MARSHALL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The City of Marshall and the Southwest Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission announced today that the arena and exposition center that will be a cornerstone facility of the Marshall Amateur Regional Sports Hub (MARSH) and The Schwan Regional Amateur Sports Center will be named the Red Baron™ Arena & Expo.
Red Baron® pizza is a nationally recognized brand that’s made and marketed by subsidiaries of The Schwan Food Company, longtime supporters of sports events and facilities — particularity hockey venues — in Minnesota. Additionally, The Schwan Food Company, which was founded in Marshall in 1952, has been a strong supporter of the local community through charitable giving and youth athletics funding and promotion.
“Our heritage is rooted in Marshall, Minnesota, so it’s an honor for us to have our iconic Red Baron® pizza brand associated with this outstanding arena. It has been inspiring to see the community rally together and show its commitment to youth athletics by bringing this facility to life,” said Dimitrios Smyrnios, CEO of The Schwan Food Company. “We are extremely excited about this partnership and look forward to working with the City of Marshall and the Southwest Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission to help make Marshall a destination for youth sports enthusiasts throughout the Upper Midwest.”
The Schwan Food Company donated more than 29 acres of property to the City of Marshall to support the MARSH facilities and infrastructure. The company also sold approximately 14 acres of land to the City of Marshall at a discounted market rate for the development of four softball and youth baseball fields within the Hub.
The Red Baron™ Arena & Expo, which will feature two sheets of ice and an exposition center, is under construction and expected to be completed by May 2016. The facility is the centerpiece of The Schwan Regional Amateur Sports Center and will be a part of the MARSH, which will include more than three dozen city, school and college sporting facilities in Marshall.
“Marshall is the premiere destination for amateur sports and events in the region and adding a nationally-recognized brand like Red Baron® to our new arena and expo further bolsters our reputation,” said Darin Rahm, Director of Marshall Convention & Visitors Bureau. “With partners such as The Schwan Food Company, we are working hard to attract even more attention to what Marshall has to offer in a way that benefits our residents, businesses and municipal future.”
A marketing campaign for the MARSH, which includes the new Red Baron™ Arena & Expo Center, will be launched this fall to target event organizers, sports associations and trade associations with an invitation to come experience Marshall for their next event.
“We are serious about securing more events in the Marshall area and this coordinated effort that maximizes and utilizes multiple facilities will provide event organizers and sports associations a one-stop location for events,” said Rahm. “The new MARSH name and logo helps bring this effort together in an exciting, highly marketable way.”
“We are always looking for new ways to maintain momentum for this exceptional city,” said Robert Byrnes, Mayor of Marshall. “Amateur sporting events is an area we have a long history of excelling in and now we’re looking to brag about it a little.”
About The Schwan Food Company
The Schwan Food Company is a
privately held, multibillion-dollar business that manufactures and
markets fine frozen foods through home delivery, retail grocery and food
service channels. Among the many popular brands are Red Baron®,
Tony’s®, Bon Appétit™ and Freschetta® pizzas, Mrs.
Smith’s® and Edwards® desserts
and Schwan’s® fine frozen foods. Headquartered in
Marshall, Minnesota, for more than 60 years, the company's
subsidiaries employ nearly 14,000 people across the United States. To
learn more about the company and its subsidiaries, visit TheSchwanFoodCompany.com.
About the MARSH
The Marshall Amateur Regional Sports Hub
(MARSH) is a partnership of the Southwest Minnesota Amateur Sports
Commission, the City of Marshall, Southwest Minnesota State University,
and Marshall Public Schools to make Marshall the regional destination
for entertainment and amateur sports. The MARSH facilities include more
than three dozen locations within the City of Marshall, including the
new Red Baron™ Arena & Expo that is currently under
construction and due to be completed by May 1, 2016.
