For Immediate Release
RETIRED MERCEDES-BENZ USA PRESIDENT AND CEO, PAUL HALATA, TO OPEN NEW DEALERSHIP IN FAIRFIELD, CA
Mercedes-Benz is Latest Addition to Fairfield, California's Expanding Auto Mall.
http://www.Fairfield4Business.com
Fairfield, California, May 15, 2007 — Retired Mercedes-Benz USA President and CEO, Paul Halata plans to open a new Mercedes-Benz dealership in Fairfield, CA in 2008. Halata and his son Mark will be the owners of Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield and will lease the MB dealership land and building from Von Housen Automotive Group.
“We are excited to bring Mercedes-Benz to Fairfield and anticipate a great future and much success with the Mercedes-Benz brand,” says Halata.
The Mercedes-Benz dealership will join the approximately one dozen dealers already located at the 31-acre auto mall. Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield will be located on a parcel that fronts Interstate 80, adjacent to freeway on-and off-ramps, and near the intersection of Highway 12.
Halata plans to build a state-of-the-art dealership that includes a two-story glass building and roof-top parking.
Auto Mall Growth
Saturn of Fairfield has also submitted plans for a 22,258 square foot facility in the Auto Mall. Saturn will relocate from its current Fairfield location, less than four miles to the west.
In March of this year, Ford of Fairfield completed its move to a brand new facility, to the west of the planned Saturn dealership.
In addition, Simon Buniak, the owner and president of Golden State Mitsubishi and Suzuki, is acquiring a 1.46 acre Auto Mall site for another new car dealership. This dealership will be in the newest phase of the Fairfield Auto Mall, which will extend the mall to the northeast. The location will be available due to Fairfield Redevelopment Agency acquisition and clearing of blighted properties. The City is also under-grounding utilities and constructing new curbs, gutters, sidewalk, pavement, and freeway landscaping in this phase.
“Fairfield is a good community for our new dealership because of its geographic location between two major cities – San Francisco and Sacramento,” said Buniak. “Not only does Fairfield have growth potential, but it has a good planning and development department that helps businesses to grow. Staff has been very helpful in all the years I’ve been working with them.”
These dealerships join the first group of auto dealers currently located at the Auto Mall: Acura, Chrysler, Jeep, Kia, Plymouth, Dodge, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lincoln, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota, and Volvo. There are five additional sites available for new luxury auto dealers.
“We are pleased that Mercedes chose to locate in Fairfield,” said Harry T. Price, Mayor of Fairfield. “The visibility and the concentration of so many new-and-used-car choices in Fairfield work very well for dealers. Our auto mall has freeway visibility with high traffic counts. The location allows the dealers to serve a wide market ranging from Solano, Contra Costa, Napa, and Sonoma Counties to the Yolo County market.” Price adds, “And the tax revenue dealerships generate certainly helps create a strong economic base for Fairfield.”
Auto Mall Background and Impact
The 31 acres where the Auto Mall is located has gone through several planning phases. The site, originally owned by Anheuser-Busch, was approved as a shopping center site in 1995.
In 2000, the City entered into an option agreement with Anheuser-Busch to recruit auto dealers and sell the land as an auto mall. The City commissioned a master plan which relocated streets and adjusted property lines to create sites for auto dealers. The City combined public and private sources of revenue to construct Auto Mall Parkway. Fairfield also approved a landmark electronic reader-board sign that advertises the auto mall and features a large Mr. Jelly Belly character to promote the city's Jelly Belly Candy factory.
"The Auto Mall's continued growth means new jobs and sales tax revenue for Fairfield," said Fairfield City Manager, Kevin O’Rourke. “Since the auto mall was created, new car sales have become the largest sales tax generator for the city of Fairfield.”
Currently, Fairfield has twice the taxable sales per household in the auto dealer/supplies category than the average Bay Area city. In 2006, new auto sales’ taxes generated $2.9 million, translating to19 percent of the city's total sales tax income. That figure is projected to increase to $4.0 million in 2008, which are projected to be 22 percent of the total city sales tax income.
“The success and well being of the Auto Mall is very important to Fairfield. We work to make doing business as easy as possible for auto dealers with a fast track permit process and other assistance," said Sean Quinn, Fairfield’s Director of Community Development.
Fairfield Offers Important Business Benefits
Fairfield continues to appeal to retail and commercial entities seeking to grow their businesses for many reasons: an accessible Bay Area location, abundant space, value-priced real estate, a diverse workforce, and a unique set of regional amenities. For additional information on the city of Fairfield, visit http://www.fairfield4business.com
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