Commerce Cabinet
Bluegrass State Games Announce Changes To 22-Year-Old Event

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Lexington Area Sports Authority (LASA) and the Bluegrass State Games today announced changes and partnerships to the event that will secure it for 2006 and beyond.

The Games will become the signature event for the LASA and the board of directors will be comprised of existing LASA board members. The existing board has been a self-appointing entity since its inception under Governor Collins’ administration in 1984.

“The addition of Best Western as a sponsor and combining the efforts of the Games staff and the LASA are tremendous steps to ensure the event will not only continue, but thrive in Central Kentucky for years to come,” stated Rick Hatcher, Executive Director of the Lexington Area Sports Authority. “Many dedicated individuals have put a lot of time and effort into building these Games the last 20+ years and I am excited that LASA will have a greater hand in taking the Games to even newer heights.” 

Best Western Hotels of Kentucky has signed on to be the “Official Hotel” of the Games. The two year agreement will allow Best Western to use the Games as a marketing platform and access to partnerships with other sponsors.

“With 42 properties located across the Bluegrass State, Best Western Hotels of Kentucky has a strong commitment to community, the cornerstone of its role as official sponsor for the Bluegrass State Games,” said Andrzej Szadzinski, chairman of the Best Western Hotels of Kentucky cooperative marketing group. 

The Games have been a staple in the Central Kentucky for more than two decades and a place where approximately 14,000 Kentuckians from across the state come together to compete in various sporting competitions. Its economic impact to Central Kentucky is estimated to be nearly $6.5 million.

“The Bluegrass State Games is widely recognized as one of the top five best in the country annually and the recent developments should serve to strengthen us further,” said George Milligan, Executive Director of the Bluegrass State Games. “It’s exciting to see so many organizations realizing the value of the Games and what they mean to Kentuckians.”

The Commonwealth continues its longstanding tradition of supporting the Bluegrass State Games through the efforts of the Kentucky Department of Tourism and the Kentucky Sports Authority.

The 2006 event is slated to kick off at the Opening Ceremonies on July 21^st at the Shively Track Facility on the University of Kentucky campus in Lexington. Although team registrations have closed, individual event registrations are still being accepted for most sports.

Information on participating in the Games can be found by logging on to www.bgsg.org or by calling 1-800-722-2474 or 859-255-0336.

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