Southwest Airlines Hosts Mile High Hot Shots for Charity Challenge at the Southwest Court at Skyline Park

DENVER, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is celebrating a successful season at the Southwest Court at Skyline Park by giving back to the Mile High community. Southwest is teaming up with 11 of Denver's top business, civic, and community leaders, who will compete in the Mile High Hot Shots for Charity Challenge.  Each participant will compete on behalf of a local nonprofit organization of their choice.  The challenge will take place today from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Southwest Court at Skyline Park in downtown Denver, where the contestants will get 90 seconds to score as many points as they can.  Southwest will donate $5,000 to the winner's nonprofit organization of choice. 

The Hot Shots lineup and selected nonprofits include:

• Downtown Denver Partnership Board Chairman Ferd Belz, playing for Civic Center Conservancy
• National Civic League President Gloria Rubio-Cortes, playing for the National Civic League and the All-America City Awards
• Kittie Hook, Denver Sports Commissions' Women's Final Four Committee chairman, playing for the Denver Botanic Garden Flourish Capital Campaign
• Morning radio personality at KOSI 105.1, Murphy Huston, playing for Volunteers of America
• Kevin Krone, Southwest Airlines Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Distribution, playing for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denver
• Jamie Van Leeuwen, Senior Advisor for Gov. Hickenlooper and Lt. Gov. Garcia, playing for One Book 4 Colorado
• Lonnie Porter, Head Men's Basketball Coach and Ambassador at Regis University, playing for the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy
• Denver attorney Dan Queen, from the Law Offices of Daniel P. Queen, playing for Concerts For Kids
• Mark Randall, Denver Nuggets Community Ambassador, Kroenke Sports Charities  
• Bill Vidal, Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, playing for Escuela Tlatelolco Centro de Estudios  

"Adding an outdoor basketball court in the heart of Downtown Denver has allowed Southwest Airlines to share our signature spirit and give back to the community in a fun and unique fashion," said Southwest's Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Distribution Kevin Krone.  "We always look for opportunities to show Customers and communities our LUV beyond the airport.  I want to personally thank all of our Hot Shots for joining me at the Southwest Court to compete on behalf of their favorite charities."      

"Since its opening last month, the Southwest Court at Skyline Park has given Denver residents and visitors an opportunity to enjoy outdoor hoops at no cost. From weekend youth basketball clinics to lunchtime pick-up games for local businesses, basketball enthusiasts of all ages found a cure for their basketball fever thanks to Southwest's generosity," said Tami Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership. "We're so excited for the Mile High Hot Shots for Charity Challenge and encourage everyone to come down and cheer on their favorite Hot Shot."

Located on the corner of 16th Street and Arapahoe, and adjacent to the Daniels and Fisher Clocktower, the Southwest Court at Skyline Park opened on March 15 as a follow-up to a second successful ice skating season at the Southwest Rink at Skyline Park—both venues the result of a partnership between Southwest Airlines and the Downtown Denver Partnership.  The Court will remain open until Thursday, April 12, at 7 p.m.

Southwest Airlines began service to Denver on Jan. 3, 2006, with 13 daily nonstop departures to three destinations.  The airline currently operates 159 daily nonstop flights to 51 destinations from Denver.  Southwest also is actively engaged in the community through sponsorships of the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Denver Nuggets, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Denver's Road Home, the Mile High Pedicab Company, and many more local organizations.  To learn more about Southwest's dedication to Denver, visit: www.southwest.com/denver. 

About Southwest Airlines Co.
Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers — offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded and has acquired AirTran Airways, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co. Southwest serves 73 cities in 38 states and remains one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 37,000 Employees.

About the Downtown Denver Partnership
The Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc. is a non-profit business organization that creatively plans, manages and develops Downtown Denver as the unique, diverse, vibrant and economically healthy urban core of the Rocky Mountain region. For more information, visit www.downtowndenver.com.

www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines