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Louisville Will Host Festival During 2008 Ryder Cup

Louisville Will Host Festival During 2008 Ryder Cup 'The Cup Experience' Expected To Draw Tens of Thousands

Contact - Chad Carlton, 574-1902 / 439-5075, Karl Schmitt, 290-6048 / 262-2807

Louisville will host The Cup Experience, a series of community events expected to draw tens of thousands of people during the week surrounding the 2008 Ryder Cup, professional golf's premiere international event to be held next September at Valhalla Golf Club.

Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson announced the new festival at a news conference today at Fourth Street Live!, the venue for one of the four anchor events of The Cup Experience. Regional supercenter Meijer will be the presenting sponsor of The Cup Experience, and branded merchandise already is on sale at area Meijer stores.

"From the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup to the Senior Games and the Iron Man competition, Louisville is a city that knows how to host major events that draw thousands of people and millions of dollars," Abramson said.

"The 2008 Ryder Cup will place Louisville in the international spotlight, and The Cup Experience will ensure that people from around the world and around the corner can participate in exciting activities surrounding from the competition at Valhalla Golf Club."

Abramson was joined at the announcement by Southern Indiana native Fuzzy Zoeller, a three-time U.S. Ryder Cup player and former U.S. Open and Masters champion, and Don Fightmaster, a local golfing legend who was a five-time winner of the National One-Armed Amputee Golf Tournament and twice winner of the International One-Armed Golf Championship.

Abramson named Zoeller as honorary chair of The Cup Louisville 2008 Host Committee, a group of local civic and business leaders formed in cooperation with the PGA of America to support the success of the Ryder Cup at Valhalla September 16-21, 2008.

The Cup Experience will be anchored by four events:

  • The Cup Zone, an interactive experience for both children and adults, for both golfers and casual fans, held at the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville
  • The Cup Village, a signature meeting place at Fourth Street Live! with food, live music and other festivities
  • The Fightmaster Cup, named for Don Fightmaster and played at the Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, will be the first-ever international competition pitting North American's best one-armed golfers against their European counterparts
  • The Soiree Under the Spires, a ticketed event that will provide a special evening of entertainment, dining and mixing with the stars at Churchill Downs.

Additional Cup Experience activities will include an international food tasting downtown on the Belvedere, a concert celebration in Middletown and a new statewide golf tournament with the finals held at Valhalla. Numerous events are expected to be added to the official schedule leading up to the 2008 Ryder Cup. For the latest, go to www.thecupexperience.com.

The Cup Experience will model the successful Kentucky Derby Festival Pegasus Pin program, creating a unique pin required for admission to many of The Cup Experience activities and events. Pins will be sold at area Meijer stores, at the entrance to activities and events, and at retail outlets throughout Louisville.

Meijer is very pleased to support The Cup Experience," said Rob Beck, group vice president of operations for Meijer's southern region. "Meijer is a family company and we bring a tradition of community spirit to everything we do. Supporting The Cup Experience is a great fit for Meijer because it creates an opportunity for our customers and their families to celebrate and enjoy one of the premier sporting events in the world."

Meijer, http://www.meijer.com, is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer that operates 181 supercenters throughout Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky. As the inventor of the "one stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings.