Get Your FREE Tickets Today!!!!

The U.S. Army’s Spirit of America is coming to Grand Rapids for the first time ever to pay tribute to the sacrifices and triumphs of the American Soldier.

During the show, Soldiers in period uniforms reenact key moments in the U.S. Army and American history. The reenactments include battle scenes with short periods of simulated gunfire, and performances by the Army’s elite ceremonial units.

And the best part...tickets are FREE for this action-packed event! Yes, I said FREE! You just need to pick up your free tickets at the Van Andel Arena box office, go to http://www.ticketmaster.com/ (there is a small, nominal fee if you order through Ticketmaster), or call 1.800.745.300. Tickets are needed to ensure sufficient seating, so get yours today!

The Soldiers will perform four different shows:

o Fri., Sept. 24th at 10:30 AM & 7:30 PM
o Sat., Sept. 25th at 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM

Grab a friend or two (or 10!) and come out for this unforgettable, never-before-seen in Michigan, show!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Fun Facts!

Train and Travel Fun Facts:

* The average distance the Ringling Bros. circus train travels between cities is 350 miles.

* There are 59 cars on the mile-long Red Unit Train: 19 flat bed cars, 4 stock cars, 2 concession stock cars, 1 shop car, 2 generator cars, 1 pie car (restaurant) and 30 coach cars (living quarters).

* Each year, an average of 1,000 hours is spent traveling by train from city to city.

* 109,500 meals per year are prepared at the pie car, the Ringling Bros. traveling diner.

* The Red Unit train will travel an average of 16,000 miles in a year.

* The longest journey the train travels between cities is 1,243 miles, from Trenton, NJ, to Omaha, NE.

* The 139th Edition will play 40 different North American cities in a year, or 80 in its 2 year tour.

Week #3 of Van Andel Arena Concourse Expansion!

It's Week #3 of our concourse expansion project, and progress is really moving along! The glass in the expansion area has been removed from the windows, and they are now boarded up. Concrete is being torn up in that area, as well! Be sure to check back next week to see updated construction photos... they're going to start installing the steel!

LEAD Marketing Presents:Search Engine Marketing Using Search to Drive Sales

LEAD Marketing Agency is Bringing
Google to Grand Rapids

Thursday, September 9, 2010

2:00pm - 5:00pm

The Club @ Van Andel Arena

Pre-Registrants will leave with a Search Engine Marketing Review

for their business, to include:

• A Keyword analysis of your website
• An analysis of how many people are searching for your products and services
• An understanding of how to produce a positive ROI through search
• An analysis of seasonal search trends in your industry
• An analysis of costs associated with driving searchers to your site
• An understanding of how to attract targeted searchers through text, display and video ads
• An understanding of why Local Search is so important for businesses

Register before August 20, 2010 and you'll be entered into a drawing to receive a LEAD Marketing Agency / Google AdWords coupon worth $100.00!

There is limited space for this event, so register today! Go to the LEAD Marketing website to reserve your spot at this event!

For more information, call 616-254-8681 or check out LEAD Marketing's Facebook page.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Zing, Zang, Zoom- Fun Facts

Concessions Fun Facts

Did you know...?

1,000 pounds of popcorn is consumed in

each city Ringling Bros.^® visits.

At each performance, 15,000 pounds of ice

is produced to make snow cones.

750 pounds of sugar is used to spin

cotton candy in each city.

It looks like circus-goers have a sweet tooth!!

Van Andel Arena Expansion Pictures- Week #2

Check out the following pictures of the construction going on at Van Andel Arena. They're in week two now and things are really changing!

Picture #1: The view our poor box office employees look at every day (instead of looking outside).

Picture #2: Trying to keep the construction dust out of the concession in the main lobby.

Picture #3: View from lobby looking up the main stairs.

Picture #4: This is where you used to be able to access the box office.

Picture #5: Wall removed with main floor visible.

Picture #6: Close up of the concourse wall being removed.

President Obama Presents Award to the Founder of Kids' Food Basket

The founder of Kids' Food Basket was recently honored by President Obama. Van Andel Arena makes donations to Kids' Food Basket in entertainers' names as a way of saying thank you for playing our venue.

Mary K. Hoodhood, the founder of Kids’ Food Basket, made a visit to the White House on Wednesday. Hoodhood was one of the 13 recipients of the 2010 Citizens Medal for performing “exemplary deeds of service outside their regular jobs.”

After a car accident left her paralyzed, Hoodhood began volunteering at her local Meals on Wheels Program. The experience sparked a passion for feeding the hungry, leading her to found Kids’ Food Basket in 2001- an organization which provides meals daily to thousands of children in the Grand Rapids area.

The non-profit, in response to a growing need, recently signed a 10-year lease for a larger facility at 2055 Oak Industrial Drive NE.

"I never thought I would be here (the White House), but I really accepted the medal on behalf of all the wonderful people in Grand Rapids who helped grow the program from 125 kids in 2001 to the more than 2,600 fed every day of the school year," said Hoodhood, who was presented the award by President Barack Obama. "There is more we can do to feed even more children."

In his speech on Wednesday, President Obama said "physical limitations have never hindered ... Hoodhood's determination to strengthen her community."

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Fun Facts

Infrastructure Fun Facts:

· The 139^th Edition contains 27 acts, including 12 magical illusions and the Clown Alley Blow-off number prior to the National Anthem.

· It takes 16 hours to assemble the new stage and rigging.

· It takes 6 hours to tear down the stage and rigging.

· 3 miles of cable are used to power the ZING ZANG ZOOM production.

· It takes 91,380 watts of power to run the show.

· Over 1 mile of audio cable is used to connect the 56 speakers to the audio control board.

· 12 wireless microphone frequencies are used at one time during the performance. The audio control board has 64 channels of inputs.

· 4,335 tons of equipment is moved from city to city (4,135 by train, 200 over land).

· There are 350 costume changes per show.

· 60 pounds of confetti are used in each city where ZING ZANG ZOOM appears.

Don't miss this mind -blowing circus spectacular!!! Tickets go on-sale Monday, August 9, 2010. Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Van Andel Arena box office, www.ringling.com, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000.

Van Andel Arena Expansion Rendering

Take a look at the new Van Andel Arena expansion rendering! It's going to be great!

Construction Pictures of Van Andel Arena Addition!

Things have been changing quickly around here lately! Temporary walls are already up, and the guys are working hard and making a lot of progress! Check out these pictures to see for yourself!!!