LANSING– The Lansing Lugnuts are proud to announce that this Friday, August 24, the team will welcome its 5,000,000th fan through the gates of Oldsmobile Park.

"This is a testament to the great support that the greater Lansing community has shown us through our time here," Lugnuts co-owner Tom Dickson said. "We were welcomed with open arms in 1996 and we are proud to celebrate this achievement with the fans that made this happen."

The lucky 5,000,000th fan will receive a Lugnuts prize pack and the opportunity to sit in the owner's suite during the game.

The Lugnuts, currently in their 12th season, have drawn 4,991,338 fans to Oldsmobile Park. Lansing has eclipsed the 300,000 mark during each year of the team's existence, including twice drawing more than 500,000 fans in a single season.

The Lugnuts have hosted three Midwest League All-Star games, each time drawing more than 10,000 fans to the celebration. Lansing has also been the site for the Midwest League playoffs eight times, while the finals have been contested in downtown on three occassions. The Lugnuts have twice come away with the championship, once in 1997 and the most recent in 2003.

Lansing has also seen over 50 players reach the Major Leagues, including All-Stars Carlos Beltran and Carlos Zambrano.

The Lugnuts are currently seeking their ninth playoff birth, and have a 67-59 record this season. Friday's home game against the Great Lakes Loons begins a six-game homestand for Lansing, with first pitch Friday night set for 7:05 p.m.