20 Jan 2015

World's Toughest Rodeo Dirt Dump

By Ashley Sturgell

One of the most obvious and important parts of a rodeo is something fans rarely consider - the dirt. Transforming an ice hockey arena into a rodeo arena without damaging the ice is a top priority for the crew of the World's Toughest Rodeo. An ice coverage system applied over the ice provides protection for the ice to insure rapid turnaround from a dirt event back to an ice event.

A lot of dirt will be trucked into the iWireless Center for the World's Toughest Rodeo, a whole lot, in fact. Close to 1,200 yards of dirt at 12 yards per dump-truck load, that's over 100 dump trucks worth of dirt equally approximately 2,000,000 lbs. of dry dirt. Just hauling in the dirt once the floor is prepared can take up to 6 hours. Once leveled it is worked over and over to allow it to dry. When finished, the dirt is 8 - 10 inches in depth and special finishing equipment is required to level and smooth out the dirt. The preparation doesn't end with dirt installation, as once the dirt is installed a portable rodeo arena arrives and the bucking chutes and arena set up is completed in another 2 hours. Requiring daily maintenance, the dirt needs to be groomed daily to continue to facilitate drying and improve the consistency.   Final touches are completed prior to the rodeo Preshow each day as well. But once the Preshow is finished it again needs to be reworked as it packs down from the foot traffic.

Another consideration of utmost importance is where you find dry, unfrozen dirt in January, in Moline, Illinois. Special arrangements for winter in arena events requiring dirt must be made well in advance. Appropriate dirt is stored in conditions that make it suitable to be trucked in and provide suitable dryness to provide stable footing for both bucking horses and barrel racing horses. How well a competitor does in a rodeo depends partially on how well the animal is able to perform, and good dirt for stable footing is a necessity for animal performance.

The World's Toughest Rodeo stage will be set for performances on January 23 and 24th at 7:30 p.m. each night. Fans are invited into the arena nightly from 6 - 7 for a fan favorite preshow including autographs with cowboys and entertainers, free pony rides for kids, or a chance of a lifetime to sit on Midnight, a 2,000 lb. bull in the bucking chutes.   Top professional competitors, John Payne, the One Armed Bandit (13 time Professional Rodeo's Specialty Entertainer of the Year, and top rodeo announcer, Roger Mooney will headline the show. Tickets are family friendly starting at $20 and kids are always half price. $5 discount coupons are available at all Casey's General Stores locations. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or at iWireless Center Box Office.

What: 100 truckloads of dirt will be dumped on the floor of the iWireless Center Wednesday morning in preparation for this weekend's World's Toughest Rodeo!

Where: iWireless Center, 1201 River Dr. Moline, IL

Media report to back entrance

 

When: Wednesday, January 21-- Photo and broadcast opportunities are available
throughout the day.  Dirt dump begins 9 am, recommend coming around 11 am for best photo opportunity.
23 May 2014

TICKETS TO RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY® PRESENTS BUILT TO AMAZE ON-SALE NOW

By Ashley Sturgell

Ringling Bros.® Presents Built To Amaze! a Circus Spectacular Extraordinarily Engineered by The Greatest Show On Earth® comes to the iWireless Center for 7 great performances, August 29-September 1

[Moline, IL]-Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Built To Amaze!, is an extraordinarily engineered circus experience where Children Of All Ages® find out what it takes to build The Greatest Show On Earth®. The foundation is set and the rising anticipation of high-energy, high-jinx and hilarity is ready to be transported by colorful circus machinery and unleashed from shipping crates right before the audience's eyes from August 29-September 1 at the iWireless Center.

Built To Amaze! opens with the All-Access Pre-show where everyone is invited to join the fun and meet the Built To Amaze! international cast of performers as they prepare for the show. The Ringling Bros.® Ringling Girls and Barnum B-Boys encourage kids to participate in a tug-of- war and kick off what will soon become an insane battle of girl power versus boy power in Built To Amaze! Audiences also can pick up some hip dance moves during the dance party, try on custom designed costumes, learn circus skills like juggling from the famous Ringling Bros. Clown Alley and even have the opportunity to witness and win a one of a kind masterpiece created by Asia, Ringling Bros. very own painting pachyderm!

