimentary self-parking without the hassle of handling paper tickets or cash—a shopping center first.

FlashPark™, a patent pending technology platform developed by Caruso Affiliated with efforts led by Matthew Stoehr, Senior Vice President of Information Technology, was created by using the latest Microsoft® and mobile technologies. FlashPark™, incorporated directly into the existing Grove app that launched in 2012, offers the opportunity for guests to add funds to a FlashPark™ account (in specified stored value amounts) prior to their visit.  Once guests arrive, they can scan a code on their phone as they enter and exit the parking structure, and the parking fee will be debited from their account. Offering ease of use, guests don't have to worry about using cash, credits cards, or even a lost ticket that requires a maximum fee. FlashPark™ participants will have the ability to automatically reload their account as the balance reaches a predetermined level. Guests will see their account balance displayed when using FlashPark™ at any entrance or exit parking machine. 

"At Caruso Affiliated, we are committed to providing innovative services, and the FlashPark™ platform will differentiate the onsite experience and offer the next phase of unparalleled services to our guests. We look forward to expanding FlashPark™ to other Caruso Affiliated properties down the road," said Paul J. Kurzawa, Chief Operating Officer of Caruso Affiliated. 

For more information on FlashPark™, please visit flashpark.thegrovela.com

About Caruso Affiliated

Caruso Affiliated is one of the largest privately held real estate development companies in the United States. They develop, own and manage a portfolio of highly specialized retail and residential properties that command sales per square foot 75% above the industry average.  Average consumer expenditures nearly double that of regional malls and sales growth is nearly three times that of traditional malls. Its portfolio encompasses a world-class collection of properties that attract millions of people annually, including one of its premier developments, The Grove, which attracts more guests per year than Disneyland.  Caruso Affiliated properties are designed to make them more than retail and residential sites, they are central gathering places for the communities they serve, as well as premier tourist destinations.  In 2012, two of Caruso Affiliated's properties – The Grove and The Americana at Brand – ranked in Shopping Center Today's list of the top 15 shopping centers in the world based on sales per square foot. Caruso Affiliated is currently spearheading one of the largest retail development programs in the nation, which is expected to generate $80 million annually in new taxes for state and local governments as well as 11,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent jobs. 

About The Grove

The Grove, developed by Caruso Affiliated, is one of the country's most acclaimed shopping, dining and entertainment destinations, attracting more than 18 million visitors each year from throughout Southern California and around the world.  It blends an array of exciting, high-end retail choices with a community feel, becoming a gathering place where people can spend a whole day shopping, dining and spending time with family and friends.  The Grove pulses with style, warmth and energy, which is why the world's leading brands and personalities come to The Grove launch their latest creations, and why many of its stores achieve among the highest sales volumes of any in their respective chains.  In 2012, The Grove topped Shopping Center Today's ranking of the top 15 shopping centers in the world based on sales per square foot.  Connect with the latest news and events at The Grove at thegrovela.com; on Twitter at twitter.com/TheGroveLA; on Facebook at facebook.com/thegrovela and/or download the Grove App available in the App Store.

SOURCE Caruso Affiliated