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ST. LOUIS AWARDED 2009 WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR; MEN’S PRELIMINARY ROUND EVENT

City to Host Three NCAA Basketball Final Fours This Decade

ST. LOUIS — July 1, 2003— The NCAA has awarded the city of St. Louis the 2009 Women’s Final Four, and the games will be played at Savvis Center on Sunday, April 5 (semifinals) and Tuesday, April 7 (final). In addition, the city has been awarded either a 2007 or 2008 NCAA Men’s basketball event (either a regional or first/second round). The announcements were made public today after the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball committees met this past week in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, where they heard presentations from eight cities (six finalists for the Men’s Final Four -- spanning the years of 2008 through 2011 -- and four finalists for the Women’s Final Four -- for the years of 2008 through 2010).

The 2009 award will give St. Louis its third NCAA Final Four this decade, following the 2001 Women’s Final Four at Savvis Center, and the upcoming 2005 Men’s Final Four at the Edward Jones Dome. Beginning with the 1998 NCAA Men’s Division I Midwest Regional at Savvis Center, and culminating with the 2009 NCAA Women’s Final Four, the city of St. Louis will have hosted eight NCAA basketball events in a 12-year span. St. Louis, meanwhile, will host more NCAA basketball events than any other city in the next six years -- with four NCAA events already slated to come to the Gateway city.

During its meetings, the NCAA also decided the site of the 2008 and 2010 Women’s Final Four, awarded to Tampa, Fla. (St. Pete Times Forum), and to San Antonio, Texas (Alamodome), respectively. And the committee awarded four NCAA Men’s Final Fours: San Antonio (2008-Alamodome), Detroit (2009-Ford Field), Indianapolis (2010-RCA Dome), and Houston (2011-Reliant Stadium).

“We’re excited about bringing a Women’s Final Four back to the city of St. Louis,” says Doug Elgin, commissioner of the Missouri Valley Conference and chair of the St. Louis Local Organizing Committee. “The SLOC has an outstanding record of hosting NCAA Champion-ship events. The enhancements of the seating configuration at the Edward Jones Dome and the addition of new hotel properties downtown made our bid even stronger.”

The St. Louis Local Organizing Committee -- comprised of the Missouri Valley, Saint Louis University, the St. Louis Sports Commission and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Com-mission -- has already been awarded the 2005 NCAA Men’s Final Four at the Edward Jones Dome, with the Valley serving as host and partnering with the three other members of the SLOC to administer the event. Including the 2004 Midwest Regional and 2005 Final Four, the city of St. Louis is in the midst of a stretch where it will host seven NCAA basketball championship events (either men or women) in a 13-year span (1993- 2005). The Valley either has or will serve as the host institution to all seven NCAA basketball championship events.

“Obviously, we are very excited to have the opportunity to host an event of this magnitude,” says Elgin. “There’s no question in my mind that the St. Louis community will again make the Women’s Final Four one of the most memorable in the history of the event. We are very proud of the role the Missouri Valley Conference has had in helping bring NCAA basketball events to the city, and our SLOC is poised to continue making St. Louis a tremendous destination for NCAA events.

“Bringing NCAA events to town has certainly become a team effort. Our SLOC, the downtown facilities and hotels, plus the fans, volunteers and corporate community have made St. Louis a venue of choice for the NCAA and play a key role in helping secure NCAA events.”

Today’s awarded Women’s Final Four marks the fifth Final Four to be held in St. Louis. The 1973 and 1978 Men’s Final Fours were conducted at the Checkerdome; the 2001 Women’s Final Four was at Savvis Center; and the 2005 Men’s Final Four (April 2 -4) will be played at the Edward Jones Dome.

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