Start spreading the news — thousands of New Yorkers tried to win free trip to Topeka

More than 2,000 residents of the Big Apple entered a contest to win a free trip for four to Topeka.

The 2,024 people entered the giveaway by Visit Topeka and Kansas Tourism after New York Mayor Eric Adams made comments Feb. 27 belittling the position of Topeka's mayor.

"I’d like to express my gratitude for the thousands of New Yorkers who’ve expressed interest in Topeka and Kansas and want to learn more about our great capital city,” said Sean Dixon, president of Visit Topeka, on Wednesday.

Vacation in Topeka will be tailored based on winner's interests

Visit Topeka has randomly chosen the winner's name and is in the process of contacting that person, said India Yarborough, communications director for the Greater Topeka Partnership, of which Visit Topeka is a part.

The winner's name hasn't been made public.

"Assuming they accept, Visit Topeka will then work with the recipient to nail down dates and tailor hotel accommodations and activities based on their interests," Yarborough said.

Residents from all five boroughs of New York City entered the sweepstakes, she said.

More: 'He could have made me the mayor of Topeka, Kansas.' Who hurt New York Mayor Eric Adams?

'He could have made me the mayor of Topeka'

Adams said Feb. 28 at an interfaith prayer breakfast in New York City that he strongly believed God decided to take "the most broken person" and elevate him to a place as the mayor of the "most powerful city on the globe."

"He could have made me the mayor of Topeka, Kansas," Adams said.

Visit Topeka and Kansas Tourism responded by announcing March 3 they would hold a drawing to give away a trip for four to Topeka for New York City residents.

Residents of New York City — including the five boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island — were eligible for the chance to win the all-inclusive, three-day, two-night stay in Topeka.

The prize includes roundtrip airfare for four people into Kansas City, Mo., as well as hotel accommodations, tickets to local attractions and $500 in gift certificates to local restaurant and retail locations.

The March 3 news release included quotes from Topeka native Jeff Kready, star of the 2014 Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder."

“Topeka was my home for 23 years, but for the last 17 years, I have been a New Yorker," Kready said. “I am so excited for my fellow New Yorkers to have the chance to visit Kansas for themselves. Topeka will surprise you. It is a city rich with art, culture, music and more!”

Contest rules website had a mistake

Entries were accepted through March 31, with selection taking place on or about April 3, the contest rules said.

Organizers in promotional materials for the sweepstakes had said only one winner would be drawn.

That was inconsistent with the sixth rule on the contest rules website, which said two winning entries would be drawn. That was posted mistakenly, Dixon said.

He said organizers exercised their option of modifying the rules posted online and arranging for one winner to be drawn. Rule No. 12 on the contest rules website allowed them to do that, he said.

Dixon stressed that promotional materials for the contest always said one winning name would be drawn.

More: New York City's mayor said Kansas 'doesn't have a brand.' Twitter pulled out the receipts.

'Kansas doesn't have a brand,' Eric Adams said last September

Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla responded to Adams' Feb. 28 statement about Topeka's mayoral position the following day, saying one of the best lessons he's learned as mayor here is the value of humility.

"I’ve personally visited New York City on numerous occasions, and have always spoken highly of New Yorkers — never stooping to assumptions or stereotypes," Padilla said. "I’d invite the mayor of New York to get to know our beautiful city and its people before casting judgment on a community he seems to know little about.”

Adams had previously used Kansas as a punchline on Sept. 27, when he insulted the Sunflower State by saying New York City has a brand that's recognizable around the world, unlike Kansas.

"Kansas doesn't have a brand," Adams said.

The New York Times reported some family members of Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly responded by personally delivering a gift basket to Gracie Mansion, the New York mayor’s official residence.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: More than 2,000 New York City residents tried to win trip to Topeka