FORT A.P. HILL, VA – August 17, 2010 – More than 72,000 Boy Scouts and adult leaders gathering at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., July 26 – August 4, for the 100th Anniversary National Scout Jamboree – a once-in-a-lifetime event that was truly a century in the making.
Just touching the tip of the Jamboree's uncountable highlights, the main stage featured the tallest portable Daktronics (Nasdaq-DAKT) LED video display built to date, the appearance of Miss America 2010, Caressa Cameron and 10 fun-filled days of adventure, friendship and unforgettable memories. True to say these boys celebrated in style.
Recognizing the special opportunity to reach a new generation and their families with the Scouting message, The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) hired messaging architects at Dallas-based CorporateMagic, Inc., to plan and execute a week-long series of events that would leave an indelible impression on the thousands gathered at Fort A.P. Hill, and across the globe.
“We didn't just want our 100th anniversary Jamboree to be bigger and better than the ones that preceded it,” said Robert Mazzuca, Chief Scout Executive of the BSA. “That would be easy. We wanted to remind boys and their parents around the world that Scouting is fun, it's cool and it is the most direct path to future success and leadership, bar none.”
CorporateMagic (www.corporatemagic.com) assembled a “dream team” of companies and individuals that spent more than a year mapping out the week's activities, ensuring that every detail was not just perfect, but contributed to the overall theme envisioned by the BSA. In the end, grown men were overcome with emotion, and a new generation of young men had gained a greater appreciation for the role Scouting can play throughout their lifetimes.
In a post-event message to the team that labored on the Jamboree, CorporateMagic CEO Jim Kirk said “What you all did (individually and collectively) on that hillside at Fort A.P. Hill was nothing short of amazing! Literally, all of you poured your love and sweat into it. It wasn't easy. I know. But it made a difference in the lives of thousands and thousands of young people, parents, military and more. They will never forget. They are better because of it. They are more inspired and uplifted.”
GoVision (www.jumbo.tv), one of the nation's premier suppliers of turnkey mobile LED units and customized modular LED walls, erected the tallest portable LED screen ever built, which towered over the main stage. At more than 60 feet high and 18 feet wide, the Brookings, S.D. built display from Daktronics (www.daktronics.com), was so massive that 26,000 gallons of water and 76,000 pounds of concrete were needed as ballast to keep the 100 LED panels from falling forward. GoVision constructed two additional 18' x 32' Daktronics HD-12 LED video walls on either side of the main screen.
“The LED units for the Jamboree were a monumental undertaking, even more complex than what we've done for presidential inaugurations and the Final Four,” said Chris Curtis, president & CEO of GoVision LP. “But this was a true labor of love, and we were honored to be a part of such a historic gathering.”
Alford Media Services (www.alfordmedia.com) was recruited to manage all the audio and video needs of the three major productions staged during the week, which included performances by popular bands Honor Society and Switchfoot, appearances by Miss America Caress Cameron, “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and a videotaped message from President Barack Obama.
Six cameras captured the activity on the stage and throughout the audience, which was simulcast to hundreds of Scout facilities nationwide, and via Internet to viewers worldwide. Two state-of-the-art light boards controlled 204 lights positioned on the stage and towers. The scrim covering the stage was illuminated by 54 LED strip lights.
“They say it takes an entire village to raise a child, and that was certainly true for our project,” said Eric Hagstrom, technical director for Alford Media. “It took a village of technical professionals to pull this one off, and I'd like to thank our partners at Annapolis Mobile Power, Clair Brothers, Christie Lites, EventsBum, Event Tech and GoVision, because without them we never could have accomplished such extraordinary things!”
Other highlights of the Jamboree Arena Shows included the largest theatrical fireworks display ever allowed on a military installation with over 4,500 shots; flyovers and aerial jump teams from all branches of the US military; parade horses; U.S. Army Strykers; a cast of 400 Scouts incorporated into the stage production; dozens of pre-produced video packages; and original music composed and produced by Stephen Dahlem and the talented artists at CorporateMagic.
Seven towers stretched for 395 feet across the stage, and the various structures were composed of 17,296 parts. Twenty miles of cable tied everything together. The arena spread out over 13 acres.
“It was such an amazing set that, for the first time, Scouts were given backstage tours,” said Brian Greenway, director, alliances and business development for CorporateMagic, Inc. “More than 10,000 boys came through during the week, and it's safe to say they were blown away by the complexity, and enormity, of the operation.”
Special presenters included Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxon Mobil, and Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, both of whom attained the rank of Eagle Scout as teenagers.
About Daktronics: Daktronics is recognized as the world's leading provider for full-color LED video systems. Such Daktronics systems, used in both modular and fixed-installation applications, feature a host of patented manufacturing, image processing and control system techniques and technologies that provide it a significant competitive advantage in the LED video marketplace. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.daktronics.com.
About the Boy Scouts of America: The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation's largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. The BSA provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness. For a century, the BSA has helped build the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The Boy Scouts of America believes — and, through nearly a century of experience, knows — that helping youth is a key to building a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.
About CorporateMagicâ„¢: CorporateMagic, Inc. (www.corporatemagic.com), based in Dallas, Texas, helps companies and organizations change the hearts and minds of their customers and employees through the messaging, design and implementation of communications programs, fixed facilities, television broadcasts, major annual events and production spectaculars. Offering in-house production and creative design, we respect and strengthen our clients' brands with focused consistency. Our team has completed projects ranging from amusement park development and operations, to restaurant, hotel and theater design, to automobile launches, to televised concerts, to culture-change initiatives, to international road shows — all designed to physically and emotionally move a specific audience and all executed with ferocious perfection. A few of CorporateMagic's dynamic projects include work with The Oklahoma Centennial Spectacular, international product launches for Mazda, Land Rover and Jaguar, Coca-Cola's Centennial, the Dallas Cowboys and the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee.
About GoVisionâ„¢: GoVision L.P. (www.jumbo.tv) provides affordable day or night, larger-than-life video broadcast for outdoor and indoor events nationwide through state-of-the-art LED walls and a fleet of custom-built mobile units. Its fleet ranges from GoBigger, the world's largest mobile high-definition LED screen, to GoTron, a 9' x 12' screen perfect for events with smaller crowds and budgets, and everything in between. GoVision boasts the world's largest inventory of Daktronics 12HD modular rental equipment. The company has had a prominent role in countless national events, including the 55th (Bush) and 56th (Obama) Presidential Inaugurations, the Breeders' Cup, Olympic Torch Relay and Lance Armstrong's Ride for the Roses. The Argyle, Texas-based company is the screen provider of the NCAA Final Four, Texas Motor Speedway, Dallas Cowboys Stadium, the University of Oklahoma and San Jose State football teams, and several PGA tournaments.
About Alford Media Services: Alford Media Services (www.alfordmedia.com) is a nationally recognized staging company providing audio, video, lighting and show coordination services for a wide range of clientele. We bring together a group of dedicated professionals with years of experience in the audio-video industry to provide solutions to customers worldwide. Our goal is to be the best (not necessarily the biggest) corporate event staging company in the country. To achieve that goal we believe we must provide the best in personnel, equipment and value. We have a burning desire to excel— on showsite, at the office, and in life. We believe true success cannot be achieved without the sincere outpouring of goodwill towards our employees, our clients, and our community. From a one-day company meeting to a touring extravaganza, we work to exceed your expectations every time.
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