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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network Offer a Super-Sized Welcome

Posted on: Thursday, 26 January 2006, 15:00 CST

DETROIT, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are rolling out the "blue carpet" for Super Bowl XL. An XL (as in EXTRA LARGE) display of lights and banners on the Blue Cross Blue Shield building in downtown Detroit is visible from both the U.S. and Canada.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060126/DETH026 )

Located on East Lafayette between Beaubien and the I-375 Service Drive, the Blues' building is sporting a seven-story-high "XL" in red and blue lights on its north and south sides, and four six-story-high banners on its east and west sides to welcome visitors coming to Motown for the big game.

"We are joining others in visibly sending a message of welcome to city visitors during Super Bowl XL," said Diana Jones, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan vice president of Community Affairs. "As a downtown resident for more than 65 years, we are especially proud that Detroit is hosting this world-class event. I guess you could say we are wearing our community support on the sleeve of our headquarters."

More than 750 red and blue 25-watt bulbs spell out "XL" in 135-foot tall displays on both the north and south sides of the building. Four 8,000- square-foot banners, weighing 550 pounds each, adorn the east and west sides declaring, "WE'RE READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL" and "WELCOME TO OUR TURF."

The Blues' downtown building is known to downtown workers and helicopter pilots for its light displays, which were the idea of building maintenance employees who take great pride in helping design the lights.

For the past 29 years, the Blues building has displayed lights during November and December in the shape of a huge holiday tree. The company also lit up a red heart on the building in February 2005 to support the American Heart Association's "Wear Red" focus on women's heart health, and created a pink ribbon in lights last October to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A red heart to honor National Heart Month in February will again adorn the building after the Super Bowl.

The well-known 60-by-60 foot Blues' billboard at I-375 and Jefferson has also joined the Super Bowl celebration with an image of the Detroit skyline and giant message that reads, "Super Football. Super City."

The Blues' Super Bowl XL displays will remain through game day Feb. 5.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit corporation, provides or administers health care benefits to just over 4.7 million members through a variety of plans: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred, Community Blue and Healthy Blue PPOs; Blue Choice Point of Service; Blue Care Network HMO, and Flexible Blue plans compatible with health savings accounts. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit http://www.bcbsm.com/ .

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060126/DETH026AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN5PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

CONTACT: Cheryl McDonald of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan,+1-313-225-8121, mediarelations@bcbsm.com

Web site: http://www.bcbsm.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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