INSIDE INFINITY PARK 2018 MEDIA GUIDE

Transcription

1 INSIDE INFINITY PARK 2018 MEDIA GUIDE

2 THOUGHTFUL VISION Welcome to GLENDALE, COLORADO At the epicenter of one of the nation s fastest-growing urban areas, Glendale lies at the confluence of two major Denver arteries. The heart of Glendale s dynamic community is Infinity Park: an indoor-outdoor complex that hosts the professional Glendale Raptors rugby team, and the elite men s and women s Glendale Merlins rugby clubs. Sitting on eight city blocks, Infinity Park is a community and cultural hot spot, hosting year-round entertainment, home to state-of-the-art event and community fitness centers, and boasting an eight-acre, green open space park. Events like summer movie nights and beer festivals ensure that Infinity Park s multifaceted complex is and will remain an entertainment anchor for the region. In spite of its small footprint within metropolitan Denver, Glendale offers some of the area s best shopping, dining, and entertainment. Nearly twenty acres of parks and open spaces, as well as easy access to more than 80 miles of off-street trails are only a few of the local recreation opportunities. Combining a bold, thoughtful vision of Glendale s future with the tenacity to realize it has molded the city into an integral piece of Colorado s urban landscape, and has galvanized the community around Infinity Park.

3 Table of CONTENTS The Heart of Glendale: Infinity Park Welcome to RugbyTown USA We Are Glendale Rugby Glendale Youth Rugby Infinity Park Event Center Glendale Sports Center Every great city in America features a location that serves as a central point of contact. The possibilities are endless for the events that this complex can host. The single eight-block area in the heart of the city will serve as a natural, unifying hub for all of the everyday community activities in Glendale. Glendale Mayor, Mike Dunafon High Altitude Training Center Infinity Park Open Space Events at Infinity Park Elite Tournament: RugbyTown 7s Rugby Rising Sponsorship Founded for the Future

4 TRULY LIMITLESS The Heart of a City: INFINITY PARK Just southeast of downtown Denver, Glendale s 16-acre Infinity Park is a cultural cornerstone for Coloradans up and down the Front Range. The multi-use, indoor-outdoor hub is home to the Glendale Raptors, a founding member team in the nation s professional rugby league, Major League Rugby, and boasts the first rugby-specific stadium in the country. Additionally, Glendale s divisional and developmental club teams, the Merlins, call Infinity Park home. Beyond rugby, Infinity Park is woven into the very fabric of Colorado, not simply as an event space or fitness Mecca, but as a place where community can coalesce and interact marrying fitness, fun, and culture for Coloradans of all ages. As the name suggests, the possibilities here are truly limitless. 01

5 Welcome to RUGBYTOWN USA IT S WHO WE ARE Today s Glendale, with Infinity Park at its heart, began in 2005 with a bold plan from city leaders: the future of the city would be built around rugby. When this plan was conceived, rugby in the U.S. was one of the sporting world s best-kept secrets. More than a decade later, that secret is out: today over a million Americans play rugby, with many more following as fans. Those numbers promise to continue growing with the emergence of the Glendale Raptors as a founding member team in Major League Rugby, the nation s first professional rugby league. Glendale s hand in that growth is undeniable, and is an example of what thoughtful, inspired public-private partnerships can accomplish. The result of this partnership is what we call RugbyTown USA. It s more than a name, more than the buzz on game day. It s more than the verdant grass on the pitch, than the glittering ballroom floor, more than sweating in the weight room or the thrill of victory. RugbyTown USA is about character the teamwork that embodies rugby s tough-yetelegant ethos. It s shared experience, execution, and excellence. It s who we are. 02

6 We Are GLENDALE RUGBY UNSTOPPABLE Rugby is the fastest growing team sport in North America, and trails only soccer in its international following. A triumphant return to the 2016 Olympic games acknowledges the rugby s surging popularity, highlights the fast, fun game play, and bodes well for the future of the sport. The hard work, creativity, and dedication demanded of rugby players embody the attitude of Glendale itself. Beginning in 2018, the new professional league, Major League Rugby (MLR), will become the crown jewel atop the USA Rugby domestic participation pyramid, with the Glendale Raptors as a founding member team. MLR is the embodiment of the Raptors character-driven model of sport and athleticism, teamwork and diversity, participation and community. 05

