Month: June 2018

OmahaNebraska.com Interview with American Lobster Fest’s Tim Franks: Council Bluff, IA

Interview with Tim Frank
American Lobster Fest
30 June 2018

OmahaNebraska.com here at the great American Lobster Fest.

My name is Tim Frank. I am one of the festival organizers.

How did you get started and  how hard is it to organize something like this?

Pretty challenging, especially when they change your venue due to the river overflowing at Tom Hanafan Park but it’s been really great.

Everyone at Council Bluffs and Omaha worked together to help us get it shifted over here at Mid-America Center and everyone is really great to work with.

I started in 2014 at Navy Pier in Chicago where we still do it every year on Labor Day weekend and this is our first time expanding here in the Omaha Council Bluffs area and in Detroit later this year.

Do you know what time you will be doing it in Detroit?

Detroit is September 14th, 15th and 16th    and in Chicago we are August 30nd,  September 1st,   September    2nd.;

How did you get fresh lobster here?

We fly it in every day. Our partner and presenting sponsor is Lobster Gram- flies it in every morning to the Omaha Airport and we pick up the live lobster and that is how we get it here and it is as fresh as you can get anywhere because it is still alive.

So where are you storing it? How are you storing it now?

We are keeping it in refrigerated trucks and it comes in every day as fresh as you can get until we cook it.

How much lobster did you anticipate getting?

I think that we got around 2000 lbs. Maybe about 3000 actually.

How many lobsters?

Probably about 2500 to 3500 but I have to ask Chris. Each lobster is about one and a quarter pound.

What is your favorite way to eat lobster?

I like a lobster roll. That’s my favorite.

What other types of things are you doing here at Lobster Fest?

So we’ve got lots of different food and land food, We like to call it land food- the barbecue, burgers and hot dogs to keep the whole family happy.

There’s shaved ice, funnel cakes and live music and art vendors.

Lots of face painters and the Bryan Hill Entertainment Family Fun Zone and he is local to Omaha. So you can have kids on the blow-up inflatables and all that good stuff.

Tell us how to get involved for next year either as sponsors or volunteers.

Reach out at AmericanLobsterFest.com. The best email is info@americanlobsterfest.com.

Thank you very much.

No problem. Thank you.

American Lobster Fest Photos

I’ve enjoyed my visit to Lobster Fest. Please enjoy the pictures.

American Lobster Fest runs now and until 1 July in its new and dry location:

Horse Shoe Casino
1 Arena Way
Council Bluffs, IA 51501

D’s Catering
40 Arena Wat, Suite 11
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
712.890.8670

Shucks Fish and Oyster Bar, Omaha- Three Locations

1218 South 119th Street
402.827.4376

16901 Wright Plaza
402.763.1860

1911 Leavenworth Street
402.614.5544

https://www.shucksfishhouse.com

I tried the grilled lobster tail with melted butter and lemon. Very good.

Please visit back later for our interview with Tim Frank.

Learn more about American Lobster Fest at:
https://www.americanlobsterfest.com

If anyone else would like their business contact information posted, please send an email to info@omahanebraska.com with the information. Thank you.

Would you like us to cover your Omaha or Omaha area event? Contact us at info@omahanebraska.com or 402.932.7243.

 

OmahaNebraska.com Interview with Al Avila, VP and GM of the Detroit Tigers

Major League Baseball
OmahaNebraska.com Interview with Al Avila,
 VP and GM of the Detroit Tigers

I am very excited to see the Tigers come play here. Could you tell us how the Tigers were chosen?

Well, basically the commission does a survey to see what teams are interested in playing outside of their own venue and we were one of the teams that volunteered.

And so we were chosen to come. And I think part of the reason being obviously that  we were playing Kansas City Royals and logistically it made sense, because after that we were going to be there playing  that series. Then the last game of that series we will come here.

So we actually volunteered for it through the survey and we were chosen to come.

It’s wonderful. I know you are going to have a lot of logistics with that.

Yes, I know and the trip for KC to here is pretty short.

We have a series to play there next year. It was easy. It made sense to come.

Anything you’re thinking of taking the team to see here while you are here?

Next year, you mean?

Yes.

We have a lot of players on our club that actually played in the College World Series, so I am sure when they come back there will be a lot of reminiscing and a lot of maybe trash-talking?  Because they all played for different teams, you know, or different colleges.

I am sure the teammates that they have that did not participate.  I am sure they will show them around and they get to also maybe also feel that College World Series experience.

So, I think it will be a tremendous thing.

In talking to some of  our players — I know that some of our players and our manager, Ron Gardenhire,  who played in the College World Series also are very excited to come and relive those years for them.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Major League Baseball Game to Come to Omaha

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 21, 2018
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TO STAGE REGULAR SEASON GAME IN OMAHA
LEADING INTO THE 2019 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Royals and Tigers Will Meet on June 13, 2019, Two Days Before First Game of the NCAA’s Men’s College World Series, in Exclusive National Telecast on ESPN Special Event Will Be Part of Newly Unveiled GEICO Summer Series

OMAHA, NE – Major League Baseball announced today that the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers will play a regular season game in Omaha, Nebraska on Thursday, June 13, 2019. Honoring Omaha’s baseball tradition, the first Major League game ever held in Nebraska will be televised nationally by ESPN and will be played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha – one day before the Opening Celebration Day of the 2019 National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Men’s College World Series and two days before the event’s
first game. GEICO will be the presenting sponsor of the event as part of the new GEICO Summer Series. The game resulted from an agreement between MLB, the NCAA, Minor League Baseball, the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers and Omaha’s Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA).

