Tag: Smoky Mountains

WonderWorks unveils new Wonders of Magic show featuring Pigeon Forge’s longest-running headline performer

Posted by Erin Freeman – March 21, 2013

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. – In a nostalgic trip to yesteryear, the “Enchanted Flower Garden” blooms once again in a spectacular display of color and life. This particular illusion, not seen on an American stage since the 1940s, is part of WonderWorks’ new Wonders of Magic show headlined by internationally-recognized magician, Terry Evanswood.  Performing at WonderWorks since 2010, Evanswood will leave the whole family spellbound during this spectacular all new show featuring world-famous illusions, thrills, suspense and more!

Designed to take audiences to the edge of reality and beyond, the all new show has opened with daily performances in its 250-seat Imagination Theatre and also features a death-defying escape that would make Harry Houdini proud.  Always interactive, Evanswood invites audience members to manacle him in locks and chains leaving him only 30-seconds to escape a 36-inch, whirling, solid steel, buzz saw descending to its final impact.  Will he escape?

Celebrating 17 years of providing awe and wonderment to the millions of people he’s entertained, Evanswood is the longest-running headline performer in Pigeon Forge, a widely popular, must-see tourist destination in the foothills of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and within a one-day drive of most major cities in the eastern United States.  Complimented by a talented cast, Evanswood is one of the most outstanding performers in the industry and is one of a very select group of artists to ever earn a “Merlin,” a highly sought-after award given only to the most elite magicians.  Other notables to receive the Merlin include David Copperfield and Siegfried & Roy.

Designed for audiences of all ages, Wonders of Magic features never before seen illusions, from the intimacy of award winning sleight-of-hand illusions, to mind-boggling grand illusions and beyond.  Additionally, audience members witness a tribute of Titanic proportions as a woman defies gravity as she floats off a water fountain ten feet above the stage.  And, highlighting the uniqueness of the Smoky Mountains, Evanswood recreates on stage one of the area’s most famous events – the dance of the summer fireflies.  Every summer only in the Smokies, thousands of fireflies light, in unison, and illuminate the darkened foothills of East Tennessee – a phenomenon unexplainable by science.  Evanswood highlights this natural dance of light event, in a way only he can create, and an illusion only seen during Wonders of Magic.

Plus during the show, Evanswood teaches the entire Wonders of Magic audience a trick guaranteed to amaze their friends and family for years to come.  At every performance, Evanswood selects children to not only participate on stage, but also to learn a little magic themselves.  Additionally, Evanswood shares a heartfelt message in every show about hope, love and the reminder of the real “Wonders” of the magical world we all share together.

But, wait as there’s more!  Evanswood invites guests to take a journey down memory lane through the “Hall of Magic” at WonderWorks.  In this free museum showcasing magic’s history, guests have the opportunity to meet the great magicians of the past.  Evanswood serves as the audio tour guide in this all new shrine to magic as visitors are able to see artifacts, costumes, props, autographs and personal memorabilia from a wide collection of magicians including Blackstone, Thurston and the great Harry Houdini.

One of the most affordable shows guests can experience in the Smokies at only $14.99 plus tax per person, Wonders of Magic is located inside WonderWorks, an indoor attraction uniquely housed in an upside-down building – a must-see for visitors to East Tennessee and locals alike.  The building appears to have been ripped from its foundation and set back down on its roof.

WonderWorks is an “amusement park for the mind,” combining education and entertainment in more than 100 hands-on exhibits that will spark the imagination and stimulate the mind. Visitors to the attraction will enjoy a variety of NEW experiences including the Virtual Army Experience that allows guests (ages 13 and above) to sit in a Humvee and test their skills on a virtual battlefield!  Also new this year, visitors can explore an oversized version of a Lite-Brite and become a human lightening rod by touching 100,000 volts of electricity inside the Tesla Coil exhibit.  Plus, visitors can be blown away by 65-mile per hour hurricane-force winds, maneuver the controls of a NASA spacecraft to land a shuttle, lay on a bed of 3,500 nails, pilot a fighter jet, design and ride a 360-degree virtual roller coaster, climb a 50-foot tall ropes challenge course, compete in a game of lazer tag and much more!

