Professional golfer will try to hit an aerial target suspended by a multi-rotor drone above a beach side open lawn area
Biloxi, Miss. (March 3, 2015) – Professional golfer Jeff Maggert, defending champion of the Mississippi Golf Resort Classic, will attempt to guide a golf ball over a beach front highway and hit an airborne target overlooking a new 10 ½-acre waterfront entertainment space alongside the Gulf of Mexico.
The shot over the ultimate hazard will be attempted on Wednesday, March 25 at 1 p.m. from the tropical pool deck of Harrah’s Gulf Coast as part of presenting sponsor C Spire’s “Blue Greens” Challenge sweepstakes to help kick off of the 2015 PGA Champions Tour event.
If Maggert hits the airborne target with a golf ball on at least one of his 10 shot attempts, a contestant selected in a random drawing will win a grand prize valued at over $15,700, including an LG G3 smartphone, one year of wireless service and a 2015 Yamaha VX Cruiser Wave Runner and trailer. C Spire also will donate $5,000 to the Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the tournament’s primary non-profit charitable beneficiary.
Maggert will need to guide the ball over Highway 90 and calculate the wind speed and trajectory to successfully land the shot in a large net that will be suspended in the air over Harrah’s Great Lawn in Biloxi by a multi-rotor drone.
“I enjoy a challenge and this will be a great way to generate some excitement and entertainment during tournament week,” Maggert said. “Last year at Fallen Oak was my debut on the Champions Tour – so I’m looking forward to another year of fun, some great competition and enjoying the wonderful Mississippi Gulf Coast hospitality.”
To qualify for the grand prize and two other prizes, consumers need to be at least 18 years of age (19 for Alabama residents) and visit one of 12 C Spire locations in South Mississippi and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Saturday, March 21 where they will get a chance to sink a putt on a special “blue green” inside the store. Participating C Spire retail stores are located in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Hattiesburg (Highway 98, Highway 49 and Turtle Creek Mall locations) Lucedale, Ocean Springs, Picayune, Pascagoula and Wiggins.
Three winners will be chosen in a random drawing of entries from contestants who made the putt inside the store. Second and third place winners will automatically receive a free LG G3 smart phone and one year of wireless service. The grand prize winner also will win the phone, service and qualify for the personal watercraft if Maggert makes the unique golf shot. No purchase is necessary.
“We’re excited about stepping up our involvement in the tournament and continuing to support the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which has been so important to the success of our company over the years,” said Jim Richmond, vice president of Corporate Communications for C Spire. “The Gulf Coast is a special place and we want to be a part of showing the rest of the world all of its beauty, charm and natural assets while having some fun.”
Richmond said the promotional contest would not have been possible without the support and involvement of tournament staff, Harrah’s Gulf Coast, Keesler Air Force Base and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
“We’re thrilled and proud to support the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic and to host Jeff Maggert’s attempt to make history with the first golf ball to hit an aerial target suspended by a drone alongside the Gulf of Mexico,” said Jonathan Jones, senior vice president and general manager of Harrah’s Gulf Coast. “It’s great entertainment and benefits a wonderful cause - the Habitat for Humanity.”
Chris Monforton, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, said support from the tournament and companies like C Spire allow the non-profit group to help working families realize their dream of home ownership and to provide financial education and counseling.
“For many, owning a home is often out of reach, but with programs like this one, families are able to achieve great things,” Monforton said. “We’re proud of the more than 1,500 homes we’ve built and rehabbed over the last several years and for the community and corporate support that makes our efforts possible.”
The 2015 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic will be held on March 26-29 at Fallen Oak.
With seven World Golf Hall of Famers and 17 major championship winners, the MGRC field will feature some of the greatest golfers in the world. The field, led by 2014 champion Maggert, includes six Masters Champions and 27 of the top 30 players on the Champions Tour from the 2014 final money list.
The field is highlighted by World Golf Hall of Fame members Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie and Mark O’Meara. This year’s tournament field also will highlight Champions Tour newcomers Miguel Angel Jimenez, Lee Janzen and Jesper Parnevik.
About C Spire
C Spire is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company that provides world-class service and a superior, comprehensive suite of customer-inspired wireless communications, ultra high speed Internet access and a range of other telecommunications products and services to consumers and businesses. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.
About the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic Presented by C Spire
In addition to C Spire as the tournament’s Presenting Sponsor, The Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic Presented by C Spire is uniquely funded by 12-14 other consortium partners, who see this event as an ideal way to promote the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The 2015 consortium partners are: Mississippi Power, Mississippi Development Authority, Beau Rivage Hotel & Resort-Fallen Oak, Harrah’s Gulf Coast, F.E.B. Distributing, Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hard Rock Biloxi, Roy Anderson Corp, Hancock Bank, Yates Construction, IP Resort & Spa and Coca Cola. The tournament is administered through the MGRC Foundation, Inc. and will benefit Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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