POSTED: Sunday August 19th 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2007 State Games of America - A Colorado Springs Success Story

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, August 19—-The 2007 State Games of America in Colorado Springs established new records for participation, along with benchmarks in several other key areas as it assumed the mantle of the largest multi-sport event in Colorado history.

 

A record 10,803 athletes from 47 states competed in the August 2-5 event, the fifth edition of the nation?s premier event for athletes of all ages and skill levels in 29 sports. The old mark was the 9,462 entries in 2005 when Colorado Springs hosted the event for the first time.

 

?We are truly thrilled with the success of the event this year,? said Colorado Springs Sports Corporation Chairman Dave Palenchar. ?The great support we receive from the athletes, 2,000 volunteers, coaches, officials, the community and the individual state organizations is unique, and our city continues to build its image as a gold medal destination for sports events.?

 

Host Colorado led the way with a record 6,550 athletes, followed by Texas (599), New Mexico (515), Wisconsin (422), Oklahoma (285), Pennsylvania (236), Iowa (213) and Wyoming (161).

 

Fifteen sports set new State Games of America records for participation?badminton (93), diving (48), figure skating (1,107), gymnastics (304), martial arts (447), powerlifting (50), shooting (153), soccer (2,086), softball (520), swimming (564), table tennis (68), tennis (161), volleyball (186), weightlifting (61), and wrestling (264).

 

Other major leaders included basketball (1,482), track and field (704), 5k road race (527), inline hockey (376), triathlon (330), and cycling (213) as it made its Games? debut in Colorado Springs.

 

The four-day sports festival brought the city more than $11 million in economic impact from an estimated  28,900 athletes, family members, friends, coaches, officials and volunteers who journeyed throughout the city and to its venues, with the events attracting some 78,000 spectators.

 

?Colorado Springs takes no rear seat to any community when it comes to hosting and staging events for amateur athletes,? said Games? Honorary Co-Chair William J. Hybl, the President Emeritus of the United States Olympic Committee, which is located in the city. ?We have demonstrated, again, that there is something unique in our ability to welcome athletes from across the nation in a diverse program that embraces everyone. I am very proud of Colorado Springs.?

 

A total of 3,381 hotel/motel room nights were booked by visitors using the Games? Official Lodging Service, Tournament Gold. It helped fill the area?s guest properties during a rewarding summer.

 

The march to new records began with the sold-out Opening Ceremony on August 2, when a building record 10,007 jammed the Colorado Springs World Arena to see figure skating star Michelle Kwan light the Games? cauldron and open the weekend gala. The throng enjoying the spectacular evening included 5,264 athletes in the parade of the states, and 4,743 fans who purchased tickets.

 

The largest venues recorded big numbers of athletes going for medals, with 3,955 competing at the U.S. Air Force Academy, 1,107 at the World Arena, 722 at Fort Carson, 631 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and 394 at Colorado College.

Next summer, Colorado Springs and The Sports Corp will host the inaugural State Games of the West (August 7-10) for an estimated 8,000 athletes from 13 Western states.

 

The State Games of America will return in 2009 to the city, with officials estimating some 12,000 athletes coming to go for medals.

 

State Games of America History

1999- St.Louis, Mo. (6,193 athletes)

2001- St. Louis, MO (5,211 athletes)

2003- Hartford, CT (4,881 athletes)

2005- Colorado Springs (9,462 athletes)

2007- Colorado Springs (10,803 athletes)

2009- Colorado Springs (12,000 athletes, est.)

2011- TBD

 

   State Games of America Colorado Athletes of the Year Named

 

                                 

                           Cody Cox           Gina Rhue

 

The Colorado Springs Sports Corporation has selected two Colorado Springs athletes, swimmer Gina Rhue, 17, and mountain biker Cody Cox, 16, as Colorado?s 2007 State Games of America Athletes of the Year. They will be the state?s female and male nominees for the national State Games Athletes of the Year award to be announced at the National Congress of State Games Symposium, Sept.25-28, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

 

Both are prep athletes at Cheyenne Mountain High School and outstanding students, and chalked up medal-winning efforts at the State Games of America.

 

Cox, who was the event?s? 10,000^th athlete to register, won the gold medal in the mountain biking Male Junior 15-18 Expert Division at the Air Force Academy as the sport made its debut. His 2:

01.28 clocking over the 12-loop AFA high-altitude course was the winning time.

 

He has also competed in cross country, and is one of the nation?s rising mountain biking athletes, with a July fourth-place finish in the USA Cycling National Championships in West Dover, Vermont, in the Junior Men?s 15-16 division.

 

Rhue, a senior-to-be at Cheyenne Mountain High, won 10 medals in her 12 swimming events at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (7 gold, 2 silver and one bronze), the most by any of the 564 swimmers.

 

She?s a top three-sport varsity athlete (swimming, cross country, track & field) and did double duty during the Games as a sport Red Hat volunteer when she was not in the pool. Prior to the Games, she volunteered and worked at assembling athlete packets, medals, credentials, and sorting volunteer t-shirts.

 

At Cheyenne Mountain High, she captained the girls? swimming team, was the yearbook editor, carries a 3.61 GPA, and made the CHSAA Academic all-state first team. She was named  to the Colorado Springs Gazette?s all-area girls swimming first team.

 

             2007 State Games of America Sponsors

Opening Ceremony Sponsor:  The new at&t

Gold Sponsors: El Pomar Foundation, The Gazette, Altitude Sports & Entertainment, American National Bank, King Soopers, Experience Colorado Springs, The Daniels Fund, The Denver Post, News First 5/30

Silver Sponsors:  Booz Allen Hamilton, Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado High School Activities Association, Coca-Cola, Fort Carson, Memorial Hospital, Premier Orthopedics,  U.S. Air Force Academy, United States Olympic Committee, USOC Community Partner Program, The Wright Group, Colorado Springs World Arena Youth & Community Fund, Pikes Peak Heritage Center

Bronze Sponsors: The City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado Springs Marriott, CUKJATI Marketing Intelligence/Creative, The Denver Broncos, Famous Dave?s, Fittje Brothers, KILO 94.3, The Eagle 103.9, The Pueblo Chieftain, Sinton Dairy, Standard Sales Company, USAA, Sheraton Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs School District 11, US Figure Skating, Phil Long Community Fund

 

Official Auto Dealerships

:  Phil Long Dealerships, Pikes Peak Acura, Lexus of Colorado Springs

 

Official Rental Car: Dollar Rent-A-Car

 

Official Airline:  Frontier Airlines

 

Official Lodging Service:  Tournament Gold

 

 

 

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