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| Entertainment legend Dolly Parton is dressed for flight as she opens the new Barnstormer family thrill ride at Dollywood. The park celebrated its 26th grand opening on Saturday, March 26th. (Photo: Business Wire) |
NASHVILLE, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Barnstormer, Dollywood’s newest family thrill ride, takes flight for the 2011 season and along for the ride is Tennessee Farmers Cooperative as a major partner, secured by Nashville Firm, TVX Group. Situated on a ridge alongside Craftsman’s Valley adjacent to the Mountain Slidewinder, the Barnstormer “landed” on Owens Farm. Passengers are seated back-to-back on two giant pendulum arms that reach 81 feet in the air. The journey to the treetops reaches a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour and 230 degrees of rotation. Situated amid a big, red barn, the Barnstormer’s barnyard theme includes activity-filled children’s play areas. Lil’ Pilots Playground features a 22-foot by 16-foot wooden bi-plane while Granny’s Garden & Pig Pen offers play structures and water fountains.
To add authenticity to the Owens Farm area and the Barnstormer attraction, TVX Group, Dollywood’s exclusive sponsorship firm, identified Tennessee Farmers Cooperative as a perfect partner for the project. They will receive inclusion on various signage throughout the ride area and on the traditional red barn, a focal point of Barnstormer and ride area employees will wear co-branded straw hats to compliment their Owens Family Farm attire. TFC will also be conducting a statewide in-store promotion offering customers a chance to win two tickets to visit Dollywood and an on-line sweepstakes will award one lucky winner six season passes and a stay in a Dollywood Vacation Cabin. The program offers TFC brand exposure and organic integration into the design as well ability to leverage the program to drive traffic to store locations and their website.
“Dollywood was looking for a partner that made sense to be included in a farm-themed ride and Co-op was a logical fit,” says Joe Huffine, manager of TFC’s Member Services Department. “The people who are coming to Dollywood are our customers and potential customers, and they will now see the Co-op brand displayed on this exciting new ride.” “TVX did a superior job showing us how the demographics of the park aligned with ours, listened to what our objectives were and worked with us to create a program to meet these objectives.”
About TVX Group
TVX is an industry leading sponsorship and strategic alliance services organization based in Nashville, Tn with more than 27 years of experience. Concentrating primarily within the entertainment industry, currently the firm exclusively represents the Dollywood Company and its parks Dollywood, Dollywood Splash Country, as well as, Herschend Family Entertainment properties such as Silver Dollar City, White Water, and Showboat Branson Belle. In 2009, TVX grew into its Music City roots by managing new country music Trio, Edens Edge to their major record label deal with Big Machine Records. Today, TVX represents Edens Edge strategic alliance efforts in the sponsorship and endorsement market place.
