VAN MCNEIL WRITING SAMPLE 1 - MKESE - KOKOMO BASEBALL PRESS RELEASE FINAL 090214
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FOR IMMEDIATE <strong>RELEASE</strong>: Tuesday, September 2 nd . 2014.<br />
FOR MORE INFORMATION: vanm@mkesports.com<br />
MKE Sports & Entertainment, Public Relations, Van McNeil. 262.221.9911<br />
Kokomo Mayor, Greg Goodnight 765.456.xxxx<br />
MKE Sports & Entertainment Owner, Mike Zimmerman 414.617.xxxx<br />
City of Kokomo Director of Operations, Randy McKay 765.456.xxxx<br />
MKE Sports & Entertainment Operations Director, Dan Kuenzi 262.955.xxxx<br />
<strong>KOKOMO</strong> SETS EYES ON BECOMING MAJOR PLAYER IN <strong>BASEBALL</strong> INDUSTRY.<br />
For most big league ball players their prospect debuts begin or continue in summer<br />
wood bat leagues across the nation. With 50 different summer collegiate leagues all<br />
around the US and Canada it’s a big business and a major driver towards the scouting<br />
and development of future MLB stars. Of the 50 plus leagues, only a select few drive<br />
the bulk of the collegiate prospects. Towards the top of that list is a league named the<br />
Prospect League, the league that will be coming to the great city of Kokomo.<br />
MKE Sports & Entertainment, a sports and entertainment company, headquartered in<br />
Milwaukee, Wisconsin is excited to announce that baseball will return to the “City of<br />
Firsts”, for the first time in 54 years. Under the deal, MKE Sports & Entertainment will<br />
bring and operate an expansion team playing in the Prospect League beginning in the<br />
summer of 2015. In addition, the Prospect League is looking into moving it’s corporate<br />
headquarters to Kokomo in an effort to grow and improve the league.<br />
“I believe Kokomo will be one of the premier franchises in all of summer collegiate ball,”<br />
said Prospect League Founder and Chillicothe Paints owner Chris Hanners. “The city is<br />
a perfect spot for a franchise and we see it as the showcase for our league going<br />
forward. Given the partnership between the city of Kokomo and MKE Sports &<br />
Entertainment we have ambitious goals for the Prospect League and this transaction<br />
positions the league to make great strides.”<br />
City of Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight stated, "This is a proud day for the city and the<br />
residents of Kokomo. We are bringing baseball back to this city and doing so with terrific<br />
partners. We interviewed a number of potential organizations and chose Mike's group<br />
because of his track record as a successful entrepreneur and his work with a like city to<br />
help transform a city through sports and entertainment related venues. Since we see
the stadium as a catalyst for continued economic development for our city it was a<br />
perfect fit. Mike has a vision that goes beyond just baseball and we are excited about all<br />
that can be done.”<br />
Michael Zimmerman, Founder and CEO of MKE Sports & Entertainment stated, "I have<br />
been all over the Midwest in the past six months looking for the right opportunity for<br />
baseball. After spending the day with Mayor Goodnight and city staff, as well as<br />
attending a local youth baseball game, I was hooked on Kokomo. The energy of the<br />
community with their love for sports and the revitalization project currently underway<br />
downtown is the perfect storm…. it’s a real recipe for success. I am truly humbled and<br />
grateful that the city has chosen my group to represent the great city of Kokomo."<br />
The new team will compete in the Prospect League and will play all of its home games<br />
at the new 4,000-capicity Kokomo Municipal Stadium located south of Wildcat Creek<br />
between Union Street & Apperson Way. This is the first new baseball stadium in<br />
Kokomo, since Highland Park Stadium was built in 1955. That stadium was once home<br />
of the Kokomo Dodgers (1956-1961), a minor league affiliate of the former Brooklyn<br />
Dodgers. Construction on Kokomo Municipal Stadium is already underway and is<br />
expected to open in the spring of 2015.<br />
MKE Sports & Entertainment has also launched a contest to seek community input for<br />
the team nickname. Fans can visit www.KokomoBaseball.com to submit their team<br />
name for a chance to win a $2,500 cash prize. The team name, colors and logo will be<br />
unveiled at a special event; exact date and location will be announced. Season tickets<br />
can be reserved on a first come, first serve basis by submitting a $100 deposit online as<br />
well.<br />
MKE Sports & Entertainment:<br />
MKE Sports & Entertainment owns and operates professional sports team, sports complexes, and other<br />
entertainment entities in the Midwest including The Rock Sports Complex in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee<br />
Wave Professional Soccer Team playing in the Major Arena Soccer League and the Rockford Aviators<br />
Baseball team playing in the Frontier League. For even more information about MKE Sports &<br />
Entertainment and everything we do visit MKESports.com<br />
Prospect League:<br />
The Prospect League was founded in 1963 – known as The Central Illinois Collegiate League until<br />
merging in 2009 - and is one of the longest continuously operating, independent, summer collegiate<br />
baseball leagues in the country. With the addition of Kokomo, IN the Prospect League will have 12 teams
competing in a six state region: Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Visit<br />
ProspectLeague.com for more information<br />
City of Kokomo, Indiana:<br />
Kokomo, Indiana is located fifty miles north of Indianapolis, easily reached by U.S. 31. Kokomo is known<br />
as the City of Firsts thanks to its world-renowned automotive heritage and history of technological<br />
inventions, which includes America's First Car produced by Elwood Haynes in 1894. Kokomo's historic<br />
downtown offers a wide variety of interesting attractions, which include family friendly parks, the Wildcat<br />
Creek Walk of Excellence walking and biking trail, intercity bikeways, farmers' market, summertime openair<br />
concerts and more. Visit CityOfKokomo.org for more information.<br />
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