Good News for Vulcan!

This news just in, from the CBC in Canada! Check yesterday's post for the first story:

Paramount settles Alberta town's Star Trek aspirations with Vulcan salute

Last Updated: Friday, March 20, 2009 3:00 PM MT

After a failed bid — backed by actor Leonard Nimoy — to host the world premiere of the newest Star Trek movie, a southern Alberta town is content to be invited to a screening of the film.

Paramount Pictures this week rejected the town of Vulcan's proposal to host the premiere for Star Trek XI. But an official from the film studio phoned the community's tourism co-ordinator on Friday with a compromise.

Paramount will cover the costs of transporting Vulcan residents to a screening of the movie in Calgary, about 120 kilometres away, when it's released in North America on May 8, Dayna Dickens told CBC News.

Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock in the original, popular sci-fi series and several Star Trek movies, rallied to the town's side on Thursday when he learned of the town's failed proposal through an Internet story.

Nimoy has a small part in Star Trek XI, which focuses on Mr. Spock and Capt. James T. Kirk's early years. The actor said he had been emailing Paramount in a bid to convince the studio to change its stance.

However, Paramount announced Friday that the movie's world premiere will be held at the Sydney Opera House in Australia on April 7.

Even though the Alberta community of about 1,900 people failed in its bid to host the world premiere, Deputy Rick Howard, who was wearing a red and black Star Trek uniform on Friday, said he's pleased with the international attention Vulcan has garnered — and the personal interest from Nimoy.

"Associating ourselves with Star Trek has really had such a significant impact on our local economy. Our tourism numbers are up 19 per cent over last year, and in a time of economic downturn to have that type of positive [attention], is really quite special," said Dickens, the tourism co-ordinator.

A railway surveyor named Vulcan in 1915 after the Roman god of fire, but the town has capitalized on its shared name with Spock's birthplace.

Vulcan held its first Vul-Con convention in 1993; there's also an annual Spock Days Rodeo, and a space-themed visitors centre.

The town has its own Starship monument to welcome visitors, with a plaque featuring greetings in English, Vulcan and Klingon. Another sign welcomes visitors with the Vulcan motto, "Live long and prosper."


Good news for all of Vulcan! Now, how do we all get to Sydney for the April 7th premiere??