Portion of Proceeds to be Donated to Shamrock Foundation, Simon Youth Foundation
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) and the Boston Celtics have teamed up to present the Simon Boston Celtics Giftcard(TM), just in time for the 2007-08 season. As part of this new relationship, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation and the Simon Youth Foundation, both of which provide education benefits to local youth. The Simon Boston Celtics Giftcard is now available at all Simon Mall locations in New England, including Copley Place, Burlington Mall, South Shore Plaza and Mall at Chestnut Hill, to name a few.
“Simon’s relationship with the Boston Celtics is timely and exciting for us, and we're honored to be associated with such a legendary NBA franchise,” said Stewart A. Stockdale, Chief Marketing Officer for Simon Property Group and President, Simon Brand Ventures, the company's marketing arm. “We are pleased to be able to bring Celtics fans a gift card that shows their allegiance to the team and the Foundation it supports, just in time for what promises to be an exciting season.”
As part of their alliance, Simon Malls and the Boston Celtics have entered into a three-year sponsorship agreement that includes Simon signage at the TD Banknorth Garden, on-court promotions and an online promotional component.
“We're pleased to be able to provide our fans with a Celtics-themed gift card, especially in conjunction with such a well-known and admired brand as Simon,” Boston Celtics Vice President Corporate Partnerships & Business Development, Sean Barror said.
The Simon Boston Celtics Giftcard will be available in denominations ranging from $20 to $500 with a $3.00 handling fee for each card purchased, a portion of which will be split evenly between the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation and the Simon Youth Foundation. The Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation benefits children through programs that provide education and support and by partnering with community-based organizations that provide healthcare, shelter and vital services for children in need. The Simon Youth Foundation fosters and improves educational opportunities, career development, and life skills for at-risk youth through focused programs and initiatives with public school partners.
The Simon Boston Celtics Giftcard is the latest co-branded gift card between Simon and professional sports franchises as well as major universities. Other Simon gift cards co-branded with professional sports franchises feature alliances with the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers. Simon's co-branding relationships with U.S. universities include the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M University, Indiana University and Purdue University. Simon also offers the Simon Pink Ribbon Giftcard in an alliance with Komen For the Cure and the Simon Givingcard in certain regions of the country in association with non-profit organizations serving children.
The Simon Boston Celtics Giftcard is a Visa Gift card and can be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including Simon Malls nationwide. The card is also protected by Visa's Zero Liability(1) policy in the event the card is lost or stolen, and is issued by MetaBank.
About Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. is an S&P 500 company and the largest public U.S. real estate company. Simon is a fully integrated real estate company which operates from five retail real estate platforms: regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers(R), The Mills(R), community/lifestyle centers and international properties. It currently owns or has an interest in 378 properties comprising 257 million square feet of gross leasable area in North America, Europe and Asia. The Company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employs more than 5,000 people worldwide. Simon Property Group, Inc. is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol SPG. For further information, visit the Company's website at www.simon.com.
About Simon Brand Ventures
Simon Brand Ventures (SBV), Simon's business-to-consumer arm, is pioneering the transformation of shopping centers into a medium where consumer brands can build relationships with Simon shoppers who make over 2.8 billion visits each year. Simon's vast franchise of market-leading shopping centers nationwide provides SBV the foundation to monetize the distribution system through numerous consumer ventures. SBV has engaged in a number of consumer business initiatives, including the Simon Visa Giftcard(R), launch of Simon platform programs such as Simon DTour Live(R), Simon Kidgits Club(R) and Simon Super Chefs Live!(R); a national media delivery channel including static, digital and experiential marketing and advertising vehicles, including the OnSpot Digital Network; and multiple national and local marketing alliances with Coca-Cola, Visa U.S.A. and Cingular Wireless, among others.
About MetaBank
MetaBank is a federally-chartered savings bank headquartered in Storm Lake, Iowa. Meta Financial Group, Inc.(R) is the bank holding company for MetaBank, MetaBank West Central, Meta Payment Systems(R), and Meta Trust Company(R). The Meta Payments Systems division of MetaBank based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, serves banks, processors, and third party marketers by providing prepaid cards, credit cards, ACH origination, merchant acquiring, ATM sponsorship, and money transfer. Meta Financial Group is traded on the NASDAQ – Global Market: CASH. For more information call 605.275.8052 or visit http://www.metacash.com.
(1) U.S. issued cards only. Visa's Zero Liability policy does not apply to commercial credit card or ATM transactions, or PIN transactions not processed by Visa. Issuers should encourage cardholders to notify their financial institution immediately of any fraudulent use. Any specific restrictions, limitations, and other details should be set forth clearly in the cardholder agreement.
SOURCE Simon Property Group
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