Andre McClain, Ringmaster and America's favorite cowboy takes the Ringling Bros. reins and accompanied by his horse Comanche, leads his Built To Amaze! funny and mischievous super circus supervisors, to construct The Greatest Show On Earth. A fantastic design with more than 110 of the world's best performers representing 17 countries along with 95 exotic and domestic animals will be assembled, creating never-before-seen heart pounding performances. Ringling Bros. is thrilled to introduce nine-time international award winning comedic animal presenting duo Alex and Irina Emelin of Russia. Also new to Ringling Bros. is the Tower Tumblers, a troupe of competitive aerial athletes from the Ukraine who launch themselves from trampolines to scale, repel and pass through a three-story high translucent tower. Ringling Bros. brings a spirited and fiery competition of basketball with the next generation of whirling unicyclists, the legendary King Charles Troupe hailing from New York City!

You can only experience this design of excitement at Ringling Bros. Built To Amaze! Get your tickets for super circus fun today!

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey PRESENTS Built To Amaze start at $13.  All seats are reserved, and tickets are available at the iWireless Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. For group rates and information, call 309-277-1356. For more information, visit www.Ringling.com

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Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries and on six continents to date and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, NuclearCowboyz®, AMSOIL Arenacross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live! and Marvel Universe LIVE! More information on Feld Entertainment is available online at www.feldentertainment.com.

14 May 2014

Just Announced: Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival

By Ashley Sturgell

Tickets on Sale Tuesday, May 27, 2014

May 14, 2014 -- Mickey Mouse and his band of friends, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy will be performing in a music mash-up of mega proportions when Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival debuts in Moline, IL. Concert goers will hear greatest hits from the blockbuster movies Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and Disney/Pixar's Toy Story remixed to rock, pop, reggae, hip-hop, jazz and country, among other jams. Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival strives to be the biggest concert experience to hit live family entertainment. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 27, 2014!

"One song can touch millions of people around the world and Disney has been at the beat of this concept for years by making music a main ingredient of storytelling," said Producer and CEO of Feld Entertainment Kenneth Feld. "In Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival we are celebrating with the Disney characters to a soundtrack of the latest sounds and chart-topping hits. We want our guests to walk away with lasting memories and singing these unforgettable melodies long after they leave the show."

Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival, featuring an all star line-up of more than 25 Disney characters, begins with audiences watching a state-of-the-art video projection of the frenzy backstage which spills onto the stage as Mickey welcomes guests to his concert tour. Soon thereafter, they will be transported to a new world of hip hop beats, dizzying acrobatics, flying carpets and magical transformations with Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie.  Underwater is where the crowd will meet up with Ariel, Sebastian and their nautical pals to groove to the reggae rhythm.  And family and friends will stomp to the beat as Woody, Buzz and Jessie teach them how to boogie rodeo-style.

"We've created an environment where audience members will be able to connect with the Disney stars," said Alana Feld, Producer and Executive Vice President of Feld Entertainment.  "Within each concert moment are elements of personal interaction and the audience will be harmonizing, dancing, laughing and having an outrageously good time with the characters."

The father-daughter production team, Kenneth Feld and Alana Feld, has hand selected award-winning creative talents whose credits span from working with Madonna to winning a Latin Grammy® Award to designing hundreds of costumes for Disney theme park shows:

  • Director/Choreographer Fred Tallaksen Award-winning choreographer of Madonna's "Sorry" video and the finale of her Confessions World Tour; in 2008, earned a Latin Grammy® in the Best Video category for Juanes's "Me Enamora;" has choreographed for many TV shows, including "Modern Family," "Outsourced" and "Wizards of Waverly Place;" skating consultant for "Austin Powers III-Goldmember;" and directed and choreographed for Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!
  • Writer Jeremy Desmon's credits include The Girl in the Frame, If You Give A Mouse A Cookie & Other Storybooks and Curious George Live!. He received the 2007 Kleban Award for excellence in Musical Theatre Bookwriting, and is also a recipient of the Dramatists Guild's Jonathan Larson Fellowship
  • Costume Designer Cynthia Nordstrom Designed costumes for more than 15 original dance shows in Downtown Disney; designed costumes for Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy; Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever! and Disney On Ice presents Rockin' Ever After
  • Lighting Designer Sam Doty Assisted in the building and planning of every Feld Entertainment show since 2006, including Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy, Disney Live! Mickey's Music Festival andmultipleeditions of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® circus
  • Music Director Stan Beard has arranged and written the musical score for numerous domestic and international Disney On Ice productions, and has worked in the recording studio with such luminaries as Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra
  • Scenic Designer Rick Papineau Vice President of Scenic Elements at Feld Entertainment; veteran designer who creates props, scenic elements and special effects for all of the company's touring shows

 

Show Date & Time:              Fri 10/10/2014 (4:00PM, 7:00PM)

Tickets Start at:                     $15.00

To order tickets by phone:   1-800-745-3000

Online:                        www.ticketmaster.com

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About Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries and on six continents to date and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Nuclear Cowboyz®, AMSOIL Arenacross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live! and Marvel Universe LIVE! More information on Feld Entertainment is available online at www.feldentertainment.com.

