Live Downtown Games continues with second annual week-long event in Downtown Detroit

BCBSM, Compuware, DTE Energy, Marketing Associates, Quicken Loans, Strategic Staffing Solutions to compete in week-long Olympic-style events July 22-26 in Downtown Detroit

News provided by

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Jul 12, 2013, 01:35 ET

DETROIT, July 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The game is on and the competition is fierce as the six Live Downtown companies face off in the second annual Live Downtown Games July 22-26.

Last year, Detroit's finest athletes from five major area employers showcased their talent and skills in the inaugural Live Downtown Games. The Games resulted in an intense, week-long competition between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Compuware, DTE Energy, Quicken Loans and Strategic Staffing Solutions. Compuware took home top honors. This year, Marketing Associates joined the Live Downtown program and the Games.

The 2013 Live Downtown Games will kick off at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 22, with opening ceremonies in the heart of Downtown Detroit – Campus Martius Park – marking the two-year anniversary of the Live Downtown incentive program.

"The collaboration among these companies, with the recent addition of Marketing Associates, continues to grow and serves as a shining example of what can be accomplished with cooperation and a sense of larger purpose," said Dave Blaszkiewicz, president and CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. "The 2012 games were a huge success, connecting people all around the city and contributing to the positive growth, momentum and sense of community within Detroit."

Over the course of five days during lunch and following work hours, employees from each Live Downtown company will compete in a series of Olympic-style activities in various Downtown Detroit locations. The companies will also combine efforts to support educational achievement in the city of Detroit.

The competition will be based on a point system with the winner crowned at the closing ceremonies on Friday, July 26. The complete schedule of activities is listed below. Highlights include: the executive bungee run immediately following opening ceremonies, which begins the week of competition; field day at DTE Energy's campus; a Detroit-themed scavenger hunt and a community philanthropic event benefitting the Detroit Public Schools. Employees will also have an opportunity to interact on Thursday, July 25 at a mixer event at Sound Board, sponsored by MCCH.

Schedule of Events

*Monday, July 22*
11 a.m.	Opening Ceremonies, Campus Martius Park
11:30 a.m.	Executive Bungee Run, Campus Martius Park
11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Obstacle Course Team Competition, Campus Martius Park

5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.	Competitive Volleyball Tournament, Compuware, One Campus Martius
6 p.m. – 10 p.m.	Table Tennis Tournament, Drive Table Tennis Social Club, 1441 Woodward Ave.

*Tuesday, July 23*
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.	Philanthropy Day – Detroit Public Schools Back Pack Stuffing Relay
	Compuware Atrium, One Campus Martius

5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.	Competitive Volleyball Tournament, Compuware, One Campus Martius
6 p.m. – 10 p.m.	Table Tennis Tournament, Drive Table Tennis Social Club, 1441 Woodward Ave.

*Wednesday, July 24*
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Field Day, DTE Energy Campus, One Energy Plaza

5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.	Competitive Volleyball Tournament, Compuware, One Campus Martius
6 p.m. – 10 p.m.	Table Tennis Tournament, Drive Table Tennis Social Club, 1441 Woodward Ave.

*Thursday, July 25*
11 a.m. – 1p.m.	Competitive Volleyball Championship, Compuware, One Campus Martius
	Table Tennis Championship, Compuware Corporation

6 p.m. – 9 p.m.	Detroit Scavenger Hunt and Employee Mixer, MotorCity Casino Sound Board, 2901 Grand River Ave. (Note: This event is not open to the public.)
*Friday, July 26*
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Closing ceremonies with Live Downtown Games winner announced at Campus Martius Park

A special thank you to tee-shirt sponsor Opportunity Detroit, a campaign that promotes downtown Detroit as a great place to live, work and play, and all of our event hosts DTE Energy, Compuware, MotorCity Casino Hotel and Drive Table Tennis Social Club, and in-kind sponsors The Robot Garage and Just Topped.

Daily updates will be posted at www.downtowndetroit.org/summergames/. The official hashtag of the Live Downtown Games is #DETgames.

In 2012, the Live Downtown Games were created to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Live Downtown program, which is coordinated by the Downtown Detroit Partnership and administered by Midtown Detroit Inc. The five-year, more than $4 million Live Downtown Incentive Program was created to incentivize people working in Downtown Detroit to consider investing in a home in the city in which they work and play. The program focuses on building density in Downtown and designated nearby neighborhoods: Corktown, Lafayette Park, Eastern Market, Woodbridge and the Midtown areas of Brush Park, Cass Park, Art Center, and Lower Cass. For more information on the Live Downtown program, visit http://www.detroitlivedowntown.org/.

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan