A clock marking the time remaining till Sept. 16, 2008, when the Ryder Cup comes to Louisville, was unveiled yesterday at 4th Street Live while a pumped-up crowd chanted, "U-S-A, U-S-A!"

The event, pro golf's premier international competition, is played every two years, alternating between America and Europe. 

  Live television coverage likely will reach nearly 550 million viewers in about 175 countries, officials said.

That week, Louisville "will be the center of sports in the world….We're going to blow the roof off the Ryder Cup," Mayor Jerry Abramson promised.

He also promised a week of activities that should rival those of the Kentucky Derby Festival. Organizers estimate that the event, to be played at Valhalla Golf Club, could bring about 30,000 visitors to Louisville.

Paul Azinger will captain the U.S. team, which is on a losing streak.

The Cordish company

The Cordish Company is a third generation, family owned business. Paul L. Cordish founded the Company in 1932 and remained active with the Company until his early 90’s and his passing in March, 2003. Paul Cordish’s legacy of integrity, humanity and hard work carry on as the core values of the Company.

In 1968, Paul Cordish's son, David S. Cordish, founded the real estate division of the Company of which he is President & Chairman.

All three of David Cordish's sons, Jonathan, Blake and Reed Cordish are active in the business. Blake and Reed Cordish are Vice Presidents in the real estate arm of the Cordish Company with responsibilities over the entertainment/mixed-use and restaurant/club divisions. Jonathan Cordish is the Chairman of its media/film division as well as an advisor to
the private equity investment division.

The Cordish Company is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, with regional offices and managers throughout the country. The Cordish Company's employees share a unique esprit-de-corps that has produced consistent excellence in its projects, and are the key ingredient in its growth over the past decades.

The Cordish Company's origins date back to 1910, when Louis Cordish began developing office and apartment complexes in the Baltimore/Washington area, and encompasses four generations of privately-held family ownership. Over the last ten decades The Cordish Company has grown into a multi-billion conglomerate including one of the leading real estate development companies in the United States and a diverse group of successful operating businesses.

The company was organized along its present line by David Cordish in the mid 1960s. David, Louis' grandson, is now chairman of The Cordish Company. Three of David’s sons: Jon, Blake and Reed, are principals in The Cordish Company. The Cordish Company's real estate development and operating companies are diversified, with divisions focused on entertainment/mixed-use, gaming/lodging, shopping centers, restaurants/clubs/music, office, and residential/student housing.

Non-real estate operating subsidiaries include a media distribution company and a private equity investment group. The company is the only developer to receive five prestigious Urban Land Institute Awards of Excellence, and has received consistent recognition as the leading national developer for urban revitalization projects. The Cordish Company enters its eleventh decade well-capitalized, with significant liquidity and highly energized to continue its growth.

The Cordish Company remains a family-owned business that values quality and excellence in its operations, long-term relationships and integrity. The Cordish Company has assembled fully integrated teams of highly dedicated and knowledgeable professionals to manage all facets of its businesses. As a testimony to the Company's commitment to quality and the long-term vision of its leadership, the Cordish Company still owns and manages virtually every business it has developed since inception.

Best known for its real estate expertise, The Cordish Company is the largest and most successful developer of entertainment districts and concepts in the United States. In particular, the company has unparalleled experience in creating and revitalizing high-profile destinations in urban core locations. Many of the Cordish Company's projects involve public/private partnerships and are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. A prime example is the company's prominent role in the redevelopment of four highly successful projects in Baltimore's world-famous Inner Harbor.

The Cordish Company has received the highest possible national awards in its various areas of expertise. In real estate, the Cordish Company has received an unprecedented five Urban Land Institute Awards of Excellence. Its media distribution subsidiary, Cordish Media Inc., has distributed five Academy Award-nominated films, including one Academy Award winner.