ABOUT DISNEY THEATRICAL GROUP (DTG) operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher and is among the world's most successful commercial theatre enterprises, bringing live entertainment events to a global annual audience of more than 19 million people in more than 50 countries.  Under the Disney Theatrical Productions banner, the group produces and licenses Broadway musicals around the world, including Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Elton John & Tim Rice's Aida, TARZAN®, Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, The Little Mermaid, Newsies, and Peter and the Starcatcher.

Disney Theatrical Group also delivers live shows globally through its license to Feld Entertainment, producer of Disney On Ice and Disney Live!  For over 30 years, Disney On Ice and Disney Live! have brought beloved Disney stories and characters annually to over 12 million guests in nearly 50 countries worldwide throughproductions such as Rockin' Ever After, Dare to Dream, Treasure Trove, Mickey's Rockin' Road Show and Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!  In addition, DTG licenses musical titles for local, school and community theatre productions through Music Theatre International.

06 May 2014

Monster Jam and Moline Police Department Don't Text & Drive Program!

By Ashley Sturgell

 

Monster Jam® and Moline Police Department Join Forces to Educate Moline High School Students About the Dangers of Texting and Driving

Event on Wednesday, May 7 to feature special video message from monster truck driver Frank Krmel and student pledge signing

WHAT & WHO: Monster Jam® and the Moline Police Department will join forces to present a special enrichment program for about 800 Moline High School students to educate them about the dangers and consequences of texting and driving.

The "Monster Jam® Don't Text & Drive" event will kick-off at 9 am with a presentation by the Moline Police Department.

Following the presentation, monster truck driver Frank Krmel has a special video message asking students to take a pledge not to text and drive. All participants will move outside where students will sign a car as a representation of their promise. On opening night of Monster Jam at the iWireless Center, the car will be crushed, symbolizing crushing texting and driving.

Students who sign the pledge wall will receive a buy-one, get-one coupon to attend the show at the iWireless Center May 17 & 18.

WHEN:                   Wednesday, May 7 : 9 am-11 am

(Video presentation and car signing to begin at approximately 10:15 am)

WHERE: Moline High School, 3600 Avenue of the Cities, Moline, IL 61265

SHOW INFO: The world's premier monster truck series produced by Feld Motor Sports® will make a roaring return to the iWireless Center on Saturday, May 17 at 7 pm and Sunday, May 18 at 2 pm Ticket prices start at $10 for kids and $20 for adults if purchased in advance. All ticket prices increase $2 on the day of the show. Event tickets are available at the iWireless Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and by phone at (800) 745-3000. For more information on Monster Jam, log on to www.MonsterJam.com.

21 Apr 2014

Tickets Now Available Monster Jam, brought to you locally by Casey's General Stores

By Ashley Sturgell

Buy your tickets NOW for Monster Jam at the iWireless Center in the Quad Cities

(Moline, IL - April 17, 2014) - Tickets for Monster Jam, brought to you locally by Casey's General Stores, are now on sale.Monster Jam is the world's premier Monster truck series, and is affordably priced for the whole family with seats starting at $20 for adults and just $10 for kids! Tickets are available at the iWireless Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Monster Jam will be performing at the iWireless Center on Saturday, May 17 @ 7 pm and on Sunday, May 18 @ 2 pm

The event will feature your favorite trucks including Grave Digger, Wolverine, Hot Wheels, Monster Energy, Madusa, Cleatus, Thunder 4X4, and Mechanical Mischief!

Approximately 12 feet tall and about 12 feet wide, Monster Jam trucks are custom-designed machines that sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, Monster Jam trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Monster Jam trucks can fly up to125 to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air.

The Party in the Pits, two hours before doors open for the show, gives fans the opportunity to get a view of the trucks up close and meet the drivers of the massive Monster Jam trucks. Tickets are just $5 for kids and $10 for adults!

For more information on the Monster Jam, log onto www.MonsterJam.com.  To follow Monster Jam on Facebook at Twitter, log on to Facebook.com/MJOnline and Twitter.com/MonsterJam.