In 2012, WonderWorks added the Wonders of Flight tethered balloon ride allowing guests to the Smoky Mountains the ability to view the world-renowned tourist destination in a completely new way – from up to 400-feet in the air.  One of only two attractions of its kind in the Southeast and different from any other East Tennessee attraction, guests board an open air gondola beneath the giant blue and green helium-filled, completely tethered, 72-foot diameter balloon, and experience the sensation of being on a flying balcony while seeing an unmatched, 360-degree panoramic view of the Smoky Mountains and beyond.

WonderWorks is open every day from 9 a.m. to midnight and also operates in Orlando, Fla., Panama City, Fla., Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Syracuse, N.Y.  To learn more about WonderWorks, visit www.wonderworksonline.com or call (865) 868-1800.

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Media Contact:
Erin Freeman, Ackermann PR
Phone: (865) 584-0550
efreeman@ackermannpr.com

Titanic Museum Attraction brings artworks made of ice to Pigeon Forge

Posted by Erin Freeman – January 7, 2013

Pigeon Forge, Tenn. – The Titanic Museum Attraction’s outdoor visitor area becomes an art museum made of ice on Saturday, January 19, 2013, when the world’s best ice artists gather in Pigeon Forge for an annual ice carving competition. Thousands of spectators gather to watch this free outdoor event as professional and amateur ice carvers race the clock to create stunning, unique works of art made completely from ice.

The Titanic Museum Attraction will host the free event in its parking area from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The popular competition attracted approximately 5,000 spectators last year and visitors are encouraged to arrive early this year to secure the best views for watching the competitors in action.

“The Titanic Museum Attraction works each year with the National Ice Carving Association to host this exciting one-day event,” said John Joslyn, co-owner of the Titanic Museum Attraction and co-leader of the first private expedition to Titanic’s Atlantic resting place.

“Starting with 250-pound blocks of ice, these artists have a limited amount of time to create carvings that would surpass the expectations of passengers attending gala events in Titanic’s first class dining room,” continued Joslyn.

As the artists work on their projects, children and adults can view sculptures in progress, talk to the artists and learn the secrets of championship ice carving from the most accomplished ice artists in the world. Children especially enjoy the opportunity to meet the artists and watch the magical artworks evolve before their eyes.

Professionals and amateur artists are competing for prize monies ranging from $500 to $2,000 in the competition. The official National Ice Carving Association judging panel will announce the competition winners and award prizes at 3 p.m.

“People enjoy the big moment when the winners are revealed,” Joslyn said. “It’s especially fun to cheer on a favorite artist and artwork you were able to interact with during the process of creation.”

The icy artworks are only temporary by nature, so this one-day only event is even more special as families look for exciting and unique entertainment options during a Smoky Mountain winter.

Additional information about the 2013 Ice Carving Competition and other special events at the Titanic Museum Attraction can be found online at www.titanicattraction.com. Tickets are not required for the ice carving event, but are needed for tours of the attraction. The Titanic Museum Attraction opens daily at 9 a.m. in Pigeon Forge. Reservations for museum tours are strongly suggested since many days sell out entirely. Passengers may purchase tickets online at www.titanicattraction.com or by phone at (800) 381-7670.

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Titanic Museum Attraction: Cedar Bay Entertainment, LLC owns and operates the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, Missouri, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. A privately owned-and-operated entertainment and development company, Cedar Bay is headquartered in Branson, Missouri, the site of its first Titanic Museum Attraction. Since its opening in 2006, Titanic Branson has welcomed more than 5 million “passengers” aboard the museum. Titanic Pigeon Forge opened in 2010 and has already welcomed 2 million visitors. For additional information about the museums, visit www.titanicattraction.com or call 800-381-7670.

Media: For high resolution digital images, museum and exhibit tours, interviews and additional information, contact Shane Rhyne at (865) 584-0550 or srhyne@ackermannpr.com.

