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ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC ANNOUNCES THE ACM EXPERIENCE. FIRST-EVER FREE, OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC EVENT FOR FANS DURING THE WEEK VEGAS GOES COUNTRY®

FAMILY-FRIENDLY 3-Day Event for Country Music Lifestyle Fans to be held march 30-april 1, 2012 at Mandalay Bay resort & Casino including the ACM BBQ THROWDOWN, ACM EXPO, RAM Ride and Drive and more!

Encino, CA (February 8, 2012) – The Academy of Country Music is announcing THE ACM EXPERIENCE, the first-ever, free, open-to-the public country music lifestyle event created for fans during The Week Vegas Goes Country®.  The ACM Experience is a fan-focused three-day event including the ACM BBQ Throwdown, ACM Expo, the Ram Ride and Drive and more, to be held March 30-April 1, 2012 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.  The events will culminate in the already-announced ACM Fan Jam, a ticketed event hosted by Zac Brown Band, on Sunday, April 1, 2012.

 THE ACM EXPERIENCE will take place in conjunction with The Week Vegas Goes Country, that includes the main event, the 47th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, honoring country music’s top talent and the industry’s hottest emerging talent, to be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

Located inside and in front of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, The ACM Experience will be dedicated to immersing fans in the country music lifestyle, allowing enthusiasts to “shop country, taste country, ride country, and hear country” throughout the weekend.

“Las Vegas is already a destination for so many country music fans and The ACM Experience is a natural extension of the Academy’s focus on bringing them the best in free, family-friendly events that promote the genre and provide additional exposure for both established acts and new artists,” said, Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “We are thrilled that we can help program so many amazing events for fans—the Academy has essentially taken over two of the largest and most prestigious venues in Las Vegas, which is no small feat.”

Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, the ACM BBQ Throwdown presented by BULL, will bring together some of the most recognizable names in the competitive barbeque circuit, all competing for a guaranteed purse of $50,000—one of the world’s richest contests. In addition to the actual competition, there will be world champion vendors selling their famous barbecue, interactive booths, cooking demonstrations and much more to be announced.  The ACM BBQ Throwdown will be produced by Smoke on the Water Productions.

For the ultimate country shopping and marketplace experience, the ACM Expo presented by Roper, will be located just inside the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.  As part of The ACM Experience, the marketplace ACM Expo will include more than 200,000 square feet of shopping, gaming and eating. Unique vendors from all over the United States and Canada will offer products such as customized jewelry, western wear, furniture, original art, homemade crafts and pottery.  The ACM Expo also includes a “town square” performance area for some of the brightest rising stars in country music and other entertainment to be announced.  The ACM Expo will be produced by Group W Productions, LLC.

“Country music fans from around the world already reach out to us early to plan their trips to the Academy of Country Music Awards and now, with THE ACM EXPERIENCE, we can further enhance their vacations and bring the country lifestyle to the Las Vegas market in a way we’ve never been able to before,” said Erick Long, Vice President, Operations & Logistics at the Academy of Country Music and lead event producer for THE ACM EXPERIENCE.

The ACM Experience will also include interactive areas, such as the “Dance Y’all Showcase,” a dance party and exhibition featuring America’s premier country dance crew, and the “Dr Pepper TEN Man Cave,” a custom 34-foot trailer “man sanctuary” designed to provide Dr Pepper TEN sampling, entertainment, gaming, music and sports.  The Dr Pepper TEN Man Cave is packed with TVs, gaming and iPad stations, a 55” main screen flanked by surround sound and more.  Also, the Coaches’ Trophy™ presented by Dr Pepper will be on display where fans can capture a photo with the iconic, 45 pound, Waterford Crystal trophy.  This Discover Bowl Championship Series (BCS) national championship trophy is the ultimate goal of college football teams across the country.

