The Press Wire

CHICAGO, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire/ — As Congress continues to investigate the potential safety concerns that sparked recent Toyota recalls, consumer interest in popular new Toyota cars and trucks continues to slide on Cars.com.

The Camry, which once owned the largest share of consumer contacts to dealers among midsized sedans during the height of the Cash for Clunkers program, now ranks 5th behind the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima and Ford Fusion.

“It’s clear that the constant government and media scrutiny of safety issues with the various recalled Toyota products has affected which vehicles consumers are considering on Cars.com,” said Cars.com Editor in Chief, Patrick Olsen. “What remains to be seen is how much damage has been done and which manufacturer will be the beneficiary of Toyota’s current troubles.”

In the midsized sedan category, Hyundai has benefited both from Toyota’s problems as well as from an aggressive marketing program that included advertising in the Super Bowl to boost consumer interest in their newly redesigned Sonata. The Sonata, which ranked 8th in the midsized sedan category before the Toyota’s recall now ranks 2nd.

Prior to the recall, the Toyota Corolla ranked near the top of new compact cars in terms of the amount of consumer contacts to dealers. The Corolla was neck and neck with the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Jetta before the recall, but post-recall, the Corolla now ranks 8th among compact cars on Cars.com.

When it comes to full-sized pickup trucks, the Tundra hit a peak in May 2009 when it commanded 17 percent of the consumer contacts to dealers through Cars.com. After the recall, the Tundra’s share on Cars.com has dropped by more than half, to 8 percent.

For more information about Toyota’s recall, visit Cars.com.

About Cars.com

Cars.com is the leading destination for online car shoppers, offering credible, easy-to-understand information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. With comprehensive pricing information, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and a large selection of new- and used-car inventory, Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make confident buying decisions.

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo ( BLC), Gannett Co., Inc. ( GCI), The McClatchy Company ( MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company ( WPO).

SOURCE Cars.com

RELATED LINKS
http://www.cars.com

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ — On Sunday, February 14, the first annual ANF Group’s Tour de Broward presented by zMotion, raised $250,000 toward the building of Broward County’s only free-standing children’s hospital.

Hosted by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital at Miramar Regional Park, Zimmerman Advertising’s Team zMotion had 75 riders participate in the ride (50K or 100K), run (5K), walk (3K) and spin that boasted 2,500 total participants and 200 volunteers.

The funds raised for the building campaign will go towards a new facility that will include pediatric cancer treatment, open-heart surgery and end-stage renal disease. Reggae-fusion singer and rapper Sean Kingston was on hand at the event, having pledged to raise $1 million for the construction. All donations of $5.00 or more received a Sean Kingston “Building for Tomorrow” wristband.

“The first annual Tour de Broward was a fantastic event. Lots of people came out to support a good cause despite the frigid temperatures, including riders, runners, walkers, volunteers, vendors and performers – everybody was a real trooper,” said Pat Patregnani, founder of Team zMotion and President of Zimmerman Advertising. “It was especially great to have Sean Kingston’s support before and during the event – he was lots of fun!”

To find out more about zMotion, upcoming events, advocacy efforts and more, visit www.zmotion.org.

About zMotion

zMotion is a Zimmerman Advertising Team. zMotion has become a visible force in the South Florida cycling community. We ride to raise money in the fight against MS. We ride to live healthy and enjoy life. We ride because we care. And we ride because we can. We are blessed with good health and the freedom to enjoy this great sport. For more information, visit zMotion.org.

SOURCE Zimmerman Advertising

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http://www.zmotion.org

On Average, 3 Million More People Talking about Each Advertiser after First Five Days of Olympics Coverage

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ — The Keller Fay Group (www.kellerfay.com) today released initial results from a survey of American consumers to assess the impact of Olympics advertising on consumer word of mouth about brands. Five days into the Olympics, the study projected an average of 3 million more people talking about each advertiser, compared to a benchmark set during the six weeks prior to the start of the Games.

The study, conducted for Olympics broadcaster NBC Universal, was based on a total of 4,211 online interviews with consumers 18 to 54 years of age, including a wave of 1,277 interviews conducted between the Opening Ceremony on February 12 and midnight on Feb. 17. The study utilizes Keller Fay’s ongoing TalkTrack® system for measuring all forms of word of mouth, including online, face-to-face, and over the phone conversations.

