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The Orange Bowl Committee (OBC) has reached a partnership agreement with the City of Fort Lauderdale to present the City’s annual "Downtown Countdown" New Year’s Eve celebration. Approved by city commissioners yesterday, the OBC will assist the City with sales and marketing of "Downtown Countdown" for the next two years, with the OBC having two additional one-year options to remain a co-presenter in 2013 and 2014.
"Lending our 77 years of experience in organizing premier events and driving tourism to South Florida, we believe we can help enhance the City of Fort Lauderdale’s ‘Downtown Countdown’ and provide marketers with an outstanding promotional vehicle," said Eric Poms, CEO of the Orange Bowl Committee. "This partnership also provides us with an opportunity to further extend the Orange Bowl Festival experience to Broward residents and visitors."
Joining the distinguished lineup of Orange Bowl Festival events, "Downtown Countdown" will benefit from the OBC’s expertise in marketing and sales. The committee will seek to specifically enhance sponsorship assets and merchandise opportunities, while leveraging the OBC’s media/vendor relationships and event best practices. The OBC will be integrated into the event name and the City of Fort Lauderdale will receive a portion of the revenue generated from future sponsorships secured specifically for "Downtown Countdown" by the OBC.
"The City of Fort Lauderdale is excited about this partnership with the Orange Bowl Committee as it looks to broaden the scope of one of our signature events. This partnership will not only attract a new audience to Fort Lauderdale, our downtown businesses and the Riverwalk area but also bring the tradition of the Orange Bowl and its signature pageantry," said Mayor John P. "Jack" Seiler. "We look forward to the success of this partnership and its enriching and strengthening Downtown Countdown."
The City of Fort Lauderdale’s annual "Downtown Countdown" is a free, fun and family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration. Last year, family events were hosted from 5 to 9 p.m. and included a DJ, bounce houses, face painting, games and other activities as well as an early countdown for children when the ball was lit at 7 p.m. Then, SW 2nd Street came alive with music from 8:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. highlighted by the lighted eight-foot ball dropping from the sky at the stroke of midnight to officially kick-off 2010. |