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Man Who Recorded Audiotape Pleased With Aurora Mall's Changes

Community Leaders Praise Campari For Coming Forward

POSTED: 5:06 pm MDT August 13, 2004
UPDATED: 6:44 pm MDT August 13, 2004

In just five days, Aurora Mall has gone from being the center of a major controversy to a focal point for future change.

Video

On Thursday, owners of the mall and African-American community leaders forged a partnership to resolve the racial tensions spawning from an audio recording aired exclusively on 7NEWS.

The businessman responsible for raising the issue, former Aurora Mall tenant Simon Campari, recorded the conversation with the leasing agent, in which she said that the mall wanted to be more "white-focused."

He talked with 7NEWS Investigator Tony Kovaleski about his decision to hit the record button and the changes that have followed.

"I feel satisfied that I brought something to light that needed to be brought to light," said Campari. "I am pleased the mall is taking a stance on what has happened. I am pleased they are working in the right direction. I think it's a good step forward and I hope it continues."

Campari forced the mall's owners to react when he brought a recording to 7NEWS, a recording where the agent said, "We want to reduce the negative ... aspects of the center -- one of them is the young, black customer."

On Thursday, African-American community leaders praised Campari for having the courage to make a difference.

"I say to him, 'First of all, thank you Simon for standing up for people who don't look like you,'" said community activist Alvertis Simmons. "It wasn't just the news media, it was Simon and we want to say, 'Thank you, Simon, from the bottom of our heart."

"I would do it over in a heartbeat. If somebody brought another person down to me that said statements like that -- that were so blatantly racist and wrong and inappropriate -- if I had the ability, I would do it again," said Campari.

When asked if he wanted to move his business back inside the mall after the changes are made, he said he's pleased to see the changes but will keep his hot wings and barbecue restaurant at its new location on East Colfax.


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