The study also found:

• Two-thirds (65%) of conversations about advertiser brands were positive compared to only 6% negative, a ratio of 11-1 positive to negative, which compares favorably to the norm of 7-1 in other studies by Keller Fay.
• Compared to the pre-Olympics benchmark, advertiser WOM levels were 41% higher, on average, for TV viewers of the Olympics, and 84% higher for people following the Olympics on television and on the internet and/or mobile device. People who are spending 3+ hours following the Olympics each day were 63% more likely to talk about the advertisers compared to the benchmark.

“Our study takes advantage of NBC’s Olympics coverage — it’s been called a ‘billion dollar laboratory’ — to test our hypothesis that advertising on TV and online is a powerful driver of consumer word of mouth and advocacy, which marketers already know is the most powerful channel to motivate purchasing,” said Ed Keller, CEO of Keller Fay. “Less than halfway through the Games, the results are already exceeding our expectations, with many more days remaining to build word of mouth momentum.”

The Keller Fay Group is the first full-service market research company focused exclusively on word of mouth (WOM) marketing. In addition to TalkTrack®, their syndicated study of all word of mouth (offline and online), they offer a complete array of custom research services related to WOM.

SOURCE The Keller Fay Group

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http://www.kellerfay.com

- CTS Coupe celebrates European premiere at the Geneva Motor Show

- CTS-V Coupe to follow late in 2010

- New SRX and CTS Sport Wagon will be available this summer

DETROIT, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ — A newly created organization, Cadillac Europe, will be established to manage import, distribution and marketing of a selected range of Cadillac models specified for the European markets. The vehicles will be retailed through a fully authorized Cadillac sales and service network in key European markets. Specific details will be announced at a later date.

“Europe is an important market for Cadillac,” said Bryan Nesbitt, Cadillac general manager. “Re-establishing distribution of our premium offerings is good news for those who seek import exclusiveness.”

At the Geneva Motor Show, Cadillac presents the CTS Coupe for the first time in Europe. Slated to arrive in North American Cadillac showrooms this summer and this fall in Europe, the CTS Coupe is a new luxury sports coupe designed to become the visual centerpiece of the brand’s revised lineup.

The Coupe is a classic 2+2 layout bolstered with advanced technology, such as a rear-view camera system and a performance-oriented suspension, combined with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

The Coupe joins the CTS Sport Sedan, the 556-horsepower (415 kW) CTS-V and new CTS Sport Wagon as the foundation of Cadillac’s lineup. A high-performance V-Series edition of the Coupe will also be released this year.

In Geneva, Cadillac will also exhibit the new CTS Sport Wagon, CTS Sport Sedan and the range-topping CTS-V. The new CTS Sport Wagon will be available as of model year 2011, while the CTS Sport Sedan and the CTS-V are available now. Additionally, Cadillac will present the new SRX, a midsize luxury crossover, featuring a completely new design combined with an efficient, high-technology engine. The new SRX goes on sale in Europe with model year 2011.

The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid will also be shown in Geneva. The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is the first full-size luxury SUV worldwide featuring the fuel-saving Two-Mode Hybrid System. This vehicle offers more than 40-percent fuel consumption reduction in city driving and dramatically reduced exhaust emissions, while offering all the advantages of a spacious luxury SUV.

Two-Mode Hybrid technology can operate the vehicle solely on battery-electric power during idling or low-speed driving situations. The permanently all-wheel-driven Escalade Hybrid also incorporates Active Fuel Management technology that enables the 6.0L V-8 engine to operate on only four cylinders in certain driving conditions to save fuel.

About Cadillac

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and global expansion. More information on Cadillac can be found at www.cadillaceurope.com.

SOURCE General Motors

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http://www.cadillaceurope.com

Strategic acquisition enhances Motorola’s On Demand Portfolio

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that it completed the previously announced acquisition of BitBand, a leading provider of content management and delivery systems, specializing in video on demand for IPTV. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Integrated into Motorola’s Home business, the acquisition of BitBand will complement Motorola’s existing on demand product line which includes the Adaptive Media Management framework for content management and high-performance streaming servers for centralized and edge-based on demand networks. BitBand brings products tailored for IP video and expertise in IPTV solutions, as well as solutions for content delivery networks (CDN) and Over-the-Top video services. With the addition of BitBand’s products, Motorola can offer comprehensive on demand solutions for customers worldwide, addressing a wide range of deployment scales, access networks, video formats and business models.

BitBand customers will benefit from Motorola’s leadership in video solutions and worldwide scale of operations. With BitBand’s CDN solutions, IP video expertise and strong customer relationships around the world, Motorola can further strengthen its position as a leader in video.

