Launch Poster for Video Game Hall of Fame
Launch Party for International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum
Ottumwa, Iowa – August 7, 2009 – Ottumwa, Iowa has embarked on a unique project that may prove to be the envy of many other small towns throughout the world: establishing itself as the “Video Game Capital of the World” - and opening up the gaming industry's "official" International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum.
On Thursday, August 13, 2009, the city of Ottumwa, Iowa is holding a "Launch Party" as the means to publicly unveil their plans to create the “official”
Though the proposed International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum (IVGHOF) may cost untold millions of dollars, this town of 26,000 residents believes that the project can thrive in the same way that Cooperstown, NY has prospered as the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum.
“Ottumwa has already received tremendous media coverage as a 'Mecca for Gamers,'" explains Walter Day, creator of the famous Twin Galaxies Scoreboard, which was founded in Ottumwa in November, 1981. “In the early 1980s,” continues Day, “Ottumwa had many well-publicized events that were covered by LIFE magazine, ABC-TV’s That’s Incredible and the Associated Press. Ottumwa was the crossroads of the video game world in those days. In the course of this Launch Party, there will be numerous film clips screened that deal with Ottumwa's well-known legacy as the 'Video Game Capital of the World.'"
The International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum may be a dream come true for Ottumwa. Though the building does not yet exist, the organizational machinery has fallen into place, along with the imminent corporate structure and the will & desire to make this happen. As the excitement grows for this project, more and more volunteers have stepped forward. As of now, the Steering Committee that is creating the IVGHOF consists of more than 35 people, with representatives from City, County and State Government involved, as well as Ottumwa merchants and Ottumwa citizens.
"It’s the amazing story of a small town changing its destiny and becoming the Cooperstown of the video game industry," says Day. "It's a pretty bold move, attempting something that you'd normally expect a major metropolis like Tokyo or Los Angeles to tackle."
But, there's more. The Citizens of Ottumwa are taking the initiative to promote their town as the "Birthplace of Organized Video Game Playing." They plan on making Ottumwa a "Mecca for Gamers," transforming the city into the "Cultural Crossroads of the Video Game Industry." In recent weeks, a sign appeared in Ottumwa on a billboard along a major highway artery, heralding a new era for Ottumwa. It says: "Ottumwa: Video Game Capital of the World." Take a look at the link below and you'll see that the Citizens of Ottumwa take this project very seriously.
http://www.twingalaxies.com/
Everybody is invited to attend this event. Admission is free and the games are all set on free play. Plus, you get to see fascinating films, learn more about the Hall of Fame and meet the famous gaming celebrities listed below:
Jack Gale (Legendary Arcade Champion)
Isaiah "TriForce" Johnson (Modern Arcade Champ - Founder of Empire Arcadia)
Morningdove Mahoney (Frostbite Freddie World Champion)
Tim McVey (Honored in 1st "Civic Day" for a Gamer)
Billy Mitchell (Player of the century)
Todd Rogers (History's 1st Pro Gamer)
Steve Sanders (Previous World Records: Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Joust, Super Pac-Man)
Tony Temple (Missile Command Champion from England)
Johnathan 'Fatal1ty' Wendel (History's Most Successful Gamer)
Pete Bates (Noted Arcade Competitor from England)
For more information, contact
Terry McNitt
Executive Director
Ottumwa Area Chamber of Commerce
217 East Main Street
P.O. Box 308
Ottumwa, Iowa 52501
tmcnitt@ottumwaiowa.com
Phone: (641) 682-3465
Fax: (641) 682-3466