Today’s announcement was made at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha and featured Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr.; the Royals’ Dayton Moore, Senior Vice President and General Manager, and Kevin Uhlich, Senior Vice President, Business Operations; the Tigers’ Al Avila, Executive Vice President and General Manager, and Duane McLean, Executive Vice President, Business Operations; the Mayor of the City of Omaha, Jean Stothert; Gary Green, Principal Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Omaha Storm Chasers; Roger Dixon, President/CEO of MECA; and ESPN’s Karl Ravech, one of the network’s signature baseball voices at multiple levels of the game.

The 2019 game will follow other recent special events that have brought regular season play to nontraditional locales and have been telecast by ESPN. On July 3, 2016, the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins played at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, a celebration of the servicemembers at the post and the first Major League game ever held in the state. On August 20, 2017, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals participated in the inaugural Little League Classic, which took place at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the home of the Little League World Series. The second Little League Classic presented by GEICO will be played this August 19th between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets.

The Royals and the Storm Chasers, who helped make this event possible, share the game’s longest relationship between a Major League Club and its Triple-A affiliate, spanning the careers of Hall of Famer

George Brett and other Kansas City greats since its franchise inception in 1969. Thirty-two Major League players all-time were born in Omaha, including Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Wade Boggs, and more than 100 all-time were born in Nebraska, including Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn and Royals’ three-time All-Star
Alex Gordon, a Lincoln native and a product of the University of Nebraska. Gibson pitched for Triple-A Omaha when it was a Cardinals’ affiliate. As a member of the New York Giants’ Minneapolis farm club in 1951, Hall of Famer Willie Mays was in Omaha when he was called up to the Majors. In 1889, Hall of Fame pitcher Kid Nichols was the ace of the Omaha Omahogs of the Western Association. The state of Nebraska has a long and distinguished tradition of Native Americans playing the game.

Commissioner Manfred said: “As fans enjoy the excitement of the College World Series, I am pleased to announce that we will be playing a Major League game in Omaha next season. We look forward to partnering
with the NCAA and all the various parties who have worked hard to put this game together. This represents
another significant step in our efforts to showcase the solidarity that links each level of our great game.”

Kevin Uhlich, the Royals’ Senior Vice President, Business Operations, said: “The bond that ties our ball club in Kansas City and the city of Omaha dates back to the first pitch ever thrown in organization history in 1969 when both the Kansas City Royals and then-Omaha Royals came into existence. Couple that with one of
the greatest spectacles in college athletics, the College World Series, and we’re ecstatic as an organization to participate in this historic game. So many of the athletes who have worn Royal uniforms have come through this great community either while starring for their college team or as a member of our organization. It’s only fitting that the Royals be a part of the first Major League game ever hosted by the city of Omaha.”

Al Avila, Executive Vice President and GM of the Tigers, said: “All of us with the Detroit Tigers are thrilled and honored to participate in the first-ever Major League game at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. The College World Series is one of America’s jewel events and is truly an institution within the baseball world. We
are looking forward to showcasing the talent of our Major Leaguers on amateur baseball’s biggest stage.”

Omaha Storm Chasers owner Gary Green said: “We are very excited to not just be part of this historic first-of-its-kind event in Omaha next year, but that our parent club of 50-plus seasons will be participating as well. The city of Omaha has an incredibly rich history of professional baseball, and the large significance of this event taking place next year in this city cannot be overstated.”

Bill Brower, GEICO’s assistant vice president of marketing, said: “Omaha has played an enormous role in making baseball America’s pastime. GEICO is pleased to support this historic game and the timeless sport of baseball.”

Omaha has hosted the College World Series since 1950, at Rosenblatt Stadium through 2010 and at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha since 2011.

# # #
Contact: Patrick Courtney or Michael Teevan, Major League Baseball, (212) 931-7878, mlbpressbox.com, @MLB_PR.

Come back later for our OmahaNebraska.com photos for the press conference held earlier today and for our interview with Al Avila of the Detroit Tigers!

Tigers to Play Royals in Omaha! MLB Comes to Omaha!

At a press conference today, it was officially announced that a Major League Baseball game would come to Omaha. The Detroit Tigers will play the Kansas City Royals in Omaha at TD Ameritrade Park!

Those present include from left to right at the press conference were:
Karl Ravech, Host ESPN
Roger Dixon, President/CEO of MECA
Jean Stothert, Mayor of the City of Omaha
Robert D. Manfred, Jr.,Commissioner of Baseball
Dayton Moore, Senior Vice President and General Manager KC Royals
Al Avila, Executive Vice President and General Manager Detroit Tigers
Gary Green, Principal Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Omaha Storm Chasers

For another MLB story, please see our OmahaNebraska.com interview with Al Avila, VP and GM of the Detroit Tigers
https://www.omahanebraska.com/blog/omahanebraska-com-interview-with-al-avila-vp-and-gm-of-the-detroit-tigers/

On a related baseball note, please see our CWS, College World Series, interviews and posts.

What’s new in CWS food for 2018?
https://www.omahanebraska.com/blog/cws-media-tasting-2018-great-food-meets-the-greatest-show-on-dirt

2018 Interview with Chef Chris Myers of Levy Restaurants
https://www.omahanebraska.com/blog/omaha-interview-chris-myers-with-levy-restaurants-at-td-ameritrade-park-for-college-world-series/

2018 Interview with Kathryn Morrissey, Executive Director of CWS Omaha Inc.
https://www.omahanebraska.com/blog/cws-interview

2017 Interview with Kathryn Morrissey, Executive Director of CWS Omaha Inc.
http://omahanebraska.com/omahainterviewcollegeworldseries