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ABOUT UNIROYAL

Uniroyal’s Giant Tire Helps Detroit Celebrate Quick Lane Bowl

For the first time ever, the 80-foot, 12-ton tire will feature a temporary banner over its hubcap

 

GREENVILLE, S.C., Dec. 20, 2018 — Drivers in Detroit this week will notice a major, yet temporary, change to one of the Motor City’s best-known landmarks. Through December, The Uniroyal® Tires giant tire will display a 50-foot banner in its center to celebrate the Quick Lane Bowl featuring the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Detroit on Dec. 26.

 

In the days before the game, the Uniroyal giant tire is getting Detroit ready for the festivities by featuring a banner celebrating the game – the first time any such banner has been used on the tire. The 53-year-old landmark is an important symbol of Uniroyal's 126-year heritage. The giant tire, which is adjacent to Interstate 94 in Allen Park, Mich., is best known for welcoming visitors driving into town from Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

 

“The giant tire has been a well-known fixture in Detroit for decades,” said Alonso Tiscareno, brand director for Uniroyal. “We wanted a chance for the giant tire to have a role in a large event happening in the city. Both Detroit and Uniroyal have a long history in automotive, and this banner is a unique way for us to be an even bigger part of this city.”

 

The banner will be installed the week before the bowl game and removed in early January.

 

History of the Uniroyal giant tire:

 

  • The Uniroyal giant tire originally was constructed as a Ferris wheel for the 1964-1965 World’s Fair in New York. The 96-passenger Ferris wheel carried more than 2 million riders, including dignitaries and celebrities.
  • The structure was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, the same architectural firm that designed the Empire State Building.
  • When the fair ended in 1965, the tire was shipped by rail in 188 sections to Detroit. It was reassembled in four months and anchored in concrete and steel off I-94 at the Uniroyal sales office.
  • The Uniroyal giant tire is the largest tire model ever built, standing 80 feet tall and weighing 12 tons.
  • The tire's interior is 120,576 cubic feet, and the tread measures half-a-foot deep.

The Uniroyal giant tire was given its first update in 1994 with neon lighting and a new hubcap. In 1998 it was modified again, this time with a giant nail embedded to promote Uniroyal’s self-sealing NailGard® passenger tire.
 

The biggest renovation occurred in 2003, when Uniroyal invested nearly $1 million to refresh the landmark as part of Detroit’s I-94 corridor revitalization effort. Those updates included replacing 30 steel beams inside the tire, installing asphalt and storm drains, painting the exterior, applying reflective lettering, and completing other structural improvements — all made to ensure the longevity of the Uniroyal giant tire.

 

About Uniroyal 

 

Uniroyal stands for value. For passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks and commercial vehicles, Uniroyal delivers reliable performance at an affordable price. With a 125-year heritage and popular tire lines including Tiger Paw and Laredo that have been relied on for generations, Uniroyal is among the most trusted names in tires. Visit Uniroyaltires.com and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/uniroyaltire.

 

Media contact:

 

Jessica Pickens
jessica.pickens@michelin.com