RON JON SURF SHOP, SURFPARKS, BELZ ENTERPRISES TO HOLD
PRESS CONFERENCE, UNVEIL PLANS FOR RON JON SURFPARK
EVENT TO SIGNIFY LAUNCH OF GROUNDBREAKING, CONSTRUCTION
COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Sept. 6, 2005 – Ron Jon Surf Shop (www.ronjons.com), Surfparks, (www.surfparks.com) and Festival Bay Mall at International Drive owner BT Orlando (www.belz.com) have announced that they will hold a joint press conference to unveil plans for the first Ron Jon Surfpark, scheduled to open in 2006 at the Festival Bay Mall at International Drive in Orlando, Fla.
The event will be held near the indoor bay area adjacent to Ron Jon Surf Shop at Festival Bay Mall at International Drive on Thursday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m., and is open to members of the press and designated invitees, including local government representatives, hospitality industry partners and other key business leaders.
“We’re pleased to share the Surfpark’s progress and these new developments with the media and invited guests,” said Ed Moriarty, president of Ron Jon Surf Shop. “The Surfpark is the first of its kind in the world and we’re looking forward to the ground breaking this fall and the grand opening next year.”
Surfparks founder and CEO, Jamie Meiselman added, “The Florida surfing community has been incredibly supportive of this project since we announced our Orlando plans several years ago, watching us closely and motivating us to succeed with the project. We currently have more than 4,000 people on our reserve membership list, and we are thrilled to launch the world’s first Surfpark to such a passionate and appreciative audience.”
During the interactive, surf-themed press event, Moriarty, Meiselman and other officials from Ron Jon, Belz and the Surfpark will be on hand to answer questions and provide interviews. They also will unveil a model of the Surfpark, explain how the Surfpark’s proprietary Versareef™, Wedge™, and Groundswell™ technologies will function, and provide an opportunity for members of the press to take photos and video footage. In addition, an array of food and refreshments will be served by Dixie Crossroads, Murray Bros. Caddyshack, Cold Stone Creamery, Smoothy Bee and Pepsi.
To RSVP for the press event, reporters and editors should contact Gilbert & Manjura Marketing at (407) 261-5709 by Sept. 12.
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About the Ron Jon Surfpark
The Ron Jon Surfpark has been designed specifically for surfing, body boarding and surfing lifestyle enthusiasts. The park will include three surf pools to accommodate all levels of surfers and bodyboarders—from beginners to professionals. The pools’ unique, patented technology allows for wave configurations suitable for all riders, with wave offerings covering everything from perfectly peeling three-footers for the groms, up to overhead barrels for the pros. The Surfpark will be supported by a professionally staffed surf school offering group and private lessons to all age groups and skill levels. The 100,000 square foot park will also feature a fully-stocked Ron Jon pro shop with the newest in surfing wear and equipment, and a Ron Jon restaurant, offering pool-side dining for spellbound spectators and drained waveriders. Ample space and seating, including poolside corporate hospitality suites and party rooms, have been designed throughout the facility for up-close and unobstructed viewing of all the action throughout the Surfpark – perfect for watching a world class televised surf event or hosting a full-blown private event with up to 1,000 guests.
The heart of the Surfpark will be the Pro Surf Pool with its patented Wedge shape, Groundswell wave system and Versareef floor. The size of a football field, the Pro Surf Pool will have more than 1.5 million gallons of salinated water, and generate up to six waves per minute with wave heights from five to eight feet, and ride lengths from 60 to 100 yards. The computer – adjustable Versareef ™ pool floor allows nearly infinite variety of left and right-breaking wave shapes and includes pre-programmed bottom contours that mimic some of the best natural surf breaks in the world. The Pro Surf Pool is designed for use by experienced surfers and bodyboarders looking for consistent waves and pristine overhead surf conditions.
About Surfparks
Surfparks was formed to develop and operate the world’s first and finest wave riding facilities utilizing proprietary technology to create perfect surf in a pool. The Ron Jon Surfpark is owned/operated by Surfpark Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries. Surfpark waves are powered by our technology partners: Aquatic Development Group and Surf Pools Ltd. Visit Surfparks at: www.surfparks.com.
About Festival Bay Mall at International Drive
Festival Bay Mall at International Drive, a venture of B.T. Orlando Limited Partnership, is a lifestyle retail and entertainment establishment. The property is unique in that each of the anchor tenants is one-of-a-kind to the Orlando market and not a typical mall department store. Tenants include Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Cinemark 20 movie theatres, Vans Skatepark, Steve & Barry’s University Sportswear, Sheplers Western Wear, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Fuddruckers, Murray Bros. Caddyshack and Dixie Crossroads restaurants.
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The complex’s elegant tropical design, featuring intricate mosaic tiles and a series of inter-connected walkways and plazas around a created waterfront, reflects an upbeat Florida lifestyle. Located in the heart of Orlando’s visitor district, Festival Bay Mall at International Drive has become a regional center for residents and a vacation destination for visitors to relax, shop and have fun.
About Belz Enterprises
Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Belz is a leading innovator in real estate development with interests throughout the Southern United States. Belz develops, owns and/or manages more than 30 million square feet of industrial/warehouse/distribution centers, shopping centers, office buildings, mixed-use centers and corporate campuses. The company also owns a group of premier hotels, including The Peabody hotels in Memphis, Orlando and Little Rock. Visit Belz online at: www.belz.com.
About Ron Jon Surf Shop
Ron Jon Surf Shop was founded in 1961 when surfing enthusiast Ron DiMenna began selling surfboards at his tiny oceanside shop in Long Beach Island, N.J. The lifestyle-apparel and board-sports-equipment retailer has since opened stores in Cocoa Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Orlando, Fla., and Orange, Calif., and a sixth location is scheduled to open in Key West, Fla. in December 2005. The flagship store, located in Cocoa Beach, is the world’s largest surf shop. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The company also has established several licensing agreements and extensions of the Ron Jon brand, resulting in Ron Jon Surf Shop store locations in Orlando and Tampa-Fla. International airports, Newark International Airport and Cozumel, Mexico, as well as the Ron Jon Surf Grill restaurant at the surf-themed Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
For more information about Ron Jon Surf Shop and the Ron Jon brand, visit www.ronjons.com.
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For more information:
Heather Lewis, Ron Jon Surf Shop, (321) 799-8880, heatherl@rjss.com
Carla Parks, Gilbert & Manjura Marketing, (407) 261-5716, cparks@gilbertmanjura.com
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