New BMW Dealership Opens

Southwest Riverside County's first high-end car dealership was open for business today.

The dealership opened on Monday at 26825 Auto Mall Parkway.

"It is time to stop dreaming and start driving," said Boris Said, owner. "And now you can do it locally without having to drive 30 to 40 minutes."

Said, a racecar driver, runs the dealership -- which a in cooperation with North-Carolina based Hendrick Automotive Group, which operates 59 dealerships in 15 states. Said, an Escondido resident, has been racing under NASCAR and BMW Touring Spree for many years, and said the next step was opening a franchise. He has sought to bring the dealership to Murrieta since 2005, seeing the city as an ideal place.

Hendrick Automotive Group owns an 8-acre piece of property across the street from where the dealership is located now, in the former Carriage Motors building. The partnership plans to construct a state-of-the-art dealership when French Valley Parkway is completed. The parkway will provide easier access from Interstate 15 via a freeway exit at Cherry Street.

The auto group planned to wait until the roadwork was complete, but instead took advantage of a fast-track program offered by the City of Murrieta.

“The City of Murrieta is excited to have BMW of Murrieta open its luxury-car dealership in our community reflecting the demographics of our community and region," said Bruce Coleman, economic development director for the City of Murrieta. "The city fast tracked the permitting for the project and BMW of Murrieta is a great economic development success story for the community.”

Alan Long, city councilman, said the fast-track program is vital to the city's premise of being business-friendly.

"Really no matter what type of economic area you are in, it is important for cities to be as helpful as they can," Long said. "We need to look at every aspect of the business-license process and make it easier.

"And it is starting to pay off. Look at some of the bigger businesses that have come to Murrieta. Loma Linda University Medical Center and now BMW. By helping them, that equates to jobs."

While BMW's opening date was pushed back slightly from May to June, it is still years earlier than it once was projected to be. The dealership opened Monday with a full staff of 35 employees. The sales department is open seven days a week: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The service and parts departments are open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m .to 7 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Sunday.

"I think everyone who comes by will be impressed with our customer service and our rating," Said said.

The dealership is planning an official grand opening event within the next month.

For more information, visit BMWofMurrieta.com.