7 The Glendale Raptors Rugby Academy offers a pathway to professionallevel competition for players under 23 years of age. With focused, skills-based coaching, realizing player ability at the highest level has never been more attainable. As the Raptors team transitions into the professional league, Glendale s men s and women s club teams will play as the Glendale Merlins. Club play at Infinity Park embodies a culture of growth: the acknowledgment of players past accomplishments as well as their aspirations to compete at a higher level. With exceptional player talent, dedicated coaching, and top facilities, Infinity Park is not just a hotbed of rugby in Colorado; it s a nationally recognized rugby nerve center. Celebrating more than ten years since its establishment, Glendale Rugby is building upon an already impressive history of distinction. We are rugby strong. ELITE WOMEN 2017 Women s Premier League Runners-Up 2016 Women s Premier League Runners-Up 2015 Colorado Sportswomen Team of the Year 2015 Women s Premier League Champions 2014 Women s Premier League Champions 2012 Women s Premier League Runners-Up 2011 USA Rugby Women s Div. 1 National Runners-Up ELITE MEN 2016 Pacific Rugby Premiership Champions 2015 Pacific Rugby Premiership Champions 2014 Pacific Rugby Premiership Runners-Up USA Rugby Men s Div. 1 National Runners-Up USA Rugby Men s Div. 1 National Champions USA Rugby Men s Div. 1 National Runners-Up WE ARE RUGBY STRONG 06

8 Glendale YOUTH RUGBY Launched in the Spring of 2016, Glendale Youth Rugby is the cornerstone of RugbyTown USA s commitment to be the future of the sport in the United States. Critical to that future is the participation of community youth, who will comprise the next generation of rugby fans, coaches, and players. These young fans and players will also facilitate the spread of rugby to the sport s ever-widening audience. Infinity Park s programming has a long history of community investment and involvement, and Youth Rugby demonstrates the organization s dedication to maintaining its deep ties to Glendale. VALUES-DRIVEN PROGRAM 09

9 Glendale Youth Rugby expands upon existing programs with a more comprehensive, focused approach. The result is impressively robust programming that offers a pathway of development players can follow from kindergarten through high school. Promising a cohesive host of values-driven programs, Glendale Youth Rugby gives participants the opportunity to learn everything about the sport: from fundamentals to high-level skills. Featuring a spring try-league, summer flag league, after-school programs, and indoor winter play, Glendale Youth Rugby provides a community-centric performance pathway that allows players to enjoy rugby throughout their lives. In addition to creating exceptional athletes, Glendale Youth Rugby reinforces the sport s inclusive nature, its ability to encourage fitness through participation, and its character-developing values of selfdiscipline, teamwork, and challenge. With Glendale Youth Rugby as a foundation for rugby-inspired young people, those values promise to have a lifelong home in Glendale. Rugby today. Rugby tomorrow. RUGBY TODAY RUGBY TOMORROW 10

10 TRANSFORMATION Infinity Park EVENT CENTER Unique spaces, indoors and out, define Infinity Park Event Center, and the amenities available mean that those spaces can be customized to meet any need for any event. Featuring easily accessible parking with available valet, open lobby space, free wireless with secure data, and reception-area digital video, the event space at Infinity Park makes a dramatic first impression. Accessible load-in, kitchen and prep area just steps from ballroom, as well as world-class audio/visual capability, mean that staff at Infinity Park Event Center is well equipped to make events shine. Whatever your needs, Infinity Park Event Center is a blank canvas ready to be transformed into anything you can imagine. 13

11 The event center at Infinity Park features spaces that offer settings ideal for any size party. The Cherry Creek and Four Mile Conference Rooms, the Terrace, or the Westerra Plaza can each host intimate banquets of guests. If your event is larger, the 8,600 square-foot International Ballroom can accommodate receptions of up to 1,200 guests, and the Infinity Park Stadium Field can host as many as 6,300 attendees. Whatever the size of your event, Infinity Park is the perfect fit. Technology at Infinity Park Event Center is second to none. In addition to LED house and stage lights, customized lighting options are available for the ultimate, personalized event experience. Audio technology is equally impressive, offering ballroom, foyer, and hallway sound, stage microphones, and a digital audio mixer and technician. The unique 360-degree digital video screens in the International Ballroom are ideal for featuring video, photos, or graphics to enhance your event. The technology at Infinity Park Event Center will guarantee your event transcends the ordinary. Elevate your event. ELEVATE YOUR EVENT 14

12 FITNESS IS FUN AGAIN Glendale SPORTS CENTER Colorado is consistently ranked among the nation s healthiest states. Near constant sunshine along the Front Range of the Rockies, combined with almost limitless opportunities for recreation means that Coloradans are an active bunch. But high prices and inconvenience all too often limit our ability to truly embrace fitness. Not the case with the Glendale Sports Center. Set in the heart of Glendale, itself a focal point in metropolitan Denver, the Glendale Sports Center is undeniably accessible. Affordable membership pricing and cutting-edge equipment round out the value. The Glendale Sports Center has no joining fees, no contracts, and every membership includes classes. Looking and feeling good was never so easy, or so much fun. Approachable. Convenient. Yours. Fitness is fun again. 17

