By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

WITH the backdrop of the Miami Dolphins’ dwindling playoff hopes, the Bahamas took centre stage halftime at Sun Life Stadium Sunday afternoon in a major sports tourism campaign.

Throughout the 2013 season, the “Bahama Bash Zone” at the 100 level of the stadium brought a taste of the Bahamas to Dolphins fans, culminating in a grand prize giveaway at halftime of the Dolphins’ 20-7 loss in the regular season finale to the New York Jets.

The season long promotion ended with the award of a coveted six-day, seven-night stay at the Grand Lucayan Resort in Freeport, Grand Bahama, presented by Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe.

“We had a captive audience in the stadium today, 60-70,000 people and we got a chance to talk to them to see how we can utilise the Miami Dolphins brand and that franchise to benefit the country,” Wilchcombe said. “We are doing it not only for the Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat but also for the Panthers and other sports teams in the area and it will all help to develop our sports tourism product in the country.”

The “Bahamas Bash Zone” featured several posters from the “Behold” campaign featuring supermodel Shakara Ledard, draped throughout the 9,000 square foot area.

Stadium fans were also able to lounge in beach chairs as they watched the game on flatscreen televisions in the zone’s viewing area, or entered one of many promotions at the Ministry of Tourism’s administrative kiosk where they were eligible to claim prizes ranging from t-shirts to trips on the Norwegian cruise line.

Native Bahamian music also blared from speakers in the zone as several fans patronised the area just to dance to the sounds of Ronnie Butler and others during breaks in the action on the field.

Jason Miller, director of corporate partnerships for the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium, said the first year of the partnership between his organisation and the Bahamas was just the beginning of what he hopes will be a successful relationship for years to come.

“The partnership between the Dolphins and the Bahamas is designed to do several things, the first is to bring our two organisations together in a co-branding effort and what you see today is just one example of that. So our goal is to get people to come here for each home game and kind of experience the imaging and island experience. That is why you see some of the furniture that we brought in and some of the music that we play here. It also allows the Bahamas to do some data capture with some of our fans so we feel that it benefits both programmes.

“On top of branded areas such as this there are several things that happen throughout the stadium across the televisions that brand our relationship between the Bahamas and the Dolphins so it is truly an exciting partnership. It is year one of a five-year partnership, one that we hope will continue for many years after that. It’s great for us to be able to offer some of the experiences the Bahamas has to our advantage.

“Today was all about fan appreciation. The prizes were designed to thank our fans throughout the season. We consider that trip to the Bahamas the pinnacle of our giveaways to the fans. We look at this as a partnership, not just a sponsorship and that is why we can see it growing organically,” he said.

“This is the first season, it was active starting with the second game of this year and it is something that we will contiue to pursue. Not only will it look like this for Dolphins games but with other things that happen at Sun Life Stadium. So the BCS Orange Bowl with Ohio State and Clemson which is happening January 3, any Miami Hurricanes games, and if we are fortunate enough to have any Super Bowls, the Bahamas Bash area will be here for any event that happens at Sun Life. It gives the Bahamas great diverse exposure not only to Dolphins fans but people attending other events like concerts and what not, a winning partnership for us all.”