Westfield Corp., the real estate development company, and ridesharing company Uber announced news on Friday (Sept. 1) of a national partnership.
In a press release, the companies said Westfield Corp. will have designated drop-off and pick-up stations for Uber vehicles at every one of its shopping centers in the United States and will digitally map those locations onto Uber’s ridesharing application. For shoppers, it means anyone requesting a ride from Uber can quickly find the driver.
“Westfield’s shopping centers already have an incredible combination of fashion, food, services and amenities — all in one place with digital enhancements such as product search, directional and frictionless parking,” said William Hecht, Westfield’s chief operating officer in the United States, in the press release. “Now, we are thrilled to be able to partner with Uber to leverage modern technology in a way that makes it more convenient than ever to travel to and from any Westfield destination.”
The deal also includes the introduction of Westfield’s first permanent Uber Lounge at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. The center, undergoing a $1 billion renovation, is to debut this fall. Westfield Century City’s Uber Lounge will feature an ultra-modern design, sleek seating and customer amenities while customers wait for their Uber ride.
Westfield said it will have one to ten Uber stations — each with prominent visibility, accessibility and signage — similar to dedicated taxi stands or ridesharing pick-up points at large entertainment and transportation venues. At selected Westfield destinations, the Uber stations will also include kiosks with customer service representatives and brand ambassadors.
“Uber wants to make transportation seamless for everyone, everywhere, but we can’t do it alone,” said Amy Friedlander Hoffman, Uber’s head of Business Development & Experiential Marketing, in the same press release. “Partners like Westfield play an important role in cities and how people move within them, so we’re excited to work together on this first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at delivering the best possible experience to our riders when they’re going shopping, dining or catching a movie.”