About Motorola

Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to high-definition video and mobile devices, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) had sales of US $22 billion in 2009. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com

SOURCE Motorola, Inc.

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http://www.motorola.com

PLANO, Texas, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Safety-Kleen today announced the appointment of David A. Eckert as its new Chief Executive Officer. Eckert will be elected to the company’s Board of Directors later this year.

“David brings to the position more than 30 years of experience as a director, chief executive officer, senior executive and management consultant across a wide range of industries,” said Ronald W. Haddock, chairman of the board of Safety-Kleen. “He has a track record of success in increasing the value of organizations under his leadership, and we are excited about him joining Safety-Kleen and moving the company forward.”

Eckert, 54, previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Iron Age Corporation; Senior Executive Vice President for Kessler Financial Services, L.P.; President, Chief Operating Officer and a Director of Clean Harbors, Inc.; and, Co-Chairman of the Board and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Smith Valve Corporation.

Eckert currently serves on the Board of Directors of X-Rite, Inc. He also is involved with several charitable activities, serving as the Chair of Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and as a Director and Chair of the New England Advisory Board for “Let’s Get Ready,” a program in which college students help high school students prepare for college.

Eckert graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science degree and from Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration with an M.B.A

About Safety-Kleen

Safety-Kleen is a leading North American used oil recycling and re-refining, parts cleaning and environmental solutions company, with approximately 4,300 employees serving approximately 330,000 customer locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Safety-Kleen provides a broad set of environmentally responsible products and services that keep North American businesses in balance with the environment.

SOURCE Safety-Kleen

Up to 1.8 MW will be built on eight-acre parcel in Pittsfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECo) today announced its plan to develop the first of several large-scale solar energy facilities. The selected site on Silver Lake Boulevard combines two parcels of land owned by WMECo and the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority (PEDA) at the William Stanley Business Park. The eight-acre site will accommodate up to 1.8 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity.

WMECo officials joined local officials and PEDA representatives in announcing the agreement to combine these brownfield properties into one of the largest solar facilities in New England.

“Today’s announcement provides tangible evidence that large-scale solar is becoming a reality in the Commonwealth,” said Peter Clarke, WMECo president and chief operating officer. “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Pittsfield on this exciting project,” Clarke said.

“Solar energy facilities like these will provide the platform necessary to demonstrate that solar can play a viable role in meeting the renewable energy needs of the Commonwealth while contributing to the economic development of the region,” Clarke said.

“On behalf of the City and PEDA, we’re pleased to partner with WMECo in bringing cost effective renewable energy to the Berkshires,” said Pittsfield Mayor James M. Ruberto.

“Integrating renewable energy projects with the redevelopment of these brownfield properties is a win-win for our City and a valuable contribution toward the Commonwealth’s energy and environmental objectives,” Ruberto said.

The Commonwealth has a goal to install 250 megawatts of solar by 2017. Under the landmark Green Communities Act (GCA), each Massachusetts electric utility may own up to 50 MW of solar generation, subject to approval by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU).

WMECo is the first utility to receive DPU approval and is currently authorized to install 6 MW of solar. The Company’s solar program reflects a close collaboration with the Attorney General’s office and other key Massachusetts and industry stakeholders.

WMECo’s Silver Lake Boulevard project combines a six-acre parcel owned by the utility and a two-acre parcel in the William Stanley Business Park. A WMECo substation is situated between the two parcels, providing an efficient connection to the utility’s local distribution system.

Large-scale solar energy facilities are still relatively new to Massachusetts and New England. Approximately 10 MW of solar generation is currently on-line in the Commonwealth. Comprised of approximately 1,100 individual photovoltaic systems, the largest one is approximately 500 kilowatts (0.5 MW). WMECo’s first solar project can be as large as 1.8 MW and the Company expects it to cost considerably less than existing photovoltaic systems.

The project will bring $10-12M of construction to the region and is expected to contribute more than $200,000 of annual property tax revenue to the city of Pittsfield. Pittsfield is one of the two Gateway Communities in WMECo’s service territory and is home to some 24,000 WMECo customers.

Local permitting for the project is underway and WMECo expects to begin construction in the second quarter of this year. The Company continues to evaluate other sites for the remaining scope of its 6 MW solar program.

