NEWS RELEASE

Date: September 27, 2005

Contact: Derek Danziger
(619) 533-7103 or
Jason Luker
(619) 533-7136 

         
CCDC & 5 STAR TOURS TO LAUNCH LITTLE ITALY PRESTO!
Trial shuttle to serve Little Italy during lunch hours

San Diego, CA—Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) and Five Star Tours will officially launch the Little Italy Presto!, a new trial downtown shuttle, at a press conference on Thursday, September 29, at 11 a.m. on the corner of India and Date streets in Little Italy. Marco LiMandri, President of the Little Italy Association, will join representatives from CCDC and Five Star Tours at the ceremony.

“We are very excited to bring this new trial service to downtown,” said Nicole Haines, CCDC project manager. “This six-month trial period could be extended if the program proves successful and attracts enough riders.”

The new shuttle service is intended to offer a convenient service to transport tourists, and downtown residents and workers to and from Little Italy during lunch hours. Service will begin on Monday, October 3, and is free for the first week of operation. The cost will be 25 cents one way and $1 for all-day unlimited thereafter. Shuttles will be scheduled to arrive no more than 10 minutes apart. The program will be funded with parking meter revenues generated from downtown, and will provide operational and ridership data to assist in the creation of the proposed downtown-wide shuttle that may be implemented in the future.

“We hope to provide our businesses, tourists and community an accessible way to travel through the oldest, continuous neighborhood business district in the City of San Diego,” said Alfonso Hernandez, President of Five Star Tours.

Five Star Tours is San Diego's Tour Bus Leader since 1978, specializing in group transportation and tour services for all types of groups. Their top priority is to ensure total customer service through their effective staff and equipment.

CCDC is a public, non profit corporation established in 1975 by the City of San Diego to plan and facilitate the redevelopment of the 1,500 acre downtown area.

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