Jump to full article: Denver (CO) Post, 2008-04-24
Author: Monte Whaley The Denver Post
Intro: As many expected, a city-wide ban on free sampling of tobacco has led U.S. Smokeless Tobacco to withdraw its placement of a $200,000 scoreboard at the Greeley Stampede.
A major sponsor of the annual Stampede, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco decided this week not to provide the scoreboard this year as they have in the past.
Stampede officials will now need to rent a $25,000 scoreboard for the two-week event and hope sponsors step forward to defray the cost.
"We've made some offers to different companies," said Greeley Stampede CEO Lynn Settje. "At this point we've not gotten any nibbles."
U.S. Smokeless Tobacco spokesman Andrew Lee said Greeley's vote in December to stop free sampling of tobacco in the city played a role in the company's decision.
"The scoreboard is in great demand at events across the country and the folks who run that program have a difficult choice to make as to when and where it will be used," Lee said. "Where we have the ability to responsibly distribute our samples is one factor they have to consider."
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