July 12, 2000
HERSHEY ENTERTAINMENT & RESORTS COMPANY ANNOUNCES TITLE SPONSOR
FOR NEW ARENA IN HERSHEY
Hershey, PA — Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company,
an industry leader in the family entertainment market, announced today
that Giant Food Stores, Inc. of Carlisle, Pennsylvania is the title
sponsor of the new arena in Hershey. The facility, scheduled to open
in 2002, will be named GIANT Center. “Giant Food Stores approached
this project with incredible passion,” said Scott J. Newkam,
chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and president of Hershey
Entertainment & Resorts Company. “This will no doubt launch
an unparalleled marketing partnership in the South-Central Pennsylvania
region.”
Township of Derry Industrial and Commercial Development Authority
to develop, construct, and own the new facility. The Authority has
agreed that Hershey Entertainment & Resorts will oversee the management
of the construction as well as be the operator of the complex when
it is built,” added Newkam. The title sponsorship for the new
GIANT Center includes a ten-year naming rights agreement for the 10,500
seat venue, integrated marketing programs, and more. The partnership
is reflective of the growing synergies between Hershey Entertainment
& Resorts and Giant Food Stores that began in 1992 with the implementation
of a discount ticket program for Hersheypark. “The agreement
with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts represents more than just
a sponsorship,” said Tony Schiano, president and chief executive
officer of Giant Food Stores, Inc. “It is another step in Giant’s
commitment to support our local community through the creation of
promotional partnerships that will benefit our customers.”
Based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Giant Food Stores, Inc. currently
operates 91 stores in four states. The chain operates under the name
Giant Food Stores throughout Pennsylvania and under the name Martin’s
Food Markets in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Founded in 1923, Giant Food Stores, Inc. employs more than 12,000
associates. Giant Food Stores, Inc. has a proud tradition of giving
back to the communities in which it operates. In 1999 the organization
donated more than $3.5 million to charities involved in fighting hunger,
children’s hospitals, and numerous community programs.
For Media Inquiries Contact:
Dennis Hopkins, Giant Food Stores, Inc.
phone: 717-249-4000
Kimberly Schaller, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts
phone: 717-534-8964
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