Ohio Classic/Black College All-Star Game set for April 16

March 30, 2005

“We are very excited to be returning to Gund Arena to bring back the Black College All-Star Game after experiencing such a tremendous response in its first year,” said John C. Pace, Jr., president of World-Class Events Management, Inc., which manages the event. “We are also pleased to include top Ohio players, which we believe will make the 2005 Black College All-Star Game experience even more extraordinary than the inaugural event.”

The all-star game will be part of a basketball quadruple header that will include a celebrity game featuring high-profile athletes, actors and entertainers, and will be hosted by actress/comedienne Kym Whitley (a Greater-Cleveland native). Whitley, who starred in Next Friday and is former host of BET’s Oh! Drama, is the honorary chairperson for the Black College All-Star Game & Celebrity Extravaganza. Cleveland high school girls and boys all-star basketball games and a cheerleading competition will tip off the day’s festivities.

The event is expected to attract 30,000 people to downtown Cleveland, including 16,000 at Gund Arena. The event is expected to generate approximately $11 million in economic impact in Northeast Ohio through money spent at hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and entertainment venues. It will provide more than $100,000 annually for the scholarship funds of community-based organizations that participate in fundraising opportunities provided by the event.

Black College All-Star Game tickets will be available at all Ticketmaster locations or by calling the Gund Arena box office at (216) 241-5555 or (800) 332-2287. Information is also available at the event's web site www.blackcollegeallstargame.com.

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