13 High Altitude TRAINING CENTER The High Altitude Training Center at Infinity Park is the newest addition to the 16-acre campus. Featuring a High Performance Strength and Conditioning Room, Recovery and Sports Medicine Rooms, a classroom, as well as two IRB regulation rugby pitches, the center is well-equipped to prepare incoming clubs for acclimatization. Training in Glendale, at a mile above sea level, ensures that teams are fully prepared for the highest level of competition. With the inclusion of the High Altitude Training Center, Infinity Park further bolsters its position as a unique urban campus one where the Glendale community, the surrounding Denver area, the Rocky Mountain region, and indeed the world, can come to engage, to train, and to play. Perform at new heights. PERFORM AT NEW HEIGHTS 18

14 Infinity Park OPEN SPACE Infinity Park is the beating heart of Glendale, the very center of a vibrant, community-focused city an institution deeply invested in the people that surround and define it. The beautiful, green open space at Infinity Park is a place where that community can gather to enjoy themselves in the great outdoors. OPEN SPACE The eight-acre public park features jogging and walking paths, public lawns, picnic tables and barbeque grills not to mention free wireless found throughout the Infinity Park campus. The open space also includes a park pavilion and a multi-purpose turf field: perfect for activities from rugby to soccer, from frisbee to lacrosse. With more than 300 days of sunshine per year, the Infinity Park Open Space is the perfect place to get outside. Open Spaces, Smiling Faces. 21

15 Events at INFINITY PARK Mondays get a bad rap. The end of the weekend, nose back to the grindstone. But Mondays are also an underrated source of fun especially during summers at Infinity Park. For the last ten years, Monday Movie Madness has transformed Infinity Park into one of the largest movie theaters in Colorado. Using the facility s ample seating, stadium-quality jumbo screen, and booming sound system, Infinity Park is able to host thousands of moviegoers. The series is one of the most popular events at Infinity Park, and since screenings are viewer-selected, every seat is the best in the house. Attending a movie under the stars couldn t be simpler: admittance has always been free no ticket needed, no strings attached. Everyone is encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs and a picnic. Local food vendors are available for added variety and a taste of Glendale fare. Snuggle up, have a snack, and enjoy the show. FREE MOVIES 22

16 In addition to summer movie nights, Infinity Park hosts an annual beer festival alongside its 7s rugby tournament. The Bruises and Brews Beerfest attracts popular local breweries and thousands of attendees combining beer and rugby: two Colorado staples that are definitely better together. Events at Infinity Park: Building Community Traditions. BUILDING TRADITION 25

17 Elite Tournament: RUGBYTOWN SEVENS CHAMPIONS 2017 FIJI (SAVU WATER) 2015 DENVER 7s SELECTS 2016 DENVER 7s SELECTS 2014 USA FALCONS Every August, Infinity Park hosts the RugbyTown 7s Tournament, featuring world-class play from clubs from across the globe. In 2017, the tournament s sixth year of competition, 20 clubs, including teams from all five branches of the U.S. Military, competed for a $10,000 winnertake-all purse. The RugbyTown 7s Tournament is emblematic of the sport s growing popularity, and similarly, the exciting, fast-paced 7s play was part of the 2016 Olympic Games for the first time in nearly a century. Rugby 7s, a quicker variation of traditional 15-a-side Rugby Union play, features two seven-minute halves and puts the importance of a team s speed, strength, and stamina at the fore. Played on the same size field as traditional rugby, players have considerably more room to move. The shorter game clock means that an entire tournament can be played over the course of a weekend. RugbyTown 7s is one of the premier tournaments in the country. WORLD CLASS 2013 USA ALL- AMERICANS 2012 USA FALCONS It s truly world-class rugby. 26

18 RUGBY RISING Sponsorship Sponsorship at Infinity Park is an incredible opportunity to use targeted marketing to grow a brand. Becoming a sponsor means placing an organization within a community at the heart of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, promising exposure to tens of thousands of visitors annually. Infinity Park is prime real estate, a place where sponsorship can reveal its true importance to brand cultivation. With dozens of upcoming events, combined with Infinity Park s continued commitment to growth as a business and entertainment hub, now is the time to become a sponsor. TRUE PARTNERSHIP Exposure is the catalyst for brand growth, and sponsorship offers an organization the opportunity to shape customer perception, enhance prestige, and heighten visibility. True Partnership. 29

19 Founded FOR THE FUTURE The future of Glendale s Infinity Park is bright. In just over a decade, the world-class facility has established itself as an anchor in the Colorado Front Range, an entertainment and event haven as well as home to the premier Raptors Rugby Clubs. Tens of thousands of fans attended Raptors matches in 2016, while more than 2.5 million visited Infinity Park web pages, and nearly 500 local youth participated in Raptors programming. But Infinity Park is about more than just numbers it s about a way of life. It s about engaging a community through sport, events, and entertainment. It s a lifestyle that encourages fitness and fosters youth development. Infinity Park s growth is precedent; its past is prologue. Founded for the future means that Infinity Park is building something great athletes, community, people. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 30

20 MEDIA CONTACT Diana Anderson Director of Marketing and Sponsorship

21 InfinityParkAtGlendale.com