Titanic Museum Attraction hosts first-ever American tour of famed Titanic photo album

Posted by Erin Freeman – March 14, 2012

Pigeon Forge, TN – In the years since her sinking, RMS Titanic continues to surprise us with the discovery of forgotten or unknown treasures. One such treasure is the photo album of Father Francis Browne, a Jesuit priest and renowned photographer from Ireland. The album, containing the only known photos taken aboard Titanic at sea, is coming to the United States in April 2012, helping the great ship and her passengers symbolically complete a voyage begun long ago. Browne’s original photo album will be displayed exclusively at the Titanic Museum Attractions in Branson, Missouri, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, as part of the Titanic Centennial Commemoration.

The photos will be on display in Missouri at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson April 6-10, 2012. The historic images will then travel to the Great Smoky Mountains for display at the Titanic Museum Attraction’s Pigeon Forge location on April 12-21, 2012. During their visit, the photos will essentially be on display almost 100 years to the day they were originally taken.

Father Browne photo album page

A sample page from Father Browne's photo albums. The original albums will be on display at the Titanic Museum Attractions, April 6-10 (Branson, MO) and Apri 12-21 (Pigeon Forge, TN). Photo courtesy of The Father Browne SJ Collection/Davison & Associates Ltd.

“The media christened the discovery of Father Browne’s photos in 1986 as the ‘photographic equivalent to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls,’” said John Joslyn, owner of the Titanic Museum Attractions and leader of the first private expedition to the explore the great ship’s resting place. “That may seem like hyperbole, but among the vast collection of photos he took in his lifetime, perhaps one single photo album captured the world’s imagination like no other: a record of his days as a passenger on the maiden voyage of Titanic before he disembarked in Ireland.”

Considered historically priceless, the Titanic album is the only album in Father Browne’s collection to include handwritten captions for each of the 159 photos documented on 63 pages. The original album, insured at more than $1 million, has never left Ireland since Father Browne’s death in 1960. Its display at the Titanic Museum Attractions in April 2012 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Titanic enthusiasts and photography historians to see the original images on exhibit, including the only known photo of the ship’s wireless room, the last photo ever taken of the ship’s captain, and the ship’s anchor being raised from the water for the final time.

“We expect great interest in seeing these photos,” said Joslyn. “They represent a unique first-person account of life aboard Titanic for the first days of its voyage. No other survivor could provide such a visual memory of the ship, her crew and passengers.”

The photos were taken by Browne as he traveled aboard Titanic from Southampton, England, to Cherbourg, France, to Queenstown, Ireland. When Father Browne died in 1960, his Titanic photos and more than 40,000 other notable images from his work were locked away in a metal trunk and forgotten until a chance discovery in 1986.

Even with the discovery of the collection, it has still taken more than a quarter century for the priceless album to make its way to American shores where it will be briefly on display with other artifacts from the ship and its passengers.

“The photos resurfaced at almost the same time we were first learning the location of Titanic’s actual resting place,” said Joslyn. “It’s as if the ship was ready to give up her secrets at last. We look forward to our museum visitors finally having access to view this last great treasure from the ship’s history.”

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Branson, Missouri, open the door to the past in a one-of-a-kind way by allowing “passengers” to experience what it was like to walk the hallways, parlors, cabins and Grand Staircase of the Titanic while surrounded by artifacts directly from the ship and its passengers. Visitors gain first-hand experience through interactive exhibits and through vivid, dramatic detail shared by “crew members.” Passengers may purchase tickets online at www.titanicattraction.com or by phone at (800) 381-7670.

Cedar Bay Entertainment, LLC owns and operates the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, Missouri, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. A privately owned-and-operated entertainment and development company, Cedar Bay is headquartered in Branson, Missouri, the site of its first Titanic Museum Attraction. Titanic Branson has welcomed more than four million guests and Titanic Pigeon Forge boards approximately 100,000 “passengers” each month.

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Editors:  For more information, for additional high-res photos, or to schedule interviews or visits to the museums, please contact Rick Laney at (865) 584-0550 or (865) 441-2388.