Fans can experience firsthand the best-in-class performance, capabilities and competitive advantages of Ram trucks at the Ram Ride and Drive outdoor test track at The ACM Experience. Located just outside of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the Ram Ride and Drive will demonstrate the capabilities of Ram trucks and engage country fans with a closed course including a 13-foot mobile hill and steel suspension ramps. Fans can also check out the new features of the 2012 Ram trucks on display in the Ram Ride and Drive arena.

"Ram Truck fans and country music fans are one and the same as they are cut from the same cloth of authenticity with a genuine work-hard, play-hard attitude," said Fred Diaz, President and CEO, Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "We are excited to be a part of this first-ever fan experience event at the ACM Awards and to give our mutual fans the opportunity to ride, drive and experience the most innovative lineup of full-size trucks on the market."

As previously announced, rounding out the weekend of events at Mandalay Bay, the 2nd Annual ACM Fan Jam, a ticketed event hosted by Zac Brown Band will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Sunday, April 1st, 2012. This live remote location gives country music lovers the ultimate fan-pass to be part of the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast.  Throughout the three-hour Awards telecast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, there will be live performances, via remote, from the Mandalay Bay Events Center by Zac Brown Band and other top-tier music acts, to be announced. The ACM Fan Jam includes a profusion of entertainment, prizes and special giveaways only for attendees, including autographed guitars, trip packages to country music events and merchandise.  The ACM Fan Jam continues after the Awards telecasts ends, with performances by Zac Brown and friends. Details will be announced soon. Tickets for ACM Fan Jam can be purchased for $40 and $60 at www.Ticketmaster.com.

Schedule/hours for The ACM Experience are:

Friday, March 30, 2012                   10AM – 6PM

Saturday, March 31, 2012             10AM – 6PM

Sunday, April 1, 2012                      10AM – 4PM

 
For booth space at the ACM Expo, please contact Exhibit Sales at (817) 599-7664 or info@groupwproductions.com.

To enter your barbeque team into the ACM BBQ Throwdown, visitwww.SmokeOnTheWaterBBQ.com or or contact Ronnie Cates at (870) 536-8175 or ronnie@catesandcompany.com.

For sponsorship opportunities surrounding all ACM events during The Week Vegas Goes Country®, contact Teresa George at Teresa@acmcountry.com.

For updates on The ACM Experience, the ACM Awards and all Academy events, please log onto www.ACMcountry.com, like us on Facebook at www.facebook/AcademyOfCountryMusic or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ACMawards.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards
The 47th Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry.  The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Orly Adelson and R.A. Clark are executive producers.  Barry Adelman is producer, and Bob Bardo is the executive in charge of production. Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

About Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper, a brand of Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS), is the oldest major soft drink in the United States. Since 1885, the 23 flavors of Dr Pepper have earned legions of fans that enjoy its unique, refreshing taste. The brand is available in Regular, Low Calorie, Diet, Caffeine Free and Cherry varieties. DPS is a leading producer of flavored soft drinks, marketing Dr Pepper and 50-plus other beverage brands across North America and the Caribbean. For more information on Dr Pepper, visit www.drpepper.com or www.drpeppersnapple.com.

About Ram Truck Brand
The Ram Truck brand continues to establish its own identity and clearly define its customer since its launch as a standalone vehicle brand. Creating a distinct brand for Ram trucks has allowed the brand to concentrate on how core customers use their trucks and what new features they'd like to see. Whether focusing on a family that uses its half-ton truck day in and day out, a hard-working Ram Heavy Duty owner or a business that depends on its commercial vehicles every day, Ram has the truck market covered.  The Ram Truck brand has the most innovative lineup of full-size trucks on the market. Ram Truck has emerged as a full-size truck leader by investing substantially in new products, infusing them with great looks, refined interiors, durable engines and features that further enhance their capabilities. Truck customers, from half-ton to commercial, have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. Ram trucks are designed to deliver a total package.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Eileen Wunderlich / RAM Truck Brand

Ph           (248) 512-0332

Email     eileen.wunderlich@chrysler.com
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