News Releases
CALGARY, July 2, 2009 – Spurred on by 97 years as the official bank of the Calgary Stampede, BMO Financial Group upped the ante in 2009 to commit to the largest corporate sponsorship in Stampede history by acquiring the naming rights to the newly-expanded Roundup Centre in Stampede Park for the next ten years. Starting with this year's Stampede, the 500,000-square-foot, year-round meeting and trade show facility will be known as BMO Centre.
While increasing its Stampede sponsorship to the highest level-Stampede Champion-BMO will continue its longstanding support for:
- BMO Farm Family Awards on Monday, July 6, honouring the contribution of the hard-working families in southern Alberta's agriculture industry; and
- BMO Kids' Day, which will welcome more than 20,000 people on Wednesday, July 8 for a free pancake breakfast and plenty of fun family entertainment in the Grandstand and around the Park.
New for 2009 is an increase to the bank's presence during the Stampede with ‘The BMO Kids Zone,' an interactive play area on Saddledome Lane which features ten full days of great family fun including:
- The kids' pedal tractor pull for children aged four to 12,
- The kids' team penning competition
- The BMO Kids Zone director's cut, which will see families take home an individualized professional comic book page of them at the Calgary Stampede.
“Our employees in Alberta are very proud to have provided banking services to the Stampede since the first Stampede in 1912 and to have been a sponsor for three decades,” said Ted McCarron, Senior Vice President, Prairies Division, BMO Bank of Montreal.
“BMO is excited to see the first fruits of Stampede Park's billion dollar development plans come to life. This enterprising and community-led group will continue to play a significant part in transforming Stampede Park into a multi-use community park where citizens can work and play and where visitors can be entertained year-round,” added McCarron.
BMO Financial Group also announced a new perks program for the Stampede that delivers unique and unexpected privileges to BMO customers who attend the festivities.
The Calgary Stampede BMO Power of Blue experience will include:
- Exclusive BMO customer north and south entrances for the Rodeo and the Chuckwagon races;
- Rodeo Show Your Card promotions whereby BMO customers are prompted to flash their BMO debit cards for a chance to win great prizes including privileged infield seating; and
- BMO Ambassadors at all three Stampede Entrances offering BMO Customers 15 percent discount cards to the Stampede Store.
“In looking at our sponsorships we wanted to stretch ourselves beyond brand awareness and find ways to engage our customers with real and meaningful benefits,” said Sandy Bourne, Vice President Advertising, Corporate Sponsorship & Events, BMO Financial Group. “The key is to make our customers feel special at BMO-sponsored events, such as the Calgary Stampede. We aim to deliver unexpected, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime, opportunities,” added Ms. Bourne.
BMO Mosaik MasterCard also incorporates the BMO Power of Blue activities into their marketing plans with three large midway locations showcasing the Stampede MasterCard and AIR MILES reward miles program information, and by rewarding existing customers with Stampede Store 15 percent discount coupons. An additional nine BMO Bank of Montreal ABMs brings the total to 25 in Stampede Park during the ten day “greatest outdoor show on earth.”
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Official Bank of Giddy Up since 1912.
About BMO Financial Group
Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified North American financial services organization. With total assets of $432 billion as at April 30, 2009, and more than 37,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions. With over 2,700 employees and 91 BMO Bank of Montreal branches in Alberta, BMO provides financing to more than 27,000 small businesses. BMO annually demonstrates its commitment to be an active corporate citizen in the community through numerous donations, including major gifts to the University of Alberta, SAIT and the Alberta Children's Hospital. BMO is the founding sponsor of the Spruce Meadows equestrian facility and annually sponsors the BMO Nations' Cup - the richest team show jumping event in the world. For more about BMO Financial Group, visit www.bmo.com.
About Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is a volunteer-supported, not-for-profit community organization that preserves and promotes western heritage and values. The Stampede contributes to the quality of life in Calgary and southern Alberta through its world-renowned 10-day Stampede, year-round facilities, western events and several youth and agriculture programs. All revenue is reinvested into Calgary Stampede programs and facilities. For more about the Stampede, visit www.calgarystampede.com.