FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2005

CONTACT: Billie Jo Waara, (605) 773-3301 or billiejo.waara@state.sd.us

*CORRECTION*

Mount Rushmore Fireworks Watched by Millions

PIERRE, S.D. – An estimated 62 million viewers across the country watched as fireworks lit up America’s Shrine of Democracy at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The number of viewers reported on Friday, July 7, 2006, did not include the complete estimates available to the Office of Tourism by Nielsen Media Research, Inc. The latest numbers show viewership of the fireworks celebration more than doubled over 2005.The South Dakota Office of Tourism broadcast the July 3 fireworks bursting over the famous faces live via satellite to media across the country.

“Allowing us to reach millions of potential visitors from across America, the Mount Rushmore fireworks satellite feed is a successful marketing effort the Office of Tourism uses to gather national attention for South Dakota,” said Billie Jo Waara, director of the South Dakota Office of Tourism.

ABC, CBS, FOX, and The Weather Channel were among the national media airing the Mount Rushmore fireworks footage. Affiliate stations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Seattle, St. Louis, Washington D.C. and many other American cities also used the satellite feed.

Downloadable high resolution photos of the Mount Rushmore fireworks were also provided to newspapers across the country through Tourism’s media Web site, www.MediaSD.com.

2006 marked the eighth year the Office of Tourism broadcast Mount Rushmore’s Independence Day Celebration via satellite.

-30-