Enter to Win Our Contest!

A romantic dinner at a neighborhood restaurant. A walk along the promenade in Battery Park City. A blind date that led to a lifetime of happiness.

So many special moments can be captured in the one-square mile that is Lower Manhattan (below Chambers Street).

So why not share the love – and be eligible to win a prize?

The Downtown Alliance proudly announces the Lower Manhattan Love Story, a chance to tell us how you fell in love in – or with – Lower Manhattan.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’d like to hear your story (in less than 500 words please). We’ve assembled a prestigious panel of Lower Manhattan judges who will pore through all contest entries and determine the winner.

What are we looking for? Personal accounts of how you met your life partner in Lower Manhattan, moved to the neighborhood because it was so special to you, feel head-over-heels in love with a park, view, or any other spot.

Our judges will be looking for the best “love” stories.

Our panel:

• Toni Hinterstoisser, General Manager, Andaz Wall Street 
• Melissa Andreev, President, FiDi Association, Manager of La Maison du Chocolat 
• Christina Gambale, Owner, Greenwich Jewelers 
• Sara Cancellaro, General Manager, Flowers of the World

The contest ends on February 8, 2012. So send entries to ContactUs@DowntownNY.com  (subject line: Lower Manhattan Love Story) or Downtown Alliance, Att.: Lower Manhattan Love Story, 120 Broadway, Suite 3340, NY, NY, 10271, and they must be received by midnight on February 8.  Please be sure to include your contact information including your full name and the telephone number(s) where you can be reached during business hours.

Our judges will choose a winner before Valentine’s Day.

And because this is all about love, we have the ideal prize: a dinner for two at the upscale Wall & Water restaurant and a one-night weekend stay at the Andaz Wall Street hotel. Plus, Greenwich Jewelers is providing a $250 gift certificate to its store.

And, the Downtown Express – our neighborhood’s premier local newspaper – will feature the winner in an upcoming issue.

We can’t wait to hear your story!

Some basic rules:

Entry is free. No purchase necessary to enter or win.

The Lower Manhattan Love Story contest is sponsored by the Alliance for Downtown New York, Inc. (the “Sponsor”). The contest begins January 10, 2012 and ends February 8, 2012.

1. ELIGIBILITY:  Contest is open to legal residents age 18 and older of the United States, its territories and possessions.  Employees of Sponsor, employees of judges, employees of companies affiliated with judges, and members of the immediate families of Sponsor and judges are not eligible.  The Contest is governed by the laws of the U.S.A.  Contest is void where prohibited by law.  All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

2. HOW TO ENTER:  You must email an entry of no more than 500 words to the Downtown Alliance at ContactUs@DowntownNY.com or send a copy in the mail to: Downtown Alliance, Att.: Lower Manhattan Love Story, 120 Broadway, Suite 3340, NY, NY, 10271, received no later than 12:59 PM on February 8, 2012.

You may enter from 12:01 a.m (Eastern Time) on January 10, 2012 until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on February 8, 2012, the Contest deadline date.  Only one entry per person or couple.

All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned.  Each entry has an equal chance to win.  Any dispute regarding submission of entry will be deemed submitted.  Sponsor, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry process.  The Alliance for Downtown New York is the sole authority for this Contest.   

3. PRIZE: One (1) grand prizewinner (the “Winner”) will receive a dinner for two at the Wall & Water restaurant and a one night stay at the Andaz Wall Street. The Total Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of the grand prize is $800.  Prize is not transferable and cannot be assigned, substituted or redeemed for cash.  Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a similar prize of equal or greater value in the event that the stated prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond the control of Sponsor.  All taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the Winner.  Sponsor will not be responsible for any loss, liability or damage arising out of the Winner’s acceptance or use of the prize.

4. SELECTION OF WINNER: Winner will be selected by a panel of judges on or about February 10, 2012, and decisions are final in all respects.  Approximate odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.  Winner will be notified by phone (and if there is a known email address may be notified by email as well) within 5 days of the drawing and may be required to execute a Statement of Eligibility and Release and Payment Authorization within 30 days of prize notification attempt or Winner will be disqualified and prize may be awarded to an alternate winner.  Return of prize or prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and an alternate winner may be selected.  Entry and/or acceptance of prize constitutes permission for the Sponsor to use Winner’s name, address (city and state) and/or likeness for advertising and trade purposes without further compensation or authorization, worldwide and in perpetuity, in any and all forms of media, now known and hereafter devised, unless prohibited by law.

5. CONDITIONS: By entering, participants agree to be bound by these complete Official Rules.  Sponsor is not liable for late, lost, delayed, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, garbled or jumbled, stolen, postage due mail or illegible entries or for printing, distribution or production errors.  Sponsor is not liable for any technical malfunctions of any telephone network or lines, computer internet system, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any email on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in this Contest, or other technical difficulties or failures or other errors of any kind.  Sponsor is not responsible or liable for any injury or damage to an entrant’s or third person’s computer and/or its contents, related to or resulting from Contest.  Any person attempting to defraud or in any way tamper with this Contest will be ineligible for the prize and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.   Sponsor reserves the right to terminate or modify the Contest at any time for any reason. In such circumstances prize will be awarded based on entries received to date of termination.  The prize will be awarded.