(Updated July 18, 2015) — The Central Valley took another step forward in urban street resurgence when Fresno State celebrated the grand opening of The Square at Campus Pointe from 4-7 p.m. Friday, July 17.

The event included entertainment, specials and prizes including tickets to the Bulldogs football home opener in September and Save Mart Center events such as the Kenny Chesney and Dierks Bentley concerts and Nitro Circus.

Located directly across from the Save Mart Center just off Highway 168, the new retail development formally opened with three tenants and another five that are scheduled to open in the near future.

In April, anchor tenant Maya Cinemas opened. The theater has been joined by Beach Hut Deli and Mad Duck. Scheduled for opening soon are Cold Stone Creamery, Screen Works, Yogurtland, Pieology and Wahoo’s. All participated Friday offering prizes and specials (see list below).

Fresno State’s own Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market, located north of The Square on Chestnut, was also showcased at the event.

Fresno State Bulldog fans celebratedby meeting student leaders and athletes and chances to win tickets to the Dogs’ first home football game Sept. 3 in Bulldog Stadium.

Guests participated in various activities such as posing for photos with the University’s mascots, Timeout and Victor–E III, Fresno State’s new live Bulldog.

The famed Bulldog tunnel was set up for the occasion and Bully Rescue brought out some dogs for adoption.

Providing the entertainment for the day was Fresno’s Only New Rock station, 104.1.

“This new urban street retail center will offer something very exciting, which will transform the quality of retail services for our campus and surrounding community,” said Debbie Adishian-Astone, Fresno State’s interim vice president for Administrative Services and associate vice president for Auxiliary Operations, who has overseen the project for the University.

“The Square at Campus Pointe will be a new place for our students to patronize and hang out and a destination where our Bulldog fans can meet their friends for all of their pre- and post-game activities,” she said.

The Square at Campus Pointe is located on Chestnut Avenue north of Shaw Avenue, east of the Save Mart Center (Shaw west exit off Highway 168).

For more information, contact Adishian-Astone at 559.278.2083 or Steven Baronian at Lance-Kashian & Co., at 559.360-0453.

The Campus Pointe website also is now live: www.campuspointe.com.

 

PARTICIPATING TENANTS

Beach Hut Deli – WWE ticket giveaway with Save Mart Center. Various food and drink specials and giveaways.

Mad Duck – food and drink specials, all day happy hour with Mad Duck’s Draft Craft Beer specials. Dierks Bentley ticket giveaway with Save Mart Center.

Cold Stone Creamery – Will donate the event’s proceeds to a Fresno State Scholarship fund.   

Screen Works – Free screen protectors and cell phone cases for the first 20 guests, along with various other giveaways. Nitro Circus ticket giveaway with Save Mart Center.

Maya Cinema’s – July 17-19 $1.50 popcorn, $1.50 hotdogs, free movie posters (while supplies last).

Yogurtland – The first 200 attendees of the Campus Pointe grand opening will receive free yogurt from Yogurtland. All attendees will be able to spin a prize wheel for premium giveaways and receive a VIP pass redeemable for 10 ounces of free frozen yogurt when Yogurtland opens. The VIP passes expire Sept. 30.

Pieology – Will be distributing scratchers to guests for use when it opens including 15 percent off, free drink, free cinnamon strips or free pizza.

Wahoo’s – Tickets giveaway for the Kenny Chesney concert Nitro Circus at Save Mart Center, Wahoo’s Skateboard Deck giveaway and other prizes.

CAMPUS POINTE BACKGROUND

The Square is the retail portion of the 45-acre mixed-used development project, a public/private partnership between the California State University, Fresno Association, Inc. (a recognized California State University auxiliary organization), and Kashian Enterprises, the master developer of the project. The project is the largest mixed-use public-private partnership in the CSU with $250 million expected to be invested by the private sector once the project is fully built out. The Campus Pointe project funded its own utility infrastructure and street improvements, totaling close to $12 million.  The annual ground lease revenue generated by the project will support retirement of the Save Mart Center bonds as well as the University Agriculture Laboratory for the loss of ag land.

Campus Pointe’s resident phase already has more than 1,000 tenants: Palmilla, the workforce housing project opened for occupancy in July 2009; and Palazzo, the student-friendly housing project opened in June 2010. Future phases of the development plan for Campus Pointe include office buildings, a hotel and a senior housing project. When fully built out, Campus Pointe will have approximately 1 million square feet of space.

The project will provide educational benefits to Fresno State such as jobs for students and internship opportunities for those studying business, hospitality, tourism, marketing and gerontology. A joint use agreement will allow the University to use the theater for Fresno State events and classes if growth space is needed in the future.

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