Old Bethpage, NY - July 20, 2015 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission (LICVB&SC) today announced that the Tough Mudder – a 10+ mile obstacle course challenge that is the ultimate test of strength, grit, stamina and teamwork - will take place at Old Bethpage Village Restoration (OBVR) on August 15th and 16th. Tough Mudder events are estimated to generate $2,520,060 in economic benefit related to hotel stays and other expenses incurred by the 12,000 participants for Saturday’s events and 5,000 participants for Sunday’s events.
“Nassau County welcomes Tough Mudder and its participants to Old Bethpage Village Restoration,” said County Executive Mangano. “Tough Mudder will generate over $2.5 million in economic benefit for our area while helping raise funds for the heroic cause, the Wounded Warrior Project. This is a win-win for all involved and I thank the Long Island Convention and Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission for their assistance in helping to bring this event to Nassau County.”
Brand new obstacles hitting the course at OBVR this year will include “Dead Ringer,” a transverse across a series of inclined pegs using handheld rings; and “Cry Baby,” a tunnel crawl through a tear-gas like substance. Classic obstacles including slicked quarter-pipe “Everest” have been redesigned, with “2.0” versions offering new twists on the classic challenges, pushing participants to work as a team.
“The Convention and Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission is proud to have worked with Tough Mudder and Nassau County for over a year to ultimately bring this prestigious event to Nassau County for the first time,” said Jennifer Rothman, sales manager at the LICVB&SC. “We welcome all of the participants, and look forward to continuing the relationship we’ve established with the organizers. We would love to see this as an annual event on Long Island.”
Tough Mudder has wide appeal – participants (known as “Mudders”) range from veterans to business executives to pageant queens to 81-year old grandfathers. More than 90 percent of Mudders sign up as part of a team. And for many Mudders, Tough Mudder is more than just a weekend event – it’s a lifestyle.
Tough Mudder is the largest supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and its mission to assist severely injured veterans. To date, Tough Mudder participants have raised more than $6.5 million for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Registrations for Tough Mudder Long Island are now open; spectator tickets are also available. For those interested in finding other ways to get involved – and getting a discount on future registration – Tough Mudder is currently on the lookout for volunteers to be a part of the action. For more information, visit www.toughmudder.com.