On July 23, 2000, Boeing introduced the Next-Generation 737-900 at a festive celebration held at the company's Renton, WA, manufacturing facility. The 177-seat 737-900, the longest Boeing 737 model ever produced, was escorted out of the factory by three-time Iditarod sled dog race champion Doug Swingley and his team of dogs. The sled dogs are a symbol of the state of Alaska, from which launch customer Alaska Airlines takes its name. The largest model in the Next-Generation 737-600/-700/-800/-900 family, the 737-900 carries 15 more passengers in a two-class configuration than the next longest model, the 737-800.