Welcome to the Cox Classic: Omaha's Premier Sporting Event

Steve Ciarfalia

For Immediate Release: July 7, 2008

OMAHA, Nebraska—The Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet is pleased to announce that A.J. Elgert and Judd Cornell have received sponsor exemptions for this year's Cox Classic golf tournament.

Elgert, a native of Lincoln, NE, won the Nebraska State Junior award, the Nebraska State Match Play, and back-to-back State Amateur titles while still in high school. Elgert played all four years at the Kansas State University and was named the Nebraska Amateur Player of the Year at the age of 22.

Elgert has enjoyed his share of success, being named a member of the Adams Golf Pro Tour Series for the 2007-2008 season. The former K-State Wilcat has played 9 tournaments this season, making 7 cuts, including 2 tournament wins in his inaugural year.

Cornell, a resident of Omaha his entire life, finished third at the Nebraska State Amateur in 2006 and was the Nebraska State Amateur Player of the Year in 2004. The former Husker golfer was named Rookie of the Year in his first year with the Adams Golf Pro Tour Series.

The tournament attracts nearly 85,000 spectators and more than 1,000 volunteers each year. It also has given over $1.5 million to 12 local charities throughout the Omaha area. It is the only nationally televised professional sporting event in Nebraska. The 2008 Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet runs from July 31st through August 3rd at Champions Run.

Steve Ciarfalia

For Immediate Release: June 23, 2008

OMAHA, Nebraska—As the College World Series comes to a close and the heat of July moves in, Omaha sets its sights on the hottest sporting event in town, the 2008 Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet.

The Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet will be in its 13th year as one of the most premier golf tournaments in the Midwest. The tournament makes a significant economic impact on the Omaha area and has given $1.5 million to twelve local charities throughout Omaha. Studies show attendees have spent over one and-a-half million dollars at local hotels and the tournament annually brings in almost nine million dollars to the Omaha Metro Area.

The Cox Classic, a Nationwide Tour event, boasts some of the best up-and-coming professional golfers as well as many known former PGA Tour players. Attendance at the event averages between 82,000 and 110,000 for the week, which includes a youth clinic, two pro-am events, as well as the Nationwide Tour event. “We look forward to another great tournament this year with excellent golf competition and also raise as much money as possible for our local charities,” said tournament director Jaime Alt. The Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet begins Thursday, July 31st and runs through Sunday, August 3rd at Champions Run.

The Cox Classic $8.8 Million Impact On The Omaha Metro Area

Omaha, Nebraska – Friday, June 20, 2008. An economic impact study that the Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet commissioned during last year’s tournament shows that the tournament has an $8.8 million impact on the Omaha metro area.

The economic impact study, conducted by Christopher Decker, Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Department of Economics and Real Estate, also shows that:

About 31% of attendees (an estimated 25,000) are from outside the Omaha metro area
The sales tax impact excluding hotels and other lodging for the 2007 tournament was $235,279, with $184,683 going to state taxes and $50,417 going to city taxes
Attendees spent $1.6 million at local hotels, which generated $202,430 in occupancy tax revenues and $82,212 in state taxes
50% of those surveyed had attended the Cox Classic for three or fewer years
Most of the attendees (27%) were between the ages of 35 and 49
Roughly 70% of attendees have a bachelor degree or higher
Nearly 57% indicated earning incomes of more than $80,000

“This study has really helped us in answering a lot of questions we had about the tournament,” said Jamie Alt, the Cox Classic tournament director. “We now have some solid answers we can give to our sponsors, community leaders and fans on just how popular the tournament is, and how we help the metro area.”

Attendance at the event averages between 82,000 and 110,000 for the week, which includes a youth clinic, two pro-am events, as well as the Nationwide Tour event. The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the PGA Tour. Omaha has had several golfers come through that have won major tournaments on the PGA Tour.

Since 1996, the Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet has been held at Champions Run Golf Club. In that time, more than $1.5 million has been raised for local charities. In 2007, the Cox Classic gave away nearly $140,000 to 12 charities. This year’s tournament, which will be held from July 28 through August 3, will have a $700,000 purse with $126,000 going to the winner.

Steve Ciarfalia

For Immediate Release: May 27, 2008

OMAHA, Nebraska –The Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet is pleased to announce that Sunday, the last day for the Cox Classic, will be free admission to any member of the armed forces during Military Appreciation Day.

The 2008 Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet is one of the most popular summer events in the Omaha area and is the only nationally televised sporting event in Nebraska. The Cox Classic, a Nationwide Tour event, boasts some of the best up-and-coming professional golfers as well as many known former PGA Tour players.

Military Appreciation Day will be held on the last, and most exciting day of the tournament with free admission to any person, active or retired, that presents their military ID at the box office. The Cox Classic has decided to host this event in hopes to attract more of our country’s servicemen and servicewomen to the tournament as well as show our appreciation and gratitude for all they have done for our country.

The Cox Classic is trying to attract members of the military from Offutt Air Force Base and the Air National Guard posted in Lincoln, Nebraska. “We want to give back to our military personnel and extend our gratefulness for everything they have done for our country,” said tournament director Jamie Alt. The Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet begins Thursday, July 31st and runs through Sunday, August 3rd at Champions Run.