FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 1998
Contact: John Johnson or Mike Clifford 517.332.5046
