PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 24, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Philadelphia's outdoor winter tradition, the Blue Cross RiverRink closed for the season on February 21, 2005. After eleven years on Philadelphia's waterfront and the only outdoor ice skating facility in this region, the team at the Blue Cross RiverRink are claiming victory against the winter elements and the most successful season in the last five years.
Fighting the winter doldrums can be tough for any family in the Northeast region. This year's theme at the Blue Cross RiverRink was "a healthy way to enjoy winter." Throughout the season, the marketing efforts encouraged families to get off the couch and enjoy the fresh air and health benefits from ice-skating. Since health and well-being is a topic on everyone's minds these days, the message proved effective with more than 35,000 skaters crossing the ice this season.
"Skating at the Blue Cross RiverRink has become a tradition for many families over the past decade," said Joseph Brooks, acting president of Penn's Landing Corporation. "With a perfect view of the majestic Delaware River and the mighty Ben Franklin Bridge, ice-skating at the Blue Cross RiverRink is a great way to get the whole family outdoors to enjoy fresh air and healthy wintertime fun. With only 88 days of skating, we hoped as many families as possible would visit the Blue Cross RiverRink to create their own wintertime memories."
Special events, free activities, and additional entertainment are what make the Blue Cross RiverRink the ultimate destination for Philadelphia families each winner. Attracting more than 100,000 visitors to the Rink (skaters and spectators), highlights of this year's season included:
-- Annual Partnership with the Variety-the Children's Charity
for their Sled Skating Program. This year's program was expanded
to included kids with not only physical disabilities, but also
developmental disabilities.
-- Sold Out Party On Ice, where hundreds skated under the stars and
welcomed in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks program
over the Delaware River.
-- Introduction of a new and free special event-Healthy Kids Fest-
promoting the Rink's message that ice-skating is the healthy
way to enjoy winter.
-- Free activities and special events including favorites like
Skate with Santa and the Chocolate Festival.
-- The second season of Battle of the Bands, discovering local up
and coming bands.
Throughout the season, an ambitious group of seven college students, otherwise known as the Skate Squad, worked to help spread the good word about the Blue Cross RiverRink. To raise awareness, this self motivated promotional team traveled all over the Greater Philadelphia Region to sites. Equipped with bright orange hooded sweatshirts, an interactive board game, a seven-foot penguin mascot named Rinky and free admission passes, the Skate Squad was already to entertain and educate the masses. Through the use of games, couponing, and contesting the Skate Squad was able to use interacting with potential customers as an effective promotional tool.
Great programs like Good Skates and the Variety-the Children's Charity Sled Skating Program are made possible by the title sponsor of the Blue Cross RiverRink, Independence Blue Cross. Other sponsors include PNC Bank, NBC 10, Metro Philadelphia, and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.
Next season, the BlueCross RiverRink will be moving back to it's original home located at Columbus Boulevard and Market Street. Following the 2005 Summer season at Penn's Landing, the ice skating area will be constructed in the Market Street parking lot, and plans are currently underway to transform the area below the Great Plaza amphitheater into the support space for the Blue Cross RiverRink. These renovations have already begun and the rest of the work will be completed after the 2005 summer season.
The twelfth anniversary season for the Blue Cross RiverRink will open in November 2005. Please visit www.riverrink.com for more details.
The Blue Cross RiverRink logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=354