PHILIPS ARENA ENTERS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY SEASON - NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT ON DECK FOR 2003-04

ATLANTA (July 2003) – Philips Arena enters its 2003-04 fifth anniversary season with several world class events under its belt, and a national championship event on deck for early 2004.

The downtown venue is poised to host the Atlanta 2004 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January, among the more than 200 events slated at the facility in the new season.

Both the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers celebrate their fifth anniversary seasons beginning in fall 2003. Additionally, Philips Arena already has many major concert tours slated later this year, including the sold-out Dixie Chicks concert, American Idols Live, Gaither Homecoming, B2K and R. Kelly. Philips Arena also hosts the return of hometown favorites R.E.M. on October 11.

The fifth anniversary season comes on the heels of Philips Arena and Atlanta welcoming the world at the 2003 NBA All-Star events held in February. Philips Arena was the first Atlanta venue since 1980 to host the NBA All-Star game. This global event is just one example of Philips Arena’s popularity among sports, music and entertainment audiences.

VENUE SCORES WITH CRITICS, PERFORMERS AND FANS
In the venue’s first four seasons, Philips Arena earned numerous industry, media and public accolades for its design, acoustics, amenities and spectrum of events. The 20,000-seat sports and entertainment venue has hosted more than eight million patrons since opening in September 1999. The venue’s grand entrance also celebrates the city, literally spelling “ATLANTA” in 65-foot high letters illuminated with fiber-optic lighting.

Named for sponsor Philips Electronics, Philips Arena was ranked the No. 1 U.S. concert arena for attendance by Pollstar magazine in fall 2001; the facility was also selected as one of the five leading concert arenas by Amusement Business, and named “Best Large Venue for Live Music” by readers of Atlanta magazine.

In 2002, Philips Arena was one of only four U.S. arenas to earn an “A” grade among venue naming rights deals ranked by Advertising Age magazine. During 2002, Philips Arena hosted eight of the nation’s top 10 concert tours ranked by Billboard magazine. The venue also earned Facilities and Event Management Prime Site Award for the second year through votes cast by promoters and arena peers.

Philips Arena also attracted big acts and packed crowds during 2001. The venue kicked off the year with a sell-out crowd during the retirement of 12-season former Atlanta Hawks player Dominque Wilkins’ jersey in January 2001, and ended the year on a high note with three back-to-back sold-out concerts by Georgia-based Widespread Panic December 29 to 31. Widespread Panic returned with back-to-back sold out shows for New Year’s in 2002.

SPORTS RULES
As home to the NBA Atlanta Hawks and the NHL Atlanta Thrashers, the venue set its sports attendance record of 20,072 in November 2001 as the Hawks hosted the Washington Wizards and the return of six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan during the home opener. During 2001 and 2002, the venue hosted a variety of other sports/entertainment events including:

• Harlem Globetrotters
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Summer Games 2003
• Georgia Force Inaugural Season
• Clark Atlanta/Morehouse ‘Ballin’ After Dark Basketball Classic
• Atlanta Hawks Summer Camp
• Russell Athletics ACC/SEC Shootout
• Jason Terry All Star Hoops ShowdowN
• Champions On Ice
• Youth Team Up
• Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom HuckJam
• WWE Wrestling
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• Sesame Street Live
• Disney On Ice
• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Classic for Kids

Philips Arena will again be the center of the sport world’s attention as host of the 2004 U.S. Figure Skating Championships (www.Atlanta2004.org).

MUSIC AND CONCERTS
“Extensive planning went into making Philips Arena an extraordinary concert venue. Musical artists love our acoustics and intimacy, and apparently fans do as well,” said Philips Arena President Bob Williams.

Philips Arena’s vertical suite design featuring all 92 luxury suites “stacked” in opera house style brought the upper rows of seats closer to the floor than any venue built in decades. This design – with input from R.E.M.’s Michael Mills – has proven to be a hit both with concert performers and their audiences.

Through early 2003, major tours including Justin Timberlake & Christina Aguilera, matchbox twenty, Cher, Alabama, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac dazzled crowds at the Philips Arena. During 2002, the venue welcomed top 25 tours including Paul McCartney, Cher, Billy Joel & Elton John, Dave Matthews Band, Neil Diamond, Britney Spears, Creed, The Who, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, ’N Sync, Jimmy Buffett, Rush and Bruce Springsteen.

Also attracting major recording artists in 2001, Philips Arena confirmed an impressive list of sold-out concerts such as Madonna, U2, matchbox twenty and Eric Clapton. John/Joel’s 2001 dual concert sold out in 15 minutes, setting the arena’s record one-night gross with $1,990,010 in revenue. Similarly, Irish rock group U2’s “Elevation Tour” sold out in one hour and set the venue’s all-time attendance record of 20,596.

FAMILY AFFAIR
With advanced audio and video technology provided by Royal Philips Electronics, Philips Arena engages children and adults with the Philips Experience, a special area created in the venue’s “Thrashers Nest” featuring five interactive exhibits allowing visitors to dunk basketballs, e-mail pictures, surf the Internet and play the latest sports video games.

In 2002 and 2001 year-end polls, AtlantaCitySearch.com readers voted Philips Arena as the “Best Place to spend New Year’s Eve,” again validating the venue’s presence as the center of the community. Creative Loafing readers also named Philips Arena “Best Place To Take The Kids” in 2000.

MEETING CENTRAL
Philips Arena has conference and special event capabilities that have helped Atlanta and the venue host numerous religious events, conferences and international meetings including the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau annual meetings, functions hosted by the City of Atlanta, and the 20th Anniversary of CNN attended by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and media representatives from around the world. Philips Arena also hosted the 2003 IDEA Conference of the International Display and Entertainment Association (at which Philips Arena won a Golden Matrix Award for best promotional video of 2002-03). Last year, Philips Arena hosted attendees and events of the 2002 IAAM Conference presented by the International Association of Assembly Managers.

Philips Arena, whose operating company is a subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., an AOL Time Warner Company, is online at www.PhilipsArena.com.

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