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John Deere Gator UVs Named Vehicle Of Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

9 November 1999

John Deere Gator UV Named Official Utility Vehicle Of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade JOHN DEERE 4X2 GATORS AT MACY'S PARADE John Deere 4x2 Gators at Macy's Parade. John Deere Worldwide Commercial and Consumer Equipment Division. (PRNewsFoto)[KC] NEW YORK, NY USA 11/08/1999    

    RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 9 -- After an impressive performance last
year, the John Deere line of Gator(R) utility vehicles has been named the
official utility vehicle of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The vehicles
will return to the streets of Manhattan, assisting Macy's large character
balloons with this year's traditional holiday march down Broadway.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991109/NYFNSS10 )
    Each of the popular balloons in the parade will be tethered to a pair of
4x2 Gator utility vehicles.
    "John Deere is honored again to have the opportunity to provide Gator
utility vehicles to the 73rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," said
Cheryl Pletcher, Manager, Customer Acquisitions and Support, John Deere
Vehicle Group.  "We're pleased that the Gator's compact, versatile and durable
build served Macy's needs in 1998.  This year we are excited to return with
50 Gators, nearly doubling the number in last year's parade, to accompany the
large character balloons and do some behind-the-scenes work."
    Viewers watching the parade on NBC will not only catch the Gators at work,
but will also see the John Deere-sponsored character balloon Petula Pig, one
of Macy's own signature novelty air sculptures.  At 36 feet high and 24 feet
wide, Petula weighs in at a hefty 187 pounds, but she'll be light as a feather
tethered to a pair of Gators.
    The John Deere Gator(R) utility vehicle line, produced by the Commercial
and Consumer Equipment Division, includes the 4x2 gas model that will be used
in the parade, the 4x2 electric E-Gator, 6x4 Gators in both gas and diesel,
Turf Gators, Trail Gators, and both two- and four-wheel drive heavy-duty
ProGators.  All John Deere Gator(R) utility vehicles feature a rugged design,
strong construction and a variety of attachments for use on the farm or the
golf course, in the field or on the streets of Manhattan.  Before and after
the parade, the Gators will be sold through local New York-area John Deere
dealers at special holiday prices.
    Since their introduction in 1992, John Deere Gators have enjoyed a
continued increase in popularity.  Recently, John Deere announced that in
order to meet growing demand for Gators, the company is building a
$30 million, 300,000-square-foot facility dedicated to manufacturing Gators
and developing new vehicle lines in response to customer needs.  The new
facility, located near Williamsburg, Va., is scheduled for completion in the
summer of 2000.
    For more information about Gator utility vehicles and the complete line of
John Deere consumer, commercial, golf and turf utility vehicles, visit the
John Deere Web site at http://www.deere.com .