For more information, contact:
The St. Louis Sports Commission
314-992-0687
dbray@stlouissports.org

100 Days Out

ACTIVITIES FOR FANS WILL FILL FINAL FOUR® WEEKEND IN ST. LOUIS

Dec. 22, 2004 – The number of days on St. Louis' road to the Final Four hit 100 today. And as the clock ticks down to tip-off at the Edward Jones Dome, the Gateway City is on course to successfully stage its biggest sporting event ever. With help from 24 volunteer-chaired subcommittees and the support of many individuals and companies from around the region, the St. Louis Organizing Committee (SLOC) is making great strides in preparing St. Louis for its first Men's Final Four since 1978.

"We're confident that St. Louis is on track to host a spectacular Final Four," said Doug Elgin, chair of the SLOC. "Our four partnering organizations -- the Missouri Valley Conference, Saint Louis University, the St. Louis Sports Commission, and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission -- each has a great deal of experience in handling major sporting events. By working together, we're going to collaborate to produce the best event possible for the four teams and their fans, the media and the entire college basketball community."

The SLOC's subcommittees are addressing a variety of key areas – everything from airport readiness to transportation – and are preparing for ancillary events like Hoop City, the March to the Arch, Taste of St. Louis, and YES Clinics. Much focus is also being devoted to enhancing the downtown experience for Final Four visitors and to developing ways for out-of-town fans to take advantage of all of the region's assets, including those located outside downtown. The SLOC is working with civic leaders, property owners, merchants, Metro, and many other partners to make this happen.

The NCAA basketball staff has praised St. Louis for being so far along in the planning process and gave the Edward Jones Dome and the America's Center a "thumbs up" during a three-day visit last week that focused on a review of operational plans at the stadium and convention center complex. Included in the NCAA's interaction with the St. Louis leadership was a monthly meeting with the SLOC's executive director and the Steering Committee's 24 subcommittee chairs.

“The NCAA's praise of the SLOC's progress is just another example of what a terrific and engaging community we have here in St. Louis,” says Missy Slay, Executive Director of the St. Louis Organizing Committee. “It also goes to prove that St. Louis has so much to offer, something I've known as a resident and 16 million visitors a year realize after they have spent some time in our region.”

St. Louis will have plenty to showcase during the Final Four, including a revitalized Washington Avenue that features dozens of new restaurants and businesses. The city's recent hotel building boom will go a long way toward accommodating the 50,000 visitors coming for the Big Dance.

The finishing touches are also being put on the official schedule of events that will surround the semifinal and championship games. To give you an idea of how much will be going on during Final Four weekend in St. Louis, here's a sampling of just some of the events local residents and visitors will have the chance to experience:

* NCAA Hoop City ® - April 1-4 at America's Center: A highly interactive fan festival that celebrates college basketball and provides an opportunity for the general public to participate in the excitement of the Final Four weekend. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the door.

* NCAA Final Four Open Practice - April 1 at the Edward Jones Dome: Fans can watch the Final Four teams practice. Admission is free.

* NCAA Final Four Pep Rally - April 1 in Kiener Plaza: Fans can watch the bands and cheerleaders of the participating schools show off their musicianship and showmanship at a “Battle of the Bands.”

* Taste of St. Louis - April 1-3 in Kiener Plaza: Includes many of St. Louis' top restaurants plus local blues and jazz performers and family entertainment.

* National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All Star Games - April 1 at Savvis Center: A basketball tripleheader: a high school all star game, Mizzou vs. Illinois alumni showdown, and the NABC All-Stars vs. The Harlem Globetrotters.

* NCAA Youth Education through Sports (YES ® ) Clinics - April 2 at various locations throughout the region: Free to boys and girls ages 10 to 18. College coaches and student-athletes will lead sessions on sports, life and conditioning skills.

* March to the Arch - April 3 in downtown: Thousands of kids will dribble basketballs along Market Street from Union Station to Kiener Plaza. The first 3,000 participants will receive a free T-shirt and basketball. Admission is free.

* Dasani Festival - April 3 in the Gateway Mall: Entertainment festival featuring live headline entertainment.

* Volunteers - The Sports Commission continues its volunteer recruitment efforts. To volunteer for the Final Four, call 314-992-0684 or visit www.stlloc.org.