Major sporting events finding success in the Wilderness – and having huge impact on local economy

Posted by Erin Freeman – February 20, 2012

2012 K2 Wilderness at the Smokies Volleyball Tournament

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Organizers of large sporting events are regularly asked by attendees – “What else is there to do around here?”  One destination offers an answer to this question unlike others in the Southeast.  Wilderness at the Smokies resort in Sevierville, Tenn. features everything an event organizer, athlete or spectator would want in an event, without even stepping outside – making it one of the Southeast’s only year-round destinations for sporting events.

Within a day’s drive for 75 percent of the Eastern U.S. population, Wilderness at the Smokies has 200,000 square feet of space available for hosting major national youth sporting events including:

  • gymnastics competitions
  • cheerleading competitions
  • basketball tournaments
  • karate and wrestling tournaments
  • volleyball tournaments
  • BMX and skateboarding events

The most recent (and one of the largest) was the K2 Volleyball Wilderness at the Smokies Tournament, which took place over two weekends last month.  This year’s tournament included more than 3,500 athletes and 15,000 total attendees.

“This event has been so successful, we have grown it each year and plan to expand once again in 2013,” said Erin Caylor, a coach for K2 Volleyball Club. “We were completely at capacity for this year’s event and had a lengthy list of teams from around the country on a waiting list.”

“Wilderness at the Smokies resort was wonderful to work with, and they truly were a partner in helping us host a top-notch tournament,” added Caylor.

To assist with the setup for sporting events, Wilderness at the Smokies has its own sports court flooring and can provide up to 21 volleyball courts and nets or, if the sport is basketball, five full-size basketball courts.

The traditional January and February “slow season” for Smoky Mountain tourism received a big assist in the form of the volleyball tournament in 2012. For two consecutive weekends, the nation’s best volleyball clubs competed in the tournament, bringing more than 18,000 people to Sevierville and generating an estimated economic impact in excess of one million dollars. The event has proven to be such a success that tournament organizers are considering adding a third weekend in January 2013 to accommodate the waiting list of teams hoping to participate.

Wilderness at the Smokies

Wilderness at the Smokies contributed $5 million to the Sevierville economy in 2011 in taxes alone.

Attached to the Sevierville Events Center, Wilderness at the Smokies offers more than 700 mountain modern guest rooms and multi-room suites in addition to condominiums and a Wyndham Vacation Resort on the Wilderness property.

With restaurants, gift shops, convenience stores, game rooms, mini-golf, lounges, a deli, two outdoor waterparks and the area’s largest indoor waterpark, it isn’t necessary to leave the amazing resort.  While staying at Wilderness at the Smokies resort, guests can swim, surf and splash in the waves in 84-degree weather all year because of the huge indoor waterpark and other amenities.  Also, Wilderness has countless meeting rooms where teams and athletes can meet with coaches to prepare, go over strategy and review results before, during and after competitions.

A brand new indoor park, Adventure Forest, opens in March 2012, doubling the resort’s indoor offerings.

The president of NetLynx, Doug Janeska, who organized the Smoky Mountain Gymnastics Vacation Classic at Wilderness, said, “My company has organized over 40 major competitive events across the country over the past 25 years.  One of the biggest events we’ve ever had was the Smoky Mountain Vacation Gymnastics Classic at Wilderness at the Smokies resort.” The resort played host to nearly 7,000 people during this four-day event.

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is establishing a new standard for athletic competitions, conferences, conventions and meetings in East Tennessee.  With six restaurants, two 18-hole golf courses, two outdoor waterparks, an indoor waterpark with a wave pool and surf rider, hot tubs, and countless waterslides and attractions, and the brand new Adventure Forest, Wilderness at the Smokies has something for all age groups.  For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies, visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

Titanic Museum Attraction readies for world-class Ice Carving Competition on Saturday, Jan. 14

Posted by Erin Freeman – January 6, 2012

Pigeon Forge, Tenn. –  World-class professional ice sculptors will compete at the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge this month as part of the museum’s amazing kick-off to the 100-Year Anniversary of Titanic’s maiden voyage.  This unique, family-oriented, outdoor special event takes place in the parking area at the World’s Largest Titanic Museum Attraction.

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge will host the outdoor event with a major ice carving competition on Saturday, Jan. 14 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.  Due to anticipated interest, visitors are advised to arrive early for the best views to watch all of the ice carving action.  Last year’s ice carving competition at Titanic Museum Attraction drew nearly 5,000 people to the massive museum, and this year’s event is expected to be even bigger.

