Fonzie and Friends Come to Milwaukee August 19
07/23/2008
What's a better way to honor "the King of Cool" than a day-long series of events being billed as a "Celebration of Cool?" The dedication of the life-size bronze statue of Fonzie, the "Happy Days" iconic character created by Henry Winkler will happen in Milwaukee, Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Winkler will return to Milwaukee for the dedication ceremonies and bring with him his friends and co-stars, including Marion Ross (Mrs. Cunningham), Tom Bosley (Mr. Cunningham), Erin Moran (Joanie), Don Most (Ralph Malph) and Anson Williams (Potsie).
Stars of the "Happy Days" spin-off, "Laverne & Shirley," Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams (Laverne and Shirley respectively) are also expected to attend along with the show's creator, director/producer Garry Marshall and "Happy Days" producer Bob Boyett.
Joey Sorge, the new "Fonzie" and the star of the new "Happy Days" stage musical will also perform a few numbers from the show. Performing with Joey Sorge are Felicia Finley, Matt Merchant and Matt Walker. All fans attending the party will also receive a free bronze the Fonz baseball card compliments of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
Event Specifics
Statute Dedication Advance Media Credentials Required
Because of limited space on the RiverWalk (east side of the River, just south of Wells Street) all media planning to attend the 10 a.m. dedication ceremony need to be credentialed in advance by e-mailing Heidi Fendos at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). A confirmation will be sent back based on availability. The number of journalists from any single outlet may also have to be restricted because of space limitations.
Public Celebration: Autographs to Benefit Boys & Girls Club Literacy Program
From 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Culver's Frozen Custard will be hosting a free public frozen custard social at the Peck Pavilion at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts downtown. There, Winkler and the other guests are scheduled to make an appearance. Starting at 9 a.m.,100 limited edition bronze the Fonz commemorative posters will go on sale at $50 each at the Peck Pavilion with proceeds going to SPARK (Spheres of Proud Achievement in Reading for Kids). SPARK is a program coordinated by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Joey Sorge, the new "Fonzie" and the star of the new "Happy Days" stage musical will also perform a few numbers from the show. Performing with Joey Sorge are Felicia Finley, Matt Merchant and Matt Walker. All fans attending the party will also receive a free bronze the Fonz baseball card compliments of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
Note: Because of time limitations, the cast will only be signing the first 100 posters. Additional posters at $20 each and bronze the Fonz t-shirts for $22 will also be available with proceeds going to SPARK.
Homecoming Parade
At 5:45 p.m. the entire cast, in vintage convertibles, will drive down Wisconsin Avenue (starting at Water Street) to Blue Mound Road and into Miller Park. The public is invited to line Wisconsin Avenue for the homecoming parade.
Play Ball!
The day-long celebration will conclude when Henry and his cast colleagues are honored at a pre-game ceremony at Miller Park prior to the Brewers-Astros game. The cast will throw out the first ball and Anson Williams, who portrayed "Potsie" on the show will sing the National Anthem. A commemorative bronze the Fonz baseball card will be given to every fan that attends the game. Media credentials for the game are required. Contact John Steinmiller, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), 414-902-4470.
Hotel Arrangements
The Intercontinental Hotel downtown has set aside a block of rooms at a $129 rate for out-of-town guests and news media. Reservations can be made at their web site: http://www.intercontinentalmilwaukee/ and use the code: FNZ
Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli, the "Happy Day's" character portrayed by Henry Winkler was recently selected number 32 on Entertainment Weekly and TV Land's list of the top TV icons of all time. The show, "Happy Days" ran for 11 seasons on ABC starting in 1974 and was inspired by the real-life experiences and characters of Thomas Miller, who served as executive producer on the series and grew up in Milwaukee.
More information on the bronze the Fonz project can be found at http://www.bronzethefonz.com/.
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For more information contact:
David Fantle,
VISIT Milwaukee,
800.231.0903 or 414.287.4253
E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or
Jeannine Sherman,
VISIT Milwaukee,
800.231.0903 or 414.287.6230
E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Potawatomi Expansion
07/09/2008
Potawatomi Bingo Casino unleashed the excitement of their new $240 million expansion on June 19, 2008. Just minutes from downtown Milwaukee, Potawatomi Bingo Casino, one of the Midwest's premier gaming and entertainment facilities, is known as a place for world-class gaming, dining, and entertainment. Not only does the project triple the size of the casino, it includes new and unique venues for the meeting planner. The new Tribal Room adds to the existing Woodland Dreams Conference Center and Northern Lights Theater, offering a trifecta of options in which to hold offsite meetings or receptions.
The soon-to-be-opened Tribal Room is a round room with a stunning view of downtown Milwaukee through floor to ceiling glass windows. The room accommodates up to 100 people and guests will be able to schedule events starting this fall.
Open year round, the Woodland Dreams Conference Center holds up to 100 people for seated events and accommodates up to 300 people for stand up reception. The existing Northern Lights Theater remains one of Milwaukee's premier live performance venues. This intimate room accommodates up to 280 people for a sit-down dinner and up to 300 people for a cocktail reception. Two private dining rooms are available in the Four-Star, Four-Diamond Dream Dance restaurant. The front dining room accommodates up to 50 people and there is also a boardroom style setting that accommodates up to 16 guests with audio/visual capabilities.
Guests will be awed by the action and excitement of additional gaming space. The Casino offers 3,100 slot machines with the addition of 1,500 new interactive slot machines with sounds and graphics. One hundred additional table games add to the impressive collection of existing craps, blackjack, and roulette tables. A larger space and new location for the Poker room and the renovated Bingo Hall offering smoking and non-smoking sections adds to the thrill of the new expansion. The addition of two new restaurants, one Asian-themed, one American fare, complements the existing four-star four-diamond Dream Dance, The Buffet, and The Fire Pit Sports Bar and Grill. A food court and a lounge/bar area are convenient spots for gathering and entertainment.
VISIT Milwaukee markets Greater Milwaukee to tourists, convention and meeting planners nationally and internationally and is dedicated to ensuring our guests are warmly welcomed and enjoy an enriching experience in this jewel of the Great Lakes. VISIT Milwaukee has over 700 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services and area businesses. Tourism generated $2.6 billion in spending in Greater Milwaukee in 2007 and supported nearly 65,000 local jobs. The Spirit of Milwaukee and Potawatomi Bingo Casino are strategic partners with VISIT Milwaukee, providing funding support for conventions and tourism programs. For more information call 1-800-554-1448 or visit http://www.visitmilwaukee.org/.
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For more information contact:
David Fantle,
VISIT Milwaukee,
800.231.0903 or 414.287.4253
E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or
Jeannine Sherman,
VISIT Milwaukee,
800.231.0903 or 414.287.6230
E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)