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For Immediate Release
(Sydney, Nova Scotia) IMG and Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation are happy to announce an early Christmas present for Cape Breton Island. After an enormously successful inaugural year, the second annual Wayne Gretzky & Friends Invitational is scheduled for July 1-2, 2001 at Bell Bay Golf Club in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. This unique golf event will feature NHL superstar Wayne Gretzky, along with two other sports celebrities in a best-ball competition against Canada's PGA sensation Mike Weir. Bell Bay Golf Club, designed by world-renowned architect Thomas McBroom, sits high above the Bras d'Or Lakes and offers a spectacular view. Awarded "Best New Course in Canada" status by Golf Digest in 1998, Bell Bay Golf Club has quickly established a reputation of excellence in its first two years of operation. The event will once agian generate a significant donation for P.E.B.B.L.E.S. (Providing Education By Bringing Learning Environments to Students.) This unique technology project was initiated by Wayne Gretzky, The Bay and Ryerson Polytechnic University in conjunction with the launch of the Wayne Gretzky clothing line in September of 1998. The P.E.B.B.L.E.S. project was designed to provide two-way live audio/visual communication between classrooms and hospitalized students. Its video conferencing units are installed in children's hospitals, enabling patients to continue to participate in classroom activities while away from that environment. "This is a very important aspect of the tournament," asserts Gretzky. "We hope to raise a lot of money for P.E.B.B.L.E.S. This kind of event seemed like a natural way to support charity, have some competitive fun and visit the East Coast, a beautiful area of Canada." "I had to bring my A game last year! It was exciting to play three great champions like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux & Brett Hull and for the crowd to be behind me," exclaimed Mike Weir, Canadian golf star. "I was really surprised at how good the competition was, after all it took an extra hole to win!" I'm up for the challenge of defending next year." The two-day event will kick off on Sunday July 1st with Super Sunday, a family-oriented day fearturing celebrities in an elimination shootout and an 18-hole Celebrity-Am. Tournament play will be conducted over 18 holes on Monday July 2nd as Gretzky, Weir and two other celebrities take to the course in front of what is expected to be a sold-out crowd. Bell Bay Golf Club was a natural choice to host the Wayne Gretzky & Friends Invitational according to Michael Merrall, Senior Vice-President of IMG-Canada, organizers of the event. "After last year's terrific ecent, it made complete sense to choose Atlantic Canada again. The course's design and conditioning are exceptional, and the television viewers will enjoy the magnificent views almost as much as the players!" "Cape Breton Island is pleased to welcome this prestigious event to one of our wonderful golf courses", says Rick Beaton, Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation, Vice President. "The international exposure for the island as a golf destination will be substantial and is guaranteed to bring major economic benefits to our tourism industry. This is a winning situation for everyone involved". Global Television will be televising the Invitational on a type-delayed basis at the end of tJuly. Tickets for the Wayne Gretzky & Friends Invitational will go on sale in the spring. The two-day package price is $66.99. Super Sunday tickets can be purchased separately for $9.99. <- BACK |
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