MEGALANIA DINOSAUR NEWS PAGE
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News about a little T. rex formerly and forever-more known as Sue.
Below article from The PR Newswire reprinted for fair use purposes only -- various copyrights acknowledged.
This Megalania page has been visited 
times since April 16, 1998.
PR Newswire
Copyright 1998 PR Newswire Association
April 5, 1998 Wednesday
SECTION: STATE AND REGIONAL NEWS
The Field Museum announced today some surprise developments that will cause the institution to keep the name "Sue" for its Tyrannosaurus rex.
On January 27, the Museum launched a contest to rename the dinosaur after engaging in unsuccessful negotiations with the Black Hills Institute (the group that found the dinosaur in 1990) over use of the name "Sue." The contest ran through February 2O and was open to children in grades kindergarten through sixth.
The winning name, "Dakota," was suggested by 15 of the 200 contest finalists, and judges declared a three-way tie for first place after rating the essays accompanying each entry. The winners are: Devon Bateman, 7, of Bolingbrook, Illinois; Lauren K. Liotta, 9, of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois; and David Frisch, 11, of Oak Park, Illinois. The Museum will present each child with the contest's grand prize -- a complete Compaq Presario computer system with advanced multimedia features. The computers will come with an Encyclopaedia Brittannica CD98 and dinosaur software. The 100 runners-up in the contest will receive Field Museum dinosaur T-shirts.
Shortly after the name "Dakota" was chosen, potential trademark problems arose and the Museum decided not to use the name for the dinosaur. Contest judges could not agree on another name from the remaining entries.
Meanwhile, on the final day of the contest, Peter Larson, head of the Black Hills Institute, unexpectedly contacted the Museum and agreed to drop his claim to the name "Sue."
"The Museum never expected this scenario," said John McCarter, President of The Field Museum. "Just as we settled a trademark dispute over the name 'Sue,' we encountered a problem with the new name, 'Dakota.' After giving the situation much thought, we decided it was best to return the name 'Sue' to the T. rex, while recognizing the winners in our contest.
"We sincerely thank all the contest entrants for their enthusiastic participation, and invite them to continue to follow the progress of the T. rex through our exhibits and educational programs," he added.
The dinosaur is significant because it is the largest and most complete T. rex ever found. It was named "Sue" in honor of Susan Hendrickson who found it near Faith, South Dakota, while working with the Black Hills Institute. The Field Museum purchased the fossil at auction on October 4, 1997. The purchase was made possible with the help of McDonald's Corporation, Walt Disney World Resort and private donors.
The public will be able to see the dinosaur's bones being prepared in two separate facilities. On April 22, Field Museum scientists will begin working in a fossil preparation lab at DinoLand in the new Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Currently, the public can see T. rex bones prepared in a temporary fossil preparation lab at The Field Museum. On June 10, the Museum will close its temporary lab and open its new McDonald's Fossil Preparation Laboratory. The new lab will be a permanent state-of-the-art facility at The Field Museum.
The T. rex will be completely prepared and ready for exhibit at The Field Museum in the year 2000. SOURCE Field Museum of Natural History
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WHAT'S HERE:
News about a little T. rex formerly and forever-more known as Sue.
Below article from The PR Newswire reprinted for fair use purposes only -- various copyrights acknowledged.
This Megalania page has been visited times since April 16, 1998.
PR Newswire
Copyright 1998 PR Newswire Association
April 5, 1998 Wednesday
SECTION: STATE AND REGIONAL NEWS
The Field Museum announced today some surprise developments that will cause the institution to keep the name "Sue" for its Tyrannosaurus rex.
On January 27, the Museum launched a contest to rename the dinosaur after engaging in unsuccessful negotiations with the Black Hills Institute (the group that found the dinosaur in 1990) over use of the name "Sue." The contest ran through February 2O and was open to children in grades kindergarten through sixth.
The winning name, "Dakota," was suggested by 15 of the 200 contest finalists, and judges declared a three-way tie for first place after rating the essays accompanying each entry. The winners are: Devon Bateman, 7, of Bolingbrook, Illinois; Lauren K. Liotta, 9, of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois; and David Frisch, 11, of Oak Park, Illinois. The Museum will present each child with the contest's grand prize -- a complete Compaq Presario computer system with advanced multimedia features. The computers will come with an Encyclopaedia Brittannica CD98 and dinosaur software. The 100 runners-up in the contest will receive Field Museum dinosaur T-shirts.
Shortly after the name "Dakota" was chosen, potential trademark problems arose and the Museum decided not to use the name for the dinosaur. Contest judges could not agree on another name from the remaining entries.
Meanwhile, on the final day of the contest, Peter Larson, head of the Black Hills Institute, unexpectedly contacted the Museum and agreed to drop his claim to the name "Sue."
"The Museum never expected this scenario," said John McCarter, President of The Field Museum. "Just as we settled a trademark dispute over the name 'Sue,' we encountered a problem with the new name, 'Dakota.' After giving the situation much thought, we decided it was best to return the name 'Sue' to the T. rex, while recognizing the winners in our contest.
"We sincerely thank all the contest entrants for their enthusiastic participation, and invite them to continue to follow the progress of the T. rex through our exhibits and educational programs," he added.
The dinosaur is significant because it is the largest and most complete T. rex ever found. It was named "Sue" in honor of Susan Hendrickson who found it near Faith, South Dakota, while working with the Black Hills Institute. The Field Museum purchased the fossil at auction on October 4, 1997. The purchase was made possible with the help of McDonald's Corporation, Walt Disney World Resort and private donors.
The public will be able to see the dinosaur's bones being prepared in two separate facilities. On April 22, Field Museum scientists will begin working in a fossil preparation lab at DinoLand in the new Animal Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Currently, the public can see T. rex bones prepared in a temporary fossil preparation lab at The Field Museum. On June 10, the Museum will close its temporary lab and open its new McDonald's Fossil Preparation Laboratory. The new lab will be a permanent state-of-the-art facility at The Field Museum.
The T. rex will be completely prepared and ready for exhibit at The Field Museum in the year 2000. SOURCE Field Museum of Natural History
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