“This exciting one-day event will be produced by Titanic Pigeon Forge under the auspices of the National Ice Carving Association,” said John Joslyn, co-owner of the Titanic Museum Attraction.

“Visitors will be invited to come to Titanic’s outdoor staging center and watch professional and amateur sculptors turn 250-pound blocks of ice into frozen works of art. Kids and parents can view sculptures in progress, talk to the artists and learn the secrets of championship ice carving from the most accomplished ice artists in the entire world.”

Professionals and amateurs will compete for prize monies ranging from $500 to $2,000. The official NICA Judging Panel will announce the competition winners and award prizes at 3 p.m.

“After watching these artists at work, people will want to stick around to see if their favorite sculptor is the big-prize winner,” Joslyn said.

Although it has been open less than two years, the Titanic Museum attraction already is recognized as one of the Great Smoky Mountain Region’s top attractions, and draws approximately 100,000 visitors each and every month.

“As the whole world remembers the world’s most famous luxury liner on the 100-Year Anniversary of her maiden voyage, Titanic Museum Attractions will continue to open the door to the past in it’s one-of-a-kind way, letting ‘passengers’ experience what it was like to walk the hallways, parlors, cabins and Grand Staircase of the Titanic while surrounded by more than 400 artifacts directly from the ship and its passengers,” Joslyn said.

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is open daily at 9 a.m.  Reservations are strongly suggested (many days sell out entirely). Or, passengers may purchase tickets online at www.titanicpigeonforge.com or by phone at 800-381-7670.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 441-2388
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Time is running out to nominate that special woman for a starring role in ad campaign and a free Girlfriend’s Getaway

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 10, 2011

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Do you know a woman who makes a positive impact everywhere she goes?  Right now, you could send that woman (even if she’s you) on a free, over-the-top Girlfriend’s Getaway and land her a starring role in a national ad campaign simply by telling us about her.  But you need to hurry because nominations close on Monday, August 15, 2011.

The Sevierville Chamber of Commerce has launched The Great Girlfriend’s Getaway Search, an opportunity to nominate an inspiring woman for a chance to win a Girlfriend’s Getaway to

Sevierville, Tenn. (in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains) and a starring role in Sevierville’s new national Girlfriend’s Getaway advertising campaign.

The winner will share her Sevierville Girlfriend’s Getaway experience with three of her closest gal-pals from September 25-October 1, 2011 and be featured in the city’s 2012 advertising campaign.

“A Sevierville Girlfriend’s Getaway can be a high-end outlet shopping trip, a confidence boosting outdoor adventure, a golf excursion with the ladies, and so much more,” says Sevierville Chamber of Commerce marketing director Amanda Marr. “Our destination offers a tremendous variety of activities so your getaway can be whatever you love to do. We want to focus on that while also reminding women that it’s important to make time for themselves guilt-free.

To nominate an amazing woman in your life, go to www.OfficialGirlfriendsGetaway.com.  Nominations may be submitted from now until August 15, 2011.

Sevierville is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is Dolly Parton’s hometown and is The Official Destination for Girlfriend’s Getaways™.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

And you thought the “Royal Wedding” was over …

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 3, 2011

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. – To honor the 12 honeymooning couples on board the RMS Titanic, the Titanic Museum Attraction and Star 102.1 FM will give away their own “Royal Wedding.”  The million-dollar Grand Staircase of the Titanic Museum Attraction creates a luxurious magic unlike anyplace else on earth.  Steeped in history and romanticism, the centerpiece of the world’s most famous ocean liner is exact in every detail to the one passengers walked on board the RMS Titanic – and it’s where the Titanic Royal Wedding will take place.

Couples wishing to enter the contest must complete an online form (www.TitanicAttraction.com) and submit a video introducing themselves, telling about their relationship, and explaining why they should win the “Royal Wedding.”  Once videos are submitted, three finalists will be selected and the public will be able to vote online beginning in December for their favorite couple after watching the videos.  One couple will win the Titanic Royal Wedding in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. and another couple will win a Titanic Royal Wedding in Branson, Mo.  Online voters will also select the bride’s gown, the wedding cake and the flowers for each of the weddings.  Winners will be announced on January 16, 2012.