About Feld Motor Sports®

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports productions include Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross and Nuclear Cowboyz®.  Feld Motor Sports is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world's largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

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22 Jan 2014

World's Toughest Rodeo Dirt Dump

By Ashley Sturgell

What: 100 truckloads of dirt will be dumped on the floor of the iWireless Center tomorrow morning in preparation for this weekend's World's Toughest Rodeo!

Where: iWireless Center, 1201 River Dr. Moline, IL

 

When: Thursday, January 23

Its Bulls... It's Broncs and it's a whole lot more for 2014 as the World's Toughest Rodeo National Tour returns to Moline's iWireless Center January 24 and 25.  Fans definitely expect to see the world's best bucking horses and bulls and double tough cowboys with nerves of steel.  But right when you think you've seen it all...expect the unexpected as Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey comes to town to thrill the fans in a way only the famous Whiplash can in his first appearance at the iWireless Center.  Or cowboys and ostriches... who knew???  World's Toughest Rodeo turns up the heat with the all new ostrich races nightly.

The World's Toughest Rodeo features the fan's favorite events: Bull Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding and Bareback Riding with the top two competing a second time in the thrilling Winner Takes All...Showdown Round.  The Midwest's fastest cowgirls will also compete in the Women's Barrel Racing. Along with intense competition, fans will witness Mutton Bustin for the little buckaroos as well as world-class specialty entertainment making this an event guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

The cement ends and the wild west begins each night as fans are invited to come down in the dirt on the arena floor for the Free Preshow. The Free Preshow is fun for all ages and a FANtastic opportunity to Go Out West for the Night.  Only at the World's Toughest Rodeo Preshow can fans meet the cowboys and entertainers,  get autographs and photos, have free pony rides, sit on Midnight the bull in the bucking chutes, and even get up close and personal with the World's Toughest Rodeo animal superstars as our staff  hosts a behind the chutes tour. It's cowboy tailgating right in the rodeo arena, more fun and FREE for all ages.

The World's Toughest Rodeo rides into the iWireless Center, January 24 and 25. The Free Pre-Show begins each night at 6:00pm and the action starts at 7:30pm. Tickets are available now online at www.ticketmaster.com or at the arena box office.

# # #

20 Dec 2013

On Sale Now-March 13 Sesame Street at the iWireless Center

By Ashley Sturgell

MAKE A NEW FRIEND!

Elmo, Abby Cadabby & Friends Arrive in Moline on March 13

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

 

MOLINE, Ill. - No matter where you're from or where you've been, everyone is special - so join in! Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby, and their Sesame Street friends welcome Chamki, Grover's friend from India, to Sesame Street. Together, they explore the universal fun of friendship and celebrate cultural similarities, from singing and dancing, to sharing cookies! The all-new Sesame Street Live "Make a New Friend" visits iWireless Center on Thursday, March 13. Tickets for the performance is on sale now.

What:      Sesame Street Live
"Make a New Friend"
When:     Thursday, March 13 @ 6:30 p.m.
Where: iWireless Center 1201 River Drive

Tickets: $14 and $20. A limited number of $30 Gold Circle seats and $48 Sunny Seats** are also available. A facility fee of $2.50 will be added to all ticket prices. Additional fees and special offers may apply.

*The Sunny Seats package features premium show seating, pre-show photo opportunities, music, play, and a pre-show Meet & Greet photo opportunity with two Sesame Street Live friends, including Elmo!

For more information, call iWireless Center Box Office at 309-764-2000. To charge tickets by phone, please call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com. For information online, please visit www.sesamestreetlive.com. Become a fan of Sesame Street Live on Facebook.

10 Dec 2013

THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS PRESENT THE ABCs OF BULLYING PREVENTION AT EDWARD WHITE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOMORROW!

By Ashley Sturgell

(Moline, IL 12/10/13) Known worldwide as the "Ambassadors of Goodwill"™, the iconic Harlem Globetrotters are debuting a new community outreach program, "The ABCs of Bullying Prevention," in an effort to impact schools and communities around the world, at Edward White Elementary school in Eldridge this Wednesday, December 11 @ 2:20 pm.

 

The Globetrotters designed the program in coordination with the National Campaign to Stop Violence (NCSV). The program focuses on Action, Bravery, and Compassion, comprising the ABCs.

 

The program targets 6-14 year-old students and involves Globetrotter players discussing the three key words in the ABCs and tools that kids can use on a daily basis to reduce bullying.  The Globetrotters equate what it means to be part of a team to how kids can offer support to one another to help stop bullying.

 

The important message of bullying and violence prevention is conveyed with student participation - and the team's signature ball handling skills and humor - for a well-balanced program that informs and entertains.

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