News Release
For Immediate Release

Rhode Island Sports Council Enters 2007 with
New Executive Committee, New Location and New Goals 

PROVIDENCE, RI – January 10, 2007 – The Rhode Island Sports Council -- best known as the original hosts to ESPN’s X-Games -- is ringing in the New Year with the announcement of its new Board of Directors/Executive Committee and new location at 10 Dorrance Street in the Westminster Building.  The Council, established in 1993 to draw major amateur and professional sporting events to Rhode Island as a tourism vehicle and economic generator, is looking to its new executive committee and location to be catalysts for launching Rhode Island into a more competitive pool of host states for world class sporting events.  Since inception, the Rhode Island Sports Council has brought in excess of $300 million of economic gains to the state with limited resources.

“We’re aiming to maximize the potential of Rhode Island’s ability to attract high profile action sporting events,” said John Mousseau, executive director of the Rhode Island Sports Council.  “The tremendous bench strength of our new Board of Directors/Executive Committee in terms of talent, expertise and business savvy, will certainly help in the execution of this goal, as will our new location which gives us much greater space, amenities and opportunities than our previous location -- in the Providence Chamber of Commerce building -- provided.”

According to Mousseau, the aggressive competition taking place nationally to attract high-profile, revenue-generating sporting events is fierce – requiring attractive bid fees and incentives.  As a result, Mousseau and his staff look forward to working with their new executive committee on creative, incentive-building strategies for elevating Rhode Island’s spot on the desired destination list for such events.

Mousseau added, “While we’re a small operation in the smallest state in the country, the Rhode Island Sports Council has excelled to date through our abilities to network well, cultivate relationships around the country and secure visits of key decision-makers to the state; however, that’s not enough anymore.  To continue positioning Rhode Island as a national venue for multiple high profile action sporting events such as the X-Games, Gravity Games, and more traditional prominent sporting events such as the American Hockey League All Star Game and the U.S. Women’s Open Championship – the Council and our executive committee have to step-up efforts to secure more funding for our mission.”

The Rhode Island Sports Council is supported by a state grant that it receives annually and by one major fundraiser that it conducts each year in August.  The fundraiser, which has been held since 2000, is a golf event and awards ceremony that honors individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to Rhode Island sports traditions.

The Rhode Island Sports Council’s new Board of Directors/Executive Committee includes: 

• Michael Clarkin -- senior vice president/Corporate Banking Group, Citizens Bank; resident of Barrington.

• Herbert Cummings -- past vice chairman, Citizens Financial Group; resident of Bristol.

• David Darlington – chairman, Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority; LLC, Gildea, O’Connell & Darlington; resident of North Kingstown.

• Matthew Gill -- chairman, The Hudson Companies; president, Hudson Asphalt Group; resident of Narragansett.

• Joseph Hassett – vice president, Bank of America; former Providence College Basketball star and 3rd round-8th pick of the 1977 NBA Draft by Seattle Supersonics; resident of East Greenwich.

• Karen Jedson – director, Department of Tourism Culture and Development, City of Warwick; resident of South Kingstown.

• Gerard Martineau – president, The Upland Group; former Majority Leader, Rhode Island House of Representatives; resident of Narragansett.

• John Mousseau – executive director, Rhode Island Sports Council; resident of North Smithfield.

• Thomas Odjakjian – associate commissioner/TV & Men’s Basketball Scheduling, The Big East Conference; resident of Barrington.

• Bill Parsons – deputy director, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation; resident of North Providence.

• Donald Tencher – director of athletics, Rhode Island College; resident of South Kingstown.

Upcoming sporting events that the Council has been instrumental with include the 2007 Eastern Sectional Synchronized Team Skating Championships (January 26 – 28, 2007), the USA Taekwondo 2007 National Qualifier (April 21 – 22, 2007), and the American Junior Golf Association/Rhode Island Open.  The Council is also in negotiations with other national organizations to bring additional premier action sporting events to Rhode Island.

Recently completed events that the Council was involved with include the New England Pop Warner Cheerleaders and Football National Championships and the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships.  Each of these events drew record crowds to the Ocean State.

About the Rhode Island Sports Council

Created in 1993, the Rhode Island Sports Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to attract major amateur and professional sporting events to the state as a tourism vehicle and economic generator.  The economic impact of the sporting events generated by the Council is measured by a formula including spectator attendance, booked hotel rooms, restaurant capacity, car rentals and media exposure. 

                             #                           #                           #