The Titanic Museum Attraction and Star 102.1 FM’s Royal Wedding Contest is just one more special way the museum is honoring the 100 Year Anniversary of Titanic’s maiden voyage. It has been 99 years since a lookout in the crow’s nest shouted, “Iceberg right ahead!”  For the twelve months leading up to April 15, 2012, when it will have been a century since the RMS Titanic was lost, Titanic Museum Attractions will pay respect to and honor those 2,208 passengers and crew members with an ongoing series of special events, activities and ceremonies.

As the whole world remembers the world’s most famous luxury liner, Titanic Museum Attractions will continue to open the door to the past in it’s one-of-a-kind way – letting “passengers” experience what it was like to walk the hallways, parlors, cabins and Grand Staircase of the Titanic while surrounded by more than 400 artifacts directly from the ship and its passengers.  As visitors touch a real iceberg, walk the Grand Staircase and third class hallways, reach their hands into 28-degree water, and try to stand on the sloping decks, they learn what it was like on the RMS Titanic by experiencing it first-hand.

Each and every day, Titanic Museum Attractions provides a gateway to 1912, where First Class Maids and a variety of Officers and crew members bring the stories of the fabled ship and its fascinating passengers to life by retelling their stories in vivid, dramatic detail.  The priceless artifacts throughout the museum shed additional light on the lives of those passengers and crew members when guests see the actual belongings of those on board and artifacts that sailed on Titanic’s maiden voyage.

The Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. opens daily at 9 a.m.  Reservations are strongly suggested (many days sell out entirely). Or, passengers may purchase tickets online at www.TitanicAttraction.com or by phone at 800-381-7670.

Cedar Bay Entertainment, LLC owns and operates the Titanic Museum Attractions in Branson, Mo.  Titanic Tennessee, LLC owns and operates the Titanic Museum Attractions in Pigeon Forge, TN.  Both are privately owned-and-operated entertainment and development companies.  Cedar Bay is headquartered in Branson, Mo., the site of its first Titanic Museum Attraction.  Titanic Tennessee, LLC is headquartered in Pigeon Forge, TN.   Titanic Branson has welcomed more than 3 million guests, and Titanic Pigeon Forge boards approximately 100,000 “passengers” each month.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Nominate inspiring woman for free “Girlfriend’s Getaway” and she could be featured in national ad campaign

Posted by Erin Freeman – August 2, 2011

Sevierville, Tenn. – August 2, 2011 – Do you know a woman who makes a positive impact everywhere she goes?  Right now, you could send that woman (even if she’s you) on a free, over-the-top Girlfriend’s Getaway and land her a starring role in a national ad campaign simply by telling us about her.

The Sevierville Chamber of Commerce has launched The Great Girlfriend’s Getaway Search, an opportunity to nominate an inspiring woman for a chance to win a Girlfriend’s Getaway to Sevierville, Tenn. (in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains) and a starring role in Sevierville’s new national Girlfriend’s Getaway advertising campaign.

The winner will share her Sevierville Girlfriend’s Getaway experience with three of her closest gal-pals from September 25-October 1, 2011 and be featured in the city’s 2012 advertising campaign.

“A Sevierville Girlfriend’s Getaway can be a high-end outlet shopping trip, a confidence boosting outdoor adventure, a golf excursion with the ladies, and so much more,” says Sevierville Chamber of Commerce marketing director Amanda Marr. “Our destination offers a tremendous variety of activities so your getaway can be whatever you love to do. We want to focus on that while also reminding women that it’s important to make time for themselves guilt-free.”

To nominate an amazing woman in your life, go to www.OfficialGirlfriendsGetaway.com.  Nominations may be submitted from now until August 15, 2011.