WMECo’s solar program focuses on larger-scale facilities (1 MW or greater), emphasizing landfill, brownfield and utility-owned properties as ideal locations. Such properties typically have few alternative uses and are very compatible with the construction of solar energy facilities. WMECo also seeks to develop the market for larger-scale solar facilities — the company’s program makes extensive use of competitive bidding and relies heavily on the expertise of the solar industry.

WMECo has currently qualified 16 solar firms to bid on its projects. The Company is also evaluating 25 sites owned by municipalities and private developers located in WMECo’s service territory. The Company expects to draw upon these prospective sites as it develops additional projects during 2010. WMECo will complete the remainder of its 6 MW program by 2012.

Western Massachusetts Electric Company, part of the Northeast Utilities System (NYSE: NU), serves approximately 200,000 customers in 59 communities throughout western Massachusetts and is committed to the environment, economic development and the health of the communities it serves. For more information about WMECo, visit our Web site at www.wmeco.com.

SOURCE Western Massachusetts Electric Company

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http://www.wmeco.com

High School Seniors to Address How Wireless Technology Has Changed the World We Live In for a Chance to Win Scholarships Up To $5,000

AUREL, Md., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ –

• Verizon Wireless partners with UNCF to offer 25 college scholarships
• Awards include scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 and Verizon Wireless products
• High School seniors will write essay on how wireless technology has changed the world
• Partnership is another in list of Verizon’s award-winning educational and diversity programs

In honor of Black History Month, Verizon Wireless and UNCF — the United Negro College Fund — are offering high school seniors the chance to win one of 25 scholarships ranging from $2,500 to $5,000, plus Verizon Wireless devices. To qualify for the contest, students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0, plan to attend a four-year accredited college or university in the Fall of 2010, and reside in: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and Washington, DC.

“It is imperative students interested in challenging and improving themselves through higher education get the support they deserve,” said Mike Maiorana, president of Verizon Wireless’ Washington, DC/Maryland/Virginia Region. “Diversity and ongoing education have always been pillars of the Verizon Wireless culture, so we’re very proud to partner with the UNCF to create these scholarships and help highly-motivated students prepare for the road ahead.”

The Verizon Wireless/UNCF Black History Month Essay Contest asks eligible high school seniors to write an essay of no more than 500 words that addresses how the evolution of wireless technology has changed the world in which we live. UNCF will review all the applications and score the essays, and the top 5 applicants per region will be awarded the following scholarships:

• * First Place: $5,000 scholarship, netbook, Motorola Droid and $2,250 in Verizon Wireless gift cards;
• * Second Place: $4,000 scholarship, netbook, Motorola Droid and $2,250 in Verizon Wireless gift cards;
• * Third Place: $3,000 scholarship, netbook, Motorola Droid and $2,250 in Verizon Wireless gift cards;
• * Fourth Place: $2,500 scholarship, Motorola Droid and $1,550 in Verizon Wireless gift cards;
• * Fifth Place: $2,500 scholarship, Motorola Droid and $1,450 in Verizon Wireless gift cards.

“The 21st century economy runs on technology,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF President and CEO. “This contest is a great incentive for students to think about how that affects all our lives and to compete for help in paying for their college education. We thank Verizon Wireless for their ongoing support of UNCF and the aspiring young leaders who depend on UNCF for help in getting the education they need and our nation needs them to have.”

This Black History Month Essay Contest is one of a variety of educational and diversity programs supported by Verizon Wireless. With a diverse workforce of 87,000, Verizon Wireless drives workplace diversity by establishing programs to encourage the hiring and advancement of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds.

Students are encouraged to visit http://www.UNCF.org for complete details of the essay contest and to apply online. The application deadline is April 15, 2010. For more information, contact UNCF Program Services at (703) 205-3400 or scholarships@uncf.org.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (Nasdaq and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About UNCF

UNCF — the United Negro College Fund — is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 39 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 18 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 900 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at www.UNCF.org.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless

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http://www.verizonwireless.com

World Invited to Experience Highlights of the Games in Full HD 3D at Panasonic’s Olympic Pavilion

VANCOUVER, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC), the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, today opened the doors of its Olympic Pavilion “Panasonic FULL HD 3D THEATRE” featuring two 103-inch full HD 3D theatres at LiveCity Yaletown, official celebration site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Open February 12-28 from 11 am to 11 pm daily, the theatres will screen high definition, three dimensional images of the Opening Ceremony, highlights footage of the 2010 Winter Games, as well as the video of Sarah Brightman performing Panasonic’s song, “Shall Be Done”. There is no entrance fee for Panasonic’s Olympic Pavilion at the LiveCity Yaletown site in David Lam Park.

