BLOCK e = ENTERTAINMENT FOR EVERYONE!

(Minneapolis, MN) — Some of the nation’s hottest dining and entertainment venues have opened or are in final preparation stages for opening at Block e, McCaffery Interests’ Inc. new development in the heart of downtown Minneapolis.

Whether it’s rockin’ and rollin’ at the Hard Rock Cafe, partying and playing at GameWorks, relaxing with coffee and a good book at Borders Books and Music, taking in a movie at Crown Theatres Multiplex, or spending a luxurious night at Le Meridien’s Art + Tech concept hotel, Block e will have it all.

“Block e is ‘revving’ up the energy level in downtown Minneapolis as each dynamic new tenant and opens its doors,” says Dan McCaffery, president of McCaffery Interests Inc., developers of Block e. “Minneapolis is emerging as a late-night city with exceptional dining and entertainment for Minnesota residents as well as those visiting the Twin Cities for fun or for work.”

“The completion of Block e is one of the final steps in the reconstruction of downtown Minneapolis,” McCaffery adds. “No other project has the opportunity to take advantage of the abundance of business, residential and entertainment uses already in operation around this dynamic site,” he says.

Two skyways, spanning Hennepin Ave. and First Ave. N., link Block e to the Minneapolis warehouse district, Target Center and the downtown retail/financial core. Block e also features a parking ramp with space for 550 cars and convenient entry on 7th St.

Block e’s exterior design features a unique collage of buildings each with its own “personality.” Giant electronic advertising boards add an illuminating and electrifying energy to the complex, especially at night. “We motive is to create an exciting, entertaining environment where it will be impossible for anyone to be bored. We want Block e to stand out, to be different. That’s how downtown is, everything is unique. That’s the beauty of it,” says McCaffery.

Block e is 95 percent leased to-date. Already open and soon-to-open Block e tenants include:

Hard Rock Cafe: Open
Hard Rock Cafe, one of the world’s most recognizable brands known for food, rock music memorabilia and live entertainment, is a major attraction at Block e. Founded in 1971 in London, England, it has since become a truly global phenomenon. Hard Rock’s first and only Minneapolis location is a 9,000 square-foot two-level restaurant located directly across from the Target Center and First Avenue nightclub. A gigantic guitar sign extends over the intersection of First Ave. N. and 7th St., serving as a welcoming beacon for rock music fans.

Borders Books and Music: Open
Borders Books and Music brings its vast selection of books, music, videos and DVDs to downtown. The 25,000 square-foot, two-level store is extending its hours well into the evening, allowing guests to browse books, enjoy the relaxing cafe, or peruse the Twin Cities’ best selection of jazz music titles.

Crown Theatres Multiplex: Open
The award-winning 15-screen Crown Theatres Multiplex provides ultramodern accommodations and a wide variety of movie choices. The amenities include 4,000 stadium-style seats, digital sound, a diverse selection of concessions and advanced ticketing systems. In addition, the theatres are available for business meetings and corporate rental. Crown and McCaffery Interests Inc. worked closely with the City of Minneapolis and advocacy groups to provide advance technology that allows the hearing and vision impaired to enjoy major release films. The new multiplex, located on the Third Level, is the recipient of a 2002 design award from the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities.

Cold Stone Creamery: Open
Cold Stone Creamery’s ice cream and frozen yogurt creations are made and mixed fresh daily by people who are passionate about delivering the ultimate ice cream experience. The name comes from a 5-foot-by-2-foot rectangular granite stone used to mix the ice cream made fresh in-store daily. Customers can customize the ice cream, yogurt or Italian sorbet and watch the crew members fold the mix-ins together on the frozen granite stone, ensuring that the concoction is blended evenly and that the ice cream stays at the perfect temperature of five degrees. The result is a creamy frozen dessert customized for each individual customer. The 1,000 square-foot store is the fourth location in Minnesota. Other stores include Plymouth, Maple Grove and St. Cloud.

GameWorks, The Hopscotch Grill, Block e Bowl and Bowling Bar: Open
The most exciting high-tech entertainment, restaurant and bar experience, GameWorks features The Hopscotch Grill, The Bowling Bar, and Block e Bowl with 10 lanes of hi-tech, blacklight bowling; in addition to 200 of the best interactive games and attractions in the world. Brought to Minneapolis by the powerhouse combination of Sega and Universal Studios, GameWorks will be the ultimate destination for a total entertainment experience where guests can eat, drink, party and play. The two-level 34,000 square-foot GameWorks will be located at the corner of 7th St. and Hennepin Ave.

Starbucks: Open
Starbucks is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 5,800 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. In addition, Starbucks produces and sells bottled Frappuccino coffee drink, a line of innovative premium teas and distributes a line of exceptional music CDs. The 1,600 square-foot location is located on the Street Level at the intersection of First Ave. N. and 6th St.

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar: Opening April 2003
Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, found in 49 states and eight international countries, is the largest casual dining concept in America. It is designed as an attractive, friendly, neighborhood establishment featuring moderately priced, high-quality food and beverage items and a comfortable atmosphere that appeals to all ages. The new 6,100 square-foot Block e Applebee’s, located on the Skyway Level, will have a 210 seating capacity.