Sevierville is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is Dolly Parton’s hometown and is The Official Destination for Girlfriend’s Getaways™.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Titanic Museum Attractions will send 12 people on free trips to RMS Titanic birthplace

Posted by Erin Freeman – June 16, 2011

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. and BRANSON, Mo. –  To commemorate Titanic’s Irish heritage, Titanic Museum Attractions in Branson, Mo. and Pigeon Forge, Tenn. will give away six 11-day trips for two to Belfast beginning today. The 12 winners of the “Back to Titanic 100th Year ‘Tour Ireland’ Sweepstakes” will go to Belfast where they will visit the birthplace of the world’s best-known, most luxurious ocean liner.

The RMS Titanic under construction in Belfast, Ireland

Winners receive airfare to and from Ireland, ground transportation, and hotel accommodations. The Back to Titanic 100th Anniversary Tour begins in Belfast, where winners will learn the history behind the world’s most famous ocean liner. Their journey continues in Dublin where they’ll take advantage of everything the beautiful city has to offer. They’ll also have a special presentation by Rory Golden which will include the first-ever images of the discovered Titanic wreck and the impact Titanic has had on society. Winners will experience many breathtaking areas of Ireland with guided tours and exclusive events taking place in Belfast, Dublin, Cobh and Kilkenny offered only to these travelers!

To enter the “Back to Titanic 100th Year ‘Tour Ireland’ Sweepstakes,” simply visit www.TitanicAttraction.com and click on the sweepstakes banner to register. Each person entering the sweepstakes may enter one time per day between June 13, 2011 and Feb. 1, 2012. The winner will be drawn in early February 2012.

In May 1911, the RMS Titanic slid down Slipway No. 3 at the Queen’s Yard of Harland & Wolff and settled on the waters of the Victoria Channel in Belfast, Ireland while more than 100,000 people looked on. At the time, she was the largest movable manmade object on the face of the planet. In the coming months, RMS Titanic would complete numerous successful sea trials with Irish workers and crew members on board.

The following April, when Titanic set sail on her maiden voyage, the world watched as the A-List celebrities of the day – the Astors, the Strauses and Guggenheims – boarded alongside everyday working-class people. Four days later, after striking an iceberg on her starboard side, those same diverse passengers would carry out amazing acts of generosity, kindness and heroism as well as unthinkable acts of cowardice as they struggled for their lives in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912.

It has been 99 years since a lookout in the crow’s nest shouted, “Iceberg right ahead!” For the twelve months leading up to April 15, 2012, when it will have been a century since the RMS Titanic was lost, Titanic Museum Attractions will pay respect to and honor those 2,208 passengers and crew members with an ongoing series of special events, activities and ceremonies.

As the whole world remembers the world’s most famous luxury liner, Titanic Museum Attractions will continue to open the door to the past in it’s one-of-a-kind way – letting “passengers” experience what it was like to walk the hallways, parlors, cabins and Grand Staircase of the Titanic while surrounded by more than 400 artifacts directly from the ship and its passengers. As visitors touch a real iceberg, walk the Grand Staircase and third class hallways, reach their hands into 28-degree water, and try to stand on the sloping decks, they learn what it was like on the RMS Titanic by experiencing it first-hand.

Each and every day, Titanic Museum Attractions provides a gateway to 1912, where First Class Maids and a variety of Officers and crew members bring the stories of the fabled ship and its fascinating passengers to life by retelling their stories in vivid, dramatic detail. The priceless artifacts throughout the museum shed additional light on the lives of those passengers and crew members when guests see the actual belongings of those on board and artifacts that sailed on Titanic’s maiden voyage.

The Titanic Museum Attractions in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. and Branson, Mo. opens daily at 9 a.m. Reservations are strongly suggested (many days sell out entirely). Or, passengers may purchase tickets online at www.TitanicAttraction.com or by phone at 800-381-7670. For more information and details about the “Back to Titanic 100th Year ‘Tour Ireland’ Sweepstakes” visit www.TitanicAttraction.com.

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Media Contact
Rick Laney
(865) 584-0550
rlaney@ackermannpr.com

Wilderness at the Smokies is a premier eco-friendly resort

Posted by Erin Freeman – June 8, 2011

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – It is only natural that a resort called “Wilderness at the Smokies” is doing everything it can to preserve the environment and be an environmentally responsible business.  Although thousands of visitors travel from all over to experience the resort’s indoor and outdoor waterparks every day, many of them don’t realize all that Wilderness at the Smokies is doing to be a leader in environmental-friendliness.

