Westfield Century City Introduces First Park Assist(R) Electronic Parking Management...

Westfield Century City Introduces First Park Assist(R) Electronic Parking Management System in North America

CENTURY CITY, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Customers at Westfield Century City will now spend more time
shopping and less time waiting for a parking spot--55 percent less
time. Westfield Century City shopping center today announced the
launch of a state-of-the-art, electronic parking management system,
Park Assist(R). Through a high tech, but customer-friendly, series of
colored lights and signage, the Park Assist system will dramatically
reduce the amount of time it takes customers to find a parking spot
after they enter the garage. Within minutes, customers will be out of
their cars and headed to enjoy shopping, dining and entertainment.

Park Assist directs drivers from the moment they enter the garage
to the closest available parking spot. Each parking space has a sensor
that detects vehicles and transmits data in real time to lights and
signs that immediately show open parking spots on each row and at each
specific parking space. Additionally, there is directional signage at
major garage intersections so customers only enter parking rows with
unoccupied spaces.

A system of colored lights signify parking space location and
availability:

Green--unoccupied space

Red--occupied space

Blue--handicapped space

Purple--expectant mothers

The Park Assist system is just one element of Westfield's
commitment to Century City. The Company's New Century Plan is designed
to achieve Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
certification set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council.

According to Park Assist, the system reduces carbon dioxide
emissions by 56 percent due to fewer cars idling while waiting or
searching for spaces. The system is energy efficient and employs low
voltage LED lights to reduce power consumption.

The Park Assist system has had tremendous success in Europe and
Australia, and in addition to the customer and environmental benefits,
a study conducted by an independent consultant at Westfield Chatswood
in Australia found the system allows 100 percent utilization of the
parking garage, as opposed to the industry standard of 92 percent or
less when drivers are unable to find the remaining few spaces.
Additionally, Park Assist has found that ease of parking adds value to
customers who are inclined to return more often because of the parking
and shopping experience. The study also showed retail sales increasing
between two and five percent, when shoppers returned more frequently.

BLAZE
Jan Fambro
310-308-6770 or 310-395-5050
jfambro@blazepr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008