Le Meridien Art + Tech Hotel: Opening April 2003
Le Meridien is a global hotel group with over 140 luxury hotels in 55 countries. The 260-room Le Meridien in Block e is the first Le Meridien property in the United States with the Art + Tech room design. Guest rooms will feature etched glass headboards, showers with multiple jets and a high-tech entertainment system that includes a 42-inch plasma screen television outfitted to provide music, video and hotel information on demand — plus high-speed Internet access from anywhere in the room.

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shop: Opening May 2003
The 2,398 square-foot Jimmy John’s features old-fashioned, homemade sandwiches made from fresh-baked bread, all-natural meats and vegetables that are sliced daily at the restaurant. In addition to its sit-down lunch business (seating capacity: approx. 50), Jimmy John’s differentiates itself in its willingness to deliver for as small an order as one sandwich.

The extensive menu includes gourmet and giant gourmet club sandwiches, party platter sandwich trays, gourmet boxed lunches, giant gourmet party subs, and a giant gourmet cookie tray, in addition to side items.

Jimmy John’s, founded in 1983 by 19-year old Jimmy John Liataud in a converted garage in Charleston, IL. has grown to more than 165 corporate and franchised locations in more than 20 states and two countries.

Snyders Drug Stores: Opening June 2003
Snyders Drug Stores will open this summer in 12,000 square-feet as an anchor tenant in Block e, downtown Minneapolis.

With convenient street access on Hennepin Avenue, in addition to Skyway Level access via escalators, the new street level Snyders Drug Store will combine the offerings of a full-service pharmacy, convenience store, along with a vast array of toiletries, cosmetics and services for the booming downtown Minneapolis community comprised of office workers, visitors and tourists, and a growing residential population.

The new Block e Snyders will feature a soda fountain, convenience dairy section, frozen entrees, ice cream novelties, luncheon meats, and additional food and household staples. Also included will be a full-service pharmacy, an extensive card and gift selection and large cosmetics area featuring a vast assortment of bath and body products, along with related items ranging from perfumes to pantyhose. Additional amenities offered will include one-hour photo processing, copy print stations, Western Union / Money Orders and among other timesaving customer services.

Escape (nightclub): Opening July 2003
Escape opens in July, featuring state-of-the-art sound, light and live entertainment by night, and a unique corporate meeting space by day – all within 11,159 square-feet.

Escape will be a new Minneapolis venue with chic ambience, a technologically savvy atmosphere, spacious surroundings and impeccable service for events both public and private — from product launches to private receptions, corporate functions to concerts, or fashion shows to film shoots. During daytime hours, Escape will be available for corporate and private events, meetings and functions. Escape offers diverse and unique facility offerings, including the latest in sound, lighting and multimedia. Broadband Internet access, video conferencing and live web casting will provide the in-demand environment for corporate sales meetings and events.

As a nightclub, Escape will be open seven days a week from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m. Guests may enter at no charge from 4 p.m. through 9 p.m. Escape will offer an extensive martini bar and light appetizers — always available whether its happy hour, catching a weekend sporting event, attending a business meeting or socializing after a game or concert.

TCF EXPRESS TELLER ATMs : Opening April 2003
Five locations throughout Block e — Street and Skyway Levels

Shopping, dining, dancing and playing will be even more enjoyable with the addition of five conveniently located TCF Express Teller ATMs throughout Block e.

Two of the cash dispensing ATM’s will be located at Block e entrances to the City Center and Target Center skyways. A third will be situated adjacent to the Crown Theatres Box Office on the Skyway Level. On the Street Level, a fourth ATM will be accessible directly outside GameWorks along Hennepin Ave., and the fifth will be located inside Block e’s First Ave. entrance, next to Starbuck’s.

BLOCK e DESCRIPTION

Block e is bound by Hennepin Ave. and First Ave. N., between Sixth and Seventh Sts. in downtown Minneapolis. It is located on a previously blighted city block that was designated by the city as “Block E” during a decade-long wait for redevelopment. In 2000, the Minneapolis City Council approved the redevelopment plan proposed by McCaffery Interests Inc. for over 210,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment.

FINANCING

Financing for the retail portion of Block e is provided by ULLICO, the Union Labor Life Insurance Company, of Washington, D.C. ULLICO is a nationally recognized advisor to union pension funds including the "J for Jobs" Fund.

DEVELOPER/ARCHITECT

Chicago-based McCaffery Interests Inc. was founded in 1991 and has collaborated with Block e architects Antunovich Associates in developing several award-winning urban retail and entertainment destinations as well as creative reuses of historic properties. Antunovich Associates recently garnered awards from the American Institute of Architects and the National Trust for Historic Preservations, two of the most prestigious awards recognizing achievement in architecture. Current McCaffery and Antunovich projects include The Market Common, Clarendon, a 13-acre retail and residential center in Arlington, VA., which was recently named Best Retail Deal in the Metropolitan D.C. area by “Washington Business Journal.”

About McCaffery Interests, Inc.
Chicago-based McCaffery Interests, Inc., was founded in 1991 and is a nationally recognized developer of quality urban retail and entertainment centers. In addition to the Block E development, other current projects include The Market Common, Clarendon, a 10-acre multi-use complex in Arlington, Va.

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Block E Contact:
Melissa R. Cohen
MRC Public Relations, Inc.
Ph: (763) 377-0272
Fx: (763) 377-0274
Cell: (612) 581-5456
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