KISS founder Gene Simmons was honored with the Key to the Metropolis for each Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda, New York, and a portion of Fundamental Road in Niagara Falls was additionally named in his honor.
The ceremony happened on Sunday (August 18th) at Metropolis Corridor in Niagara Falls, with Mayor Robert Restaino and Mayor Austin Tylec bestowing Simmons with the Key to the Metropolis of each Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda, respectively.
Moreover, Mayor Restaino introduced {that a} downtown avenue in Niagara Falls — a portion of Fundamental Road between Pine and Cedar — will briefly be renamed “Gene Simmons Boulevard,” acknowledging Simmons’ funding within the native enterprise neighborhood, particularly by way of his partnership with Niagara Falls-based Rock Regular Sodas.
“The enterprise neighborhood in Upstate New York is alive and thriving, and I’m honored to be part of it,” Simmons stated throughout the ceremony. “That is the perfect image of a homegrown household enterprise exemplifying robust values and dedication to high quality. The individuals and their work ethic make Niagara Falls a beautiful place to do enterprise.”
The event additionally coincided with the one-millionth bottle of Simmons’ MoneyBag premium soda line — a partnership with Rock Regular Sodas. The collab took place after the latter’s house owners, a third-generation Niagara Falls household, struck up a dialog with Simmons at Cleveland’s Wizard World conference the place Gene was a visitor speaker. After speaking store relating to soda as a non-alcoholic grownup beverage different, playing cards have been exchanged and an eventual enterprise partnership was shaped.
“The setting couldn’t be extra good to rejoice this great partnership and to welcome Gene Simmons to the great Metropolis of Niagara Falls,” remarked Restaino throughout the ceremony. “You realize, some of these partnerships, this stuff that come collectively when you have got individuals like Gene Simmons eager to lean in with a product that they consider can actually make a distinction out there — then you have got magic occurring. And so, we’re proud to have the ability to host this occasion for immediately. We actually welcome Mr. Simmons and the band to our neighborhood.”
Beneath you’ll be able to try footage from the Key to the Metropolis ceremony. For extra on Simmons’ MoneyBag Soda, go to the official web site.