Icahn Stadium to Expand for Reebok Grand Prix
Posted Thursday, 3 April, 2008
NEW YORK, NY (March 31) - On the heels of a sell-out last year, 1,500 seats are being added to Icahn Stadium for the Reebok Grand Prix on May 31, organizers announced today.
The bleacher seats, along the backstretch with clear views of the finish line, will be available for $15. Grandstand tickets range from $50-$24. Tickets are on sale now by phone at 1-877-TIX-TRAC and will go on sale on-line in early April at www.ReebokGrandPrix.com.
"With track and field one of the most-popular sports in the Olympics, and many of the top stars expected to compete here, we know there will be heavy demand," said meet director Mark Wetmore, president of Global Athletics & Marketing, Inc. "Because we sold out last year, we didn't want anyone to be disappointed. When we realized it was possible to add good seats along the backstretch, we jumped at the chance."
At last year's Reebok Grand Prix, fans witnessed an American Record, some of the fastest races ever run in this country, and one of the top 100-meter dashes in history. Designated one of the two top track-and-field events in the United States, the 2007 meet showcased its international flavor in the stands and on the track last year with outstanding - even historic - performances by American pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski, Chinese hurdling sensation Liu Xiang, Ethiopian distance star Tariku Bekele, Jamaican sprint queen Veronica Campbell, and the hottest sprinter on the planet, Tyson Gay.
Most of these same athletes are expected to return on May 31, giving fans a chance to be among the first to see the stars of the 2008 Olympics, which begin just nine weeks later. The 2008 lineup will be announced soon.
Also among the highlights again this year will be several exciting high-school relays, including a top boys' 4x800m, a boys' 4x100m, a girls' 4x400m and a boys' 4x400m featuring teams from New York and Jamaica.
The Reebok Grand Prix begins at 5 p.m., and a reggae concert will again wrap up the evening.
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