“This theatre is our way of sharing the passion of the 2010 Winter Games with Vancouver residents and visitors from around the world,” says Takumi Kajisha, Managing Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation. “Panasonic believes 3D systems will greatly enhance at-home viewing of future Olympic Games, combining the enjoyment of watching the greatest sports event with the stereoscopic images of full HD 3D.”

Panasonic’s Full HD 3D Theatre at the 2010 Winter Games offers the public the first opportunity to experience a new era of immersive visual entertainment that will soon be available for consumers to enjoy at home. It is a 3D experience that easily rivals the best that can be seen in cinemas.

“We’ve successfully moved from black and white, to color, to high definition television. But immersive, totally realistic 3D imagery has been the final frontier,” said Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Chief Technology Officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “With Panasonic’s new line of full HD 3D products which will be launched in North America this spring, we will conquer that as well.”

With Panasonic’s frame sequential technology, images are alternately reproduced at 60 frames per second for each eye for a total of 120 frames per second. These images are viewed alternately through high-precision 3D eyewear with shutters driven in synchronization with the video. As a result, each eye views a separate 1920 x 1080 full-HD image for beautiful, clear 3D images with no degradation in quality.

Panasonic has always been a leader in standardizing consumer electronic products and is proud that Panasonic full HD 3D technology has greatly contributed to the standardization of Blu-ray 3D™ which was announced by the Blu-ray Disc Association at the end of last year.

In January 2010, Panasonic announced its latest twin-lens full HD 3D camera recorder, and a Full HD 3D home theatre system (50″, 54″, 58″ and 65″ sizes) at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The full HD 3D home theatre system is expected to be introduced to the North American market in the spring of this year.

Highlight videos of 2010 Winter Games screened in the full HD 3D theatre are sourced from the International Olympic Committee. The theatre has been developed in cooperation with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), the City of Vancouver and Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, the official Canadian broadcaster of the 2010 Winter Games.

Official Worldwide Olympic Partner

Panasonic is proud to support the Olympic movement—aimed at promoting world peace through sports—as an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for more than 20 years since The Olympic Partner (TOP) Program commenced at the Calgary Olympic Winter Games in 1988. Under the slogan of “Sharing the Passion,” Panasonic contributes to the success of the Olympic Games through its technology. In 2007 Panasonic renewed the partnership with the International Olympic Committee through to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.77 trillion yen (US$78.4 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2009. The company’s shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE: PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company’s website at http://panasonic.net.

Broadcast quality audio and video available for download at http://www.thenewsmarket.com/

For more information, visit http://panasonic.net/olympic/

SOURCE Panasonic Corporation

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http://panasonic.net

Portable igloos to debut in both Whistler and Vancouver

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ — Minus5, who opened America’s first ice lounge, will be debuting their new concept, The Minus5 Igloo, during the Winter Olympics. The portable ice lounges will be unveiled at Monk McQueen’s Restaurant and Patio in Vancouver, BC and Monk’s Grill at the base of Whistler Mountain beginning this week. The portable structures will be at both locations for the next two months.

Created in New Zealand, Minus5 is an ice lounge where you can touch, feel, and explore handcrafted ice sculptures and ice architecture made from 100% pure ice. Named for its constant frosty temperature of minus five degrees (twenty-seven degrees Fahrenheit), thousands have flocked to experience this unique concept in New Zealand and in its location at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, NV.

Based at Whistler, Craig Ling, founder and Vice President of Business Development of Minus5 International is excited about the opportunity to show off the new portable concept. “This is just the next step in increasing the public’s exposure to our ice lounge concept,” said Ling. “Bringing our igloos to the world at the Winter Olympics felt like a natural and we hope that people can come by to feel and enjoy the immersive experience. We are proud to have Sky Vodka and Siku Glacier Ice Vodka as our partners.”

“2010 will be an exciting year for the Minus5 brand,” said Ling. “We are opening a second location in Las Vegas as well as new locations in Waikiki next to the new Hard Rock Cafe, Hollywood and a soon to be announced location in New York City. We are also very excited about presenting a more realistic environment including animated video and lighting in some of our new locations.”

Monk McQueen’s Restaurant and Patio is located at 601 Stamps Landing in Vancouver, BC and Monk’s Grill is located at 4555 Blackcomb Way in Whistler, BC. More information on the Minus5 Ice Lounge experience can be found at www.minus5experience.com.

SOURCE Minus5

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http://www.minus5experience.com