Inside the Wild Water Dome at Wilderness at the Smokies resort.

Just this month, Wilderness at the Smokies resort launched a new towel program designed to give guests the high level of service and convenience they are accustomed to from the resort while significantly reducing the amount of washing and drying it does and the energy it consumes.  With every waterpark pass, guests are issued a towel card which allows each visitor to have two towels at all times.  As the towels become wet, guests simply trade them for dry towels.  The new towel card system has already resulted in a huge reduction in energy use by the resort.

The first thing many families notice when entering the indoor waterpark at Wilderness at the Smokies is that it feels like you’re outside on a beautiful summer day – even in the middle of winter.  The see-through Texlon™ roof that covers the indoor waterpark allows sunlight and UV rays into the 60,000 square-foot indoor waterpark.  The Texlon™ roof not only allows guests to tan year round, it allows real plants to thrive indoors and dramatically reduces the resort’s energy consumption.

According to John Regnerus, operations director at Wilderness at the Smokies, the resort uses 300 to 400 less therms of natural gas per day to heat the indoor waterpark during the colder winter months because of the Texlon™ roof.  One therm is the energy equivalent of burning about 100 cubic feet of natural gas and the average U.S. household uses roughly 1,000 therms per year.  “It significantly lowers our energy consumption,” Regnerus said.  “Over a three or four month period, we can reduce our natural gas usage by 30,000 to nearly 50,000 therms.  That’s a considerable reduction in our use of fossil fuel.”

The difference between an indoor waterpark with a Texlon™ roof and one with a standard roof like one would find in a gymnasium is the difference between night and day.  The transparency of the Texlon™ roof and the natural light it allows into Wilderness at the Smokies brings the outdoors in throughout the year.

The natural lighting provided by the Texlon™ roof at Wilderness at the Smokies also allows the resort to lower its electric consumption by not using artificial lighting during daylight hours.  The roof has a built-in ventilation system to circulate more air in the summertime and reduces the resort’s use of air conditioning when it’s warm outside.

“Because of the roof at Wilderness at the Smokies, guests can literally forget they are inside,” said Dave Keim of Aquatic Development Group, the company that supplied the Texlon™ roof to Wilderness at the Smokies.  “In the middle of winter, guests are surrounded by live tropical plants, getting a suntan and splashing in the water attractions.  The energy savings are important, but what the guests remember is the experience.”

Wilderness at the Smokies is a member of the Green Hotels Association.  In addition to the Texlon™ roof over the resort’s indoor waterpark, Wilderness at the Smokies uses energy-saving compact florescent lighting in many areas throughout its facility and all of its appliances and kitchen equipment are the latest Energy Star rated design (using 30 percent less energy than older appliances).  Guest rooms at River Lodge are equipped with state-of-the-art key-controlled occupancy sensors which save electricity by turning on lights and the HVAC system as guests enter their rooms.  Tinted windows in guest rooms are also designed to reduce energy consumption and motion-sensing paper towel dispensers in the common areas reduce paper usage.

“Wilderness at the Smokies is adjacent to one of this nation’s most valuable natural wonders – the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said Steve Cruz, the general manager of Wilderness at the Smokies.  “The environment is one of the primary reasons guests come to the Smokies.  We value nature and the environment the same way our guests do.  Being environmentally responsible is everyone’s job and Wilderness at the Smokies wants to be a leader in this area.”

Wilderness at the Smokies resort opened in 2009 and is the Southeast’s largest indoor/outdoor waterpark resort.  With two outdoor waterparks and a 6-acre indoor waterpark, Wilderness also has six restaurants, a deli, gift shops, convenience stores, mini-golf, and a 36-hole championship golf course.  Wilderness is connected to a 200,000 square-foot conference and event center capable of hosting events for 10,000 people.

Wilderness at the Smokies, located minutes from Interstate 40 and situated in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is one of the area’s only year-round vacation destinations.  For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies, call toll-free 877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

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