Friday, April 1 , 2005

•  NCAA Hoop City Fan Festival (10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.) America's Center

•  Open Practice (Free admission) Noon – 4 p.m. (Doors open at 10:30 a.m.) (Free)

•  Pep Rally (school bands and cheerleaders) (4 p.m. – 6 p.m.) Kiener Plaza (Free)

•  Taste of St. Louis (11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Kiener Plaza (Free admission)

•  NABC All Star Games -- Savvis Center (Ticketmaster)

•  High School All Star Game (Time: 4:30 p.m.)
•  University of Missouri vs. University of Illinois Alumni Game (Time: 6:00 p.m.)
•  NABC All-Stars vs. The Harlem Globetrotters
(Time: 8:00 p.m.)

Saturday, April 2, 2005

•  NCAA YES Clinics (8:00 a.m. – Noon) (Free admission)

-- Four sites: Mathews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club, Saint Louis University, University of Missouri St. Louis, Washington University

•  NCAA Hoop City Fan Festival (10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.) America's Center

•  Taste of St. Louis (11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Kiener Plaza (Free admission)

•  National Semi-final Game 1 – Edward Jones Dome (Time TBD)

•  National Semi-final Game 2 -- Edward Jones Dome
(40 min. after Game 1)

Sunday, April 3, 2005

•  NCAA Hoop City Fan Festival (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) America's Center

•  SLOC March to the Arch (2:00 p.m.) (Free Admission)
-- Starting line: St. Louis Union Station at Market St./Finish line: Kiener Plaza. The first 3,000 participants 18 and under receive a free basketball and free t-shirt.

•  Dasani Festival (11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.) Gateway Mall (Free admission)

•  Taste of St. Louis (11:00 a.m. –7:00 p.m.) Kiener Plaza (Free admission)

Monday, April 4, 2005

•  NCAA Hoop City Fan Festival (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) America's Center

•  National Championship Game – Edward Jones Dome (Time TBD)

NOTE: The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) will hold their annual convention at America's Center during the Final Four.

Facts & Figures

TICKETS -- 2005 NCAA Final Four tickets available to the general public were allocated via a random computerized selection process conducted by the NCAA. The application deadline was May 14, 2004. The event is SOLD OUT . Basketball seating capacity is approximately 47,650.

The St. Louis Organizing Committee is the organization that was formed to organize and operate the day-to-day preparations for the 2005 NCAA Final Four. The SLOC operates as a non profit and 501 (c)(3) under the name of St. Louis Championship Basketball, Inc. The St. Louis Organizing Committee bid on and was selected to host the 2005 NCAA Final Four in 1998.

The St. Louis Organizing Committee is a partnership between the Missouri Valley Conference, Saint Louis University, the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission and the St. Louis Sports Commission . There are two full-time staff members, along with 24 volunteer-chaired sub-committees. The St. Louis Organizing Committee office can be reached by phone at (314) 621-2307 or by fax at (314) 621-3394 . Additional information about the St. Louis Organizing Committee can be found at w ww.stlloc.org .

VISITOR IMPACT INFORMATION :

More than 50,000 visitors will come to the St. Louis region during the 2005 NCAA Final Four. Although the effect that a NCAA Final Four holds for each host city is different, recent trends have indicated that the average direct spending that occurs during a NCAA Final Four exceeds $50 million. Visitor information is available online at www.explorestlouis.com or by calling the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission directly at (800) 916-9315 . Fans interested in making hotel reservations during the Final Four can do so online at www.explorestlouis.com/ncaa or by calling (800) 916-8926 . Fan block information can also be found under the Hotel Reservations link at www.stlloc.org. Approximately 8,000 hotel rooms are required to host the 2005 NCAA Final Four, with an estimated 50,000 room nights used during championship week.

PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE NCAA EVENT INFORMATION:

St. Louis hosted Final Fours in 1973 and in 1978. In the 1973 championship, UCLA's Bill Walton scored his NCAA-record 44 points to lead the Bruins to a victory against Memphis State, while Kentucky's Jack Givens scored 41 points to lead the Wildcats to victory over Duke in the 1978 championship. Those are two of the three 40-point Final Four games in NCAA history.

St. Louis has also hosted the following NCAA Basketball events:

1982 Midwest Regional; 1984 Midwest Regional; 1993 Midwest Regional; 1998 Midwest Regional; 1999 Midwest Regional; 2001 Women's Final Four; 2002 1st/2nd Rounds; 2004 St. Louis Regional

Future sites (NCAA Final Four):

2006 – Indianapolis; 2007 – Atlanta; 2008 – San Antonio; 2009 –
Detroit 2010 – Indianapolis; 2011 – Houston

Future NCAA basketball events in St. Louis:

2007 – NCAA Men's Basketball St. Louis Regional, March 23 & 25
2009 – NCAA Women's Final Four, April 5 & 7