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National Weather Service Certifies Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park And Four Other Concert And Sports Venues As ‘StormReady’

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  • Ilitch Holdings and Olympia Entertainment partner with Michigan State Police, Oakland University and Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties to earn certification from the National Weather Service
  • Partnership across Southeast Michigan’s emergency response organizations key in building storm readiness program
  • Specially-trained weather spotters track weather conditions during events

Metro Detroit’s major sports and entertainment venues are now certified to spot, report and prepare for a wide range of weather conditions. “The National Weather Service (NWS) now recognizes Ilitch Holdings, Inc. as “StormReady” for Olympia Entertainment’s major event venues both owned and operated by Olympia Entertainment.” The sites include Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park, DTE Energy Music Theatre, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre at Oakland University, the historic Fox Theatre and the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill.

The StormReady certification brings together emergency managers from federal law enforcement groups to county leadership across Southeast Michigan, including Michigan State Police, Wayne Stateand Oakland universities, among others. Together, they collaborate to ensure the safety and security of visitors at the region’s major sports and entertainment venues.

“StormReady encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness,” said Richard Pollman, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the NWS weather forecast office in White Lake, Michigan. “StormReady provides communities with improved communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property – before and during the event.”

With more than 50 specially-trained weather spotters, the six venues are continuously monitored for signs of inclement weather.

“We put in a great deal of behind-the-scenes effort to help ensure the best possible guest experience at our venues,” said Chris Granger, Group President for Sports and Entertainment at Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “With the National Weather Service in the lead, this program helps many organizations collaborate across the region to help ensure our guests always have a great experience at both indoor and outdoor venues.”

The nationwide StormReady weather preparedness program helps local communities develop plans to handle severe weather conditions. The program provides communities across the country with recommended processes to coordinate between the region’s National Weather Forecast office and state and local emergency managers and businesses that oversee security and weather preparedness.

Last year, Little Caesars Arena, home of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, received the SAFETY Act Certification, the highest level of protection awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Managed and operated by Olympia Entertainment, Little Caesars Arena is the first combined NHL, NBA and entertainment venue to earn the certification. Comerica Park, home to the MLB’s Detroit Tigers, received the SAFETY Act Certification in 2015.

“Obtaining StormReady certification demonstrates our commitment to protecting our patrons and staff,” said Rick Fenton, Vice President of Security for Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “The StormReady certification is also part of our continuous effort to improve our SAFETY Act certification.”

To be recognized as StormReady, a site must:

  • Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center
  • Have more than one method to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public
  • Create a system that monitors local weather conditions
  • Promote the importance of public readiness through multiple outreach efforts
  • Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises

StormReady began in 1999 and today includes over 2,700 communities in the United States. Ilitch Holdings, Inc. becomes the eighth commercial entity in Michigan to earn the StormReady designation. The recognition will last for three years.

About NOAA and National Weather Service

NOAA’s National Weather Service is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories.  NOAA’s National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property.

About Ilitch Holdings, Inc.
Ilitch Holdings, Inc., was established in 1999 to provide professional services to certain businesses that were founded or purchased by Detroit entrepreneurs Mike and/or Marian Ilitch. The Ilitch companies represent leading brands in the food, sports and entertainment industries, including Little Caesars, Blue Line Distribution, the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, the Detroit Tigers, Olympia Development, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program and Champion Foods. The organization also has a joint venture interest in 313 Presents. Additionally, Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel.

About Olympia Entertainment

Headquartered in the heart of The District Detroit, Olympia Entertainment owns and operates the Fox Theatre, City Theatre and Hockeytown Cafe, and provides facility management services at Little Caesars Arena, DTE Energy Music Theatre, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill. The company also serves as the sales and marketing organization for the Detroit Red Wings and provides additional services to 313 Presents.

Olympia Entertainment is an Ilitch company. Other Ilitch companies include: Little Caesars Pizza, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers, Olympia Development of Michigan, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., MotorCity Casino Hotel and Champion Foods. The Ilitch companies also maintain a joint venture interest in 313 Presents.


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George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Game Sales for Good: Kalypso Media and Humble Bundle Partner to Raise Funds for Charity

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$77,000 Raised: Supporting Oceana, One Tree Planted, and More

Publisher Kalypso Media proudly reports their initiative through partnership with Humble Bundle, raising $77,000 to support a wide variety of charities, including Oceana, One Tree Planted, Child’s Play, WWF, and Movember in 2024.

“We believe it is our responsibility at Kalypso Media to support global causes, and we are honoured to work alongside Humble Bundle to do so,” said Anika Thun, Managing Director of Kalypso Media. “Empowering gamers to enjoy our products while making a difference to meaningful causes, connects us to a larger purpose made possible through the joy of video games.”

“At Humble, we’ve always believed in the power of gaming to create positive change. Our partnership with Kalypso Media exemplifies our ongoing mission to support meaningful global causes and empower gamers to make a difference,” said Kamini Tiwari, VP of Social Impact at Humble.

Among the charities supported, there was a significant focus on environmental conservation, with Oceana and One Tree Planted. These charities focus on protecting and restoring some of our planet’s most vulnerable resources. Oceana focuses on ocean conservation and protection, including threats of overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and threatened species. One Tree Planted is dedicated to global reforestation, providing a simple way for anyone to become involved in nurturing the planet, protecting life, and inspiring hope through the power of trees.

Kalypso Media is dedicated to continuing its efforts to support global causes in 2025 and looks forward to providing ways for Kalypso Media gamers to become involved.

For more information on these charities, Humble Bundle and how you can personally support, please visit:

  • Oceana – oceana.org/
  • One Tree Planted – onetreeplanted.org/
  • Humble Bundle – humblebundle.com/

 

The post Game Sales for Good: Kalypso Media and Humble Bundle Partner to Raise Funds for Charity appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ZITRO SECURES THE PRESTIGIOUS EILERS & KREJCIK GAMING (EKG) AWARD FOR LATAM’S TOP-PERFORMING GAME OF THE YEAR

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Zitro is proud to announce that Mighty Hammer Link Up has been honored with the Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG) Award for the Top Performing Game in Latin America.

This prestigious accolade further solidifies Zitro’s leading position in the region, a fact underscored by the Eilers & Krejcik—Fantini report released this January, which ranked Zitro #1 with a performance index of 2.61x.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive this award. Mighty Hammer is undeniably a phenomenal success, captivating players across Latin America in both its LAP and WAP configurations,” stated Sebastián Salat, Zitro’s President-International. “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team and reinforces our unwavering commitment to developing innovative and engaging products for players throughout the region. We sincerely thank our Latin American clients for their continued support and unwavering trust in our offerings.”

Building on this momentum, Zitro will showcase its new CONCEPT cabinet line and exciting new games at the upcoming Zitro Experience Argentina on Tuesday, March 18th, during the same week of the SAGSE’25 trade show. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

The post ZITRO SECURES THE PRESTIGIOUS EILERS & KREJCIK GAMING (EKG) AWARD FOR LATAM’S TOP-PERFORMING GAME OF THE YEAR appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Sandsoft on the rise as it bolsters portfolio with three new titles

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A growing mobile publishing company brings titles from Latvia, Canada, and Brazil to market and is seeking more games to expand its global presence in hybrid casual.

Mobile powerhouse Sandsoft has signed three new games from developers in Latvia, Canada and Brazil, further expanding its portfolio of hybrid casual games.

Kolka Games’ Wizario, Rogue Harbour Game Studio’s Potions & Spells, and Izyplay Game Studio’s Iza’s Supermarket highlight Sandsoft’s commitment to supporting developers worldwide in creating mobile-first, free-to-play titles. All three games are now available, with several more in testing and scheduled for release in the coming months. With growing demand from third-party developers in the mobile gaming market, Sandsoft is actively seeking to publish more titles.

Over the past year, the company has made significant strides, expanding its team by 35%, with its staff now representing 30 different nationalities, and opening a new studio in Barcelona to enhance its global presence alongside existing offices in Shanghai and Helsinki, and its headquarters and studio in Riyadh. It has also forged strategic partnerships with NetEase and NEOM to further strengthen the gaming ecosystem in the MENA region. With the successful release of its RPG Pocket Necromancer in October 2024, the company aims to continue growing its portfolio.

Sandsoft is actively seeking partnerships with developers worldwide to bring innovative mobile games to a global audience. The company is particularly interested in hybrid-casual games that have already been tested in the market and demonstrated promising early metrics, such as strong initial player engagement and significant potential for growth.

Sandsoft’s publishing model is designed to provide support at every area of a game development whether it be funding, product management, data, or growth marketing. Funding is allocated based on milestone achievements, meaning that, as the game meets key performance metrics, additional investment is unlocked to help accelerate its growth. Sandsoft invites developers that have a project matching this criteria to reach out if they wish to discuss how a collaboration could bring their vision to life.

That was the case for Kolka Games, Rogue Harbour Game Studio and Izyplay Game Studio, with their respective games now comfortably established within the Sandsoft umbrella where they’re due to continue growing.

Action-adventure title Wizario was developed by the minds of emerging indie studio Kolka Games, based in Riga. Cosy witchcraft game Potions & Spells, and its enchanting art style, were created by Vancouver-based Rogue Harbour Game Studio, founded in 2020 by a collective of industry veterans. And last but not least, retail sim tycoon Iza’s Supermarket comes from award-winning Brazilian developer Izyplay Game Studio, which has been at the forefront of casual gaming since 2010 and seen its titles downloaded over 35 million times.

David Fernandez, CEO at Sandsoft, commented: “Launching Wizario, Potions & Spells, and Iza’s Supermarket marks an exciting step in expanding our portfolio with fresh and engaging experiences for players worldwide. We’re proud to keep expanding our network of partner studios that share our vision for high-quality, mobile-first gaming.”

 

The post Sandsoft on the rise as it bolsters portfolio with three new titles appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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