MEDIA RELEASE
Winnipeg, September 24, 2002

ROARING GAME READY TO ROAR IN WINNIPEG

(Winnipeg) With six months and counting until the first rock is thrown at Winnipeg Arena for the start of the 2003 Ford World Curling Championships, the event is shaping up to be another world class success, according to Zivan Saper, President of the Organizing Committee.

"It's referred to as the roaring game. We expect that it will be the roar of a large, supportive crowd that will make the difference in Winnipeg next April", Saper said. "Our premium seats are selling very fast. To this point in time we have sold nearly 60,000 seats for the nine day event, which represents roughly one-third of our goal". This, in Saper's view is a comfortable place to be, as the very popular weekend packages haven't been released yet. "When we launch the weekenders in November, the meter will shoot up very quickly as these packages appeal to both local and out-of-town curling fans".

In addition to ticket sales, Saper identified corporate sponsorship as the other key revenue stream and announced that the local corporate sponsor program has been progressing steadily with Casinos of Winnipeg leading the way as Presenting Sponsor. To date, a total of 24 event sponsors have signed on, including five media partners.

Roy Sinclair, President of the World Curling Federation was in Winnipeg today to attend a celebrity golf event and news conference, and echoed Saper's optimism. "Winnipeg and curling are synonymous with success. In 1991, Winnipeg charted a new course for this event with the job they did and we have every confidence that this will again be the case next April".

Sinclair added that curling in Europe and other parts of the world is at an all time high and this bodes well for the event. "With the success that teams outside of North America enjoyed last year at the Olympics and the Ford Worlds, there is a growing feeling of confidence. This cannot do anything but elevate the quality of competition and the excitement in the building".

An exciting enhancement for the 2003 Championships that curling fans can look forward to is the location of the entertainment venue. The Extra End Pub will be a 40,000 square foot facility, erected within the confines of Canad Inns Stadium, directly across the street from Winnipeg Arena and will accommodate more than 3,000 people. The Extra End Pub will feature live entertainment each day and night with state-of-the-art sound, light and staging, and will also be the site of a pre-event kick-off party on Friday, April 4, featuring a top Canadian touring band.

Current World Curling champion and Winnipeg native, David Nedohin was also in attendance and expressed great enthusiasm about the Ford Worlds in Winnipeg. "As a member of the defending men's championship team, I'm very excited about the upcoming season. Being able to come home next April and duplicate that feat would be the ultimate icing on the cake".

The Ford World Curling Championships will be played at the Winnipeg Arena from April 5 - 13, 2003. Full event ticket packages are priced from $250 to $500 and are available at Select-a-Seat (204-780-SEAT). Weekend packages will be released in November.

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