Grand Opening of the Save Mart Center at Fresno State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media CONTACT: Tom Uribes

Oct. 31, 2003

(559) 278-5366 or 246-1717 or Allison Kessler SMG 347-3422

MEDIA NOTES: Media parking will be in Bulldog Lot on the southeast corner. Enter first driveway on Chestnut north of Shaw. Please show media placard if vehicle not marked. Fresno State’s University Relations staff will be on hand. Please contact Tom Uribes with planned time of arrival and if planning to send a live truck. Mark Aydelotte and Shirley Armbruster will also be on hand.

Parking Info Today's Performances Telephone Event Info Recording:: 278-4000

A New Era Begins!

Save Mart Center Open House Saturday (Nov. 1)
Welcomes Valley Residents Into the Future

50 years ago, California State University, Fresno broke new ground for the San Joaquin Valley when it moved its campus from central Fresno to what was then the northeast outskirts of the City of Fresno at Shaw and Cedar Avenues.

On Saturday, the university will present to the regional community its latest contribution when the doors to the new Save Mart Center swing open for the Community Open House from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The community is invited to visit the new $103 million event center located on the corner of Shaw and Chestnut where Bulldog mascot Timeout and the Fresno State Spirit Team – cheerleaders and dancers – will be on hand all day to greet the public along with several valley performance groups.

SMG, the company hired to manage the center, expects several thousand persons to come out and view the $103 million event center that will be home to the Fresno State Bulldogs and Fresno Falcons as well as the site of big name entertainment, academic and cultural event.

SMG’s theme is “Entertainment Excellence, Time after Time.” Headquartered in Philadelphia, SMG provides facility management services to 160 venues, controlling over 1.4 million entertainment seats worldwide.

The Community Open House is one of several events marking the Save Mart Center Grand Opening in the past week and continuing with the first basketball game Nov. 5 and the Andrea Bocelli concert Nov. 7.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday and the Bulldog Foundation’s Open House was held Tuesday night when the 3,200-pound Bronze Bulldog statue was unveiled in the Shehadey Lobby. A gala banquet for donors Sunday night provided a glimpse of the elegance the center can provide for special events.

All week, various segments of the campus and community have been marveling at the structure that propels the Central San Joaquin Valley into the future as advertised when it was first introduced to the campus community in a fly-through video in 1999.

Now Debbie Astone, executive director of the Auxiliary Services who has been the Save Center project coordinator from the onset, and others have been basking the past seven days in the joy of a successful accomplishment.

She is ready to share it with the community at large Saturday.

"I am so pleased to have the entire Central California community participate in celebrating the opening of the Save Mart Center,” Astone said. “The support and participation by the entire community has made this premier facility a reality. The comments we have received during the series of grand opening activities has demonstrated the importance this building will have for both Fresno State and the entire community for decades to come.”

She said it has been an honor and a privilege to have been involved with this project from day one.

“This kind of experience comes once in a career and I am very appreciative to have been given this opportunity,” A stone said.

The opportunity now shifts to the residents of the Central Valley in what will truly be a regional event with dance troupes, marching bands, choirs and other groups from high schools and one elementary school from throughout the valley performing at assigned times during the day. (Schedule attached).

These acts will all take the stage on the arena floor.

At the Open House visitors will be able to tour the star room, the green room, a visitor’s locker room, the Bulldog locker room, the Bulldog Foundation Room, the media interview and workrooms and the staging area. All seating, with the exception of the suites, will be open.

Save Mart Center visitors can look to the scoreboard and concourse monitors for video promotions of upcoming events as well as visit information tables featuring university programs and local high schools set up around the concourse.

Approximately 18 area radio stations will be represented and many will be broadcasting live remotes. One station will have a contest for someone to sit in every seat in the arena and another is holding a tailgate party for winners of a previous contest held to promote the big event.

The ticket box office located on the northwest corner will be open and Richard Enns director of the Personal Seat License campaign and his staff will be on the floor with lists of the few remaining PSL seats.

Food concession stands will be open for business including a Greek stand that will sell heroes and Greek salads, a Me ‘n Eds, two Bobby Salazar stands, a polish sandwich stand and a carved sandwich stand.

For all the Grand Opening events, see the full schedule at www.FresnoStateNews.com.

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EDITORS and NEWS/PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORS: Press releases can be downloaded at www.fresnostatenews.com. University Relations also provides releases for news media companies via e-mail. To be added to the distribution list, send your e-mail address to tomu@csufresno.edu.

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