Taubman Centers/Sharp Electronics Corporation Alliance Creates High Definition Experience for Shoppers

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Taubman Centers, Inc. today announced a groundbreaking alliance with Sharp Electronics Corporation to equip 10 of its shopping centers with high- definition television lounges for shoppers. The AQUOS(R) Entertainment Lounges, debuting this summer, will be Sharp's first national alliance with a shopping center developer.

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Guests will get a comfortable respite area to experience Sharp's AQUOS Full-HD LCD-TVs. Each center's lounge will feature one to three AQUOS televisions, with screen sizes ranging from 42 inches to 65 inches. They will display HD content from a variety of sources, including live sports, entertainment and news programming in each community.

"This innovative alliance will allow Taubman's traditionally affluent shoppers, a core demographic for Sharp, to experience the beauty of AQUOS while shopping," notes David Goldberg, Taubman's Vice President, Marketing & Sponsorship. "Sharp is helping us create a relaxing spot to take a break and watch one of the most advanced LCD TVs on the market."

The shopping centers to debut the AQUOS Entertainment Lounge are: Beverly Center, Los Angeles, Calif.; Cherry Creek, Denver, Colo.; Dolphin Mall, Miami, Fla.; Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, Va.; International Plaza, Tampa, Fla.; Northlake Mall, Charlotte, N.C.; The Mall at Short Hills, Short Hills, N.J.; Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi, Mich.; Woodfield Shopping Center, Schaumburg, Ill.; and The Shops at Willow Bend, Plano, Texas.

Those centers will also host a 9-day "tour" of Sharp's complete AQUOS full HD LCD-TV product lineup. Guests will experience the leading edge innovation and spectacular image quality that an AQUOS HD LCD-TV can provide with the help of fully interactive displays highlighting more than 10 different models. The tour begins Fall 2007.

"Our collaboration with Taubman gives us a unique opportunity to engage an upscale audience in a relaxed atmosphere," said Judah Zeigler, Associate Vice President, Retail and Consumer Marketing. "We're excited to provide Taubman shoppers with the stunning HD experience that an AQUOS can provide."

The AQUOS Entertainment Lounge initiative is an extension of the highly successful tour that Sharp conducted at Taubman malls last year. The AQUOS Entertainment Lounge takes the mall tour concept to a new level, becoming a more integrated part of the Taubman shopping experience.

To kick-off the national alliance, Taubman will showcase four 46" Sharp Aquos LCD TVs at its trade show booth at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) convention beginning May 21 in Las Vegas. The screens will display high-definition lifestyle photographs of several Taubman centers and tenants.

Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation, a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home entertainment products, appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, solar energy solutions and mobile communication and information tools. Leading brands include AQUOS(R) Liquid Crystal Televisions, 1-Bit(TM) digital audio products, SharpVision(R) projection products, Insight(TM) Microwave Drawers, and Notevision(R) multimedia projectors. For more information visit Sharp Electronics Corporation at http://www.sharpusa.com/.

Taubman Centers, Inc., a real estate investment trust, owns and/or manages 23 urban and suburban regional and super regional shopping centers in 11 states. Taubman Centers is headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Visit http://www.taubman.com/.