Dick's Sporting Goods Announces Grand Opening Celebration at Manhattan Marketplace in Manhattan, KS

PITTSBURGH, July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S. based full-line sporting goods retailer, invites the community of Manhattan to their three-day grand opening weekend. The store will open its doors on Wednesday, July 27 and will begin the celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, July 29 at 8AM at the retailer's new location at Manhattan Marketplace (next to Best Buy), 401 3rd Place, Manhattan, KS 66502 (785-539-7800).  Special extended store hours will also be in effect for Friday (8AM-10PM), Saturday (8AM-10PM) and Sunday (9AM-8PM).

Dick's Sporting Goods has a variety of special athlete appearances and give-a-ways scheduled to celebrate the grand opening festivities. On Friday, the first customers through the door will receive a free adidas t-shirt while supplies last.

Saturday, for the first 100 customers through the door, Crocs will be giving away a free pair of adult Crocs (limit one per household and must be 18 years or older) and former K-State All-American linebacker and 2011 inductee to the Kansas City Sports Hall of Fame Mark Simoneau will be onsite from 11 AM – 1 PM. Simoneau spent ten seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints in 2010.

Sunday's schedule will feature a Mystery Gift Card Giveaway for the first 100 customers, where unmarked gift cards will be handed out with varying denominations from $5 to one lucky $500 gift card (limit one per household and must be 18 years or older). Plus, customers can enjoy a free Reebok t-shirt while supplies last. In addition, a special appearance from noon-2PM will be made by Trent Green, a Super Bowl champion quarterback and two-time Pro Bowler. Green spent six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and still holds the Chiefs record for highest career passer rating and most passing yards in a single season.

"We are excited to open our newest store in the community of Manhattan," said Dick's Sporting Goods Chief Marketing Officer Lauren Hobart. "We are extremely proud of our long standing tradition for having the best selection of sporting good products, as well as the highest level of customer service. The opening of a new store in Manhattan will give Dick's Sporting Goods another opportunity to prove our commitment to serving our customers and their community."

The Manhattan location will be the retailer's seventh store in the state of Kansas and their 455th nationwide.

Throughout the weekend, customers can sign up for the $1,000 Scorecard Shopping Spree and also earn triple points all weekend by signing up for the ScoreCard® Rewards Program.  Additionally, there will be activities throughout the store, including product demonstrations by industry experts from Gatorade, Eagle Claw, Brooks and Gaiam among others.

Visit www.dickssportinggoodsonline.com/Grand_Open/Manhattan/ for more grand opening details and directions.

Dick's Sporting Goods is proud to be an active member of the communities they serve through the efforts of Community Marketing and Youth Sports programs. Dick Stack, founder of Dick's Sporting Goods, believed that sports play a vital role in teaching our children fundamental values like a strong work ethic, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Stack understood that supporting the organizations that make youth sports possible is the best way to promote those values. Today, that legacy continues. Dick's Sporting Goods shares the same enthusiasm for and commitment to youth sports in our communities. This year, through its Community Youth Sports Program, Dick's Sporting Goods will donate thousands of coach's equipment kits to youth sports organizations across select markets – reaching over a million athletes.  For more information about Dick's Sporting Goods Community Marketing and the programs they offer, please contact Eric Marshall at [email protected] or visit http://dickssportinggoods.sponsorport.com/.

*Wristbands will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis for autographs (limit one per person) at the store and on the day of event only.  Fans with a wristband must be in line to receive an autograph.  Times and appearances are subject to change.

About Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.

Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear in a specialty store environment. The Company also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, LLC, a golf specialty retailer. As of July 25, 2011, the Company operated 451 Dick's Sporting Goods stores in 42 states, 81 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and e-commerce web sites and catalog operations for both Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. news releases are available at http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/investors. The Company's web site is not part of this release.

SOURCE Dick's Sporting Goods