Southwest Airlines Launches 'The Southwest Porch at Skyline Park' in Downtown Denver

DENVER, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, Southwest Airlines is launching The Southwest Porch at Skyline Park, a brand new outdoor lounge that will provide Mile High residents and visitors alike with a fun and relaxing atmosphere in Downtown Denver.  Situated at the base of the historic Daniels and Fisher Clocktower at the intersection of 16th Street and Arapahoe, The Southwest Porch at Skyline Park will officially welcome guests beginning Thursday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Guests can enjoy authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas from Brava! Pizzeria Della Strada or enjoy a drink served up by Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret.  To view photos of the Porch and to read a blog post, visit: www.blogsouthwest.com.

"Creating a vibrant, interesting downtown environment is our goal at the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP)," said Tami Door, president of the DDP.  "We are thrilled to have The Porch as an addition to our thriving 16th Street Mall neighborhood.  We value companies like Southwest Airlines who work to add something interesting at a popular spot on the Mall for downtown residents and visitors."

The Southwest Porch at Skyline Park is the airline's latest effort to show the Mile High City all of the ways that Southwest is "Dedicated to Denver."  "We've introduced our fun and unique personality to Denver in a variety of ways, and we're proud to bring Denver a relaxing outdoor venue to showcase our legendary Customer Service and warm hospitality," said Linda Rutherford, Southwest's Vice President of Communication and Strategic Outreach.  "Our commitment to Denver extends beyond the airport and into the community, and The Southwest Porch at Skyline Park gives us one more way to reach our Front Range Customers where they work and live."

Southwest is teaming up with local chef David Bravdica from Brava! Pizzeria Della Strada, who has been serving pizzas made with local ingredients from the location of The Southwest Porch at Skyline Park since April, and was recently named a finalist for "Chef of the Year" by Denver Magazine in the Specialty Chef: Street Cart category.  The Porch will offer food and beverage service Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and for special events throughout the year.

"The Brava! Pizza team is thrilled to be part of the Southwest Porch at Skyline Park," said David Bravdica, owner and chef of Brava! Pizzeria Della Strada.  "We've been committed to the Skyline Park location since April because of its proximity to just about everything Downtown Denver has to offer, but Southwest Airlines has helped give the Porch a new look and create what we think will be one of Denver's best spots to take a lunch break or enjoy an after hours drink and snack."

The design gurus at Denver's The Perfect Petal created the custom designed Porch, featuring locally crafted aspen structures, seats made from reclaimed beetle kill wood, and sustainable materials.  Heaters will be added in the cooler months for Coloradans to enjoy pizza and warm beverages.

As if the smells of oven fired pizzas aren't enough to draw the crowds to the Porch, Southwest Airlines will be giving away a pair of round trip tickets to Porch Customers at lunch and during happy hour on Thursday, Sept. 16.  Additionally, to celebrate the grand opening of the Porch, Southwest is also introducing a Rapid Rewards double credit promotion for any Rapid Rewards Member traveling to/from Denver between Sept. 23, 2010, and Dec. 15, 2010.  With this promotion, Members can earn a free* flight after just four roundtrip flights to or from Denver.  Registration is required, and travel must be purchased between Sept. 16, 2010, and Dec. 15, 2010. To register, join, or learn more about the offer, please visit: www.southwest.com/denverdoublecredit.

The Southwest Porch at Skyline Park is the second "Porch" in the airline's "fleet."  In June 2009, Southwest opened up the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park in New York to celebrate the carrier's inaugural service into New York's LaGuardia airport.  The New York City effort was such a big success, Southwest decided to bring the experience to the Mile High City and customize it in a Denver-centric way as a way to thank Colorado for helping to make Denver Southwest's fastest growing market in the airline's history.

Southwest Airlines began service to Denver on January 3, 2006, with 13 daily nonstop departures to three destinations.  The airline currently operates 144 nonstop daily nonstop flights to 42 destinations from Denver.  Southwest is also actively engaged in the community through sponsorships of the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Denver Nuggets, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Denver's Road Home, the Mile High Pedicab Company, and many more local organizations.  To learn more about Southwest's dedication to Denver, visit: www.southwest.com/denver.  

About Brava! Pizza

The unique flavors experienced in each Brava! Pizzeria authentic Neapolitan style pizza are the thoughtful culmination of fresh local ingredients; a mobile wood-fired oven; and the culinary expertise of a Denver-raised and Italian-trained chef, David Bravdica.

Brava! is proud to serve Hazel Dell Mushrooms (Windsor, CO); sausage, pepperoni and pancetta from Il Mondo Vecchio  (Denver, CO); goat cheese from Jumpin' Good Goad Dairy (Buena Vista, CO); flour from Rocky Mountain Milling (Denver, CO); and seasonal specials from his very own garden!

About Southwest Airlines

After nearly 40 years of service, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service.  Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, now serving 69 cities in 35 states.  Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet.  To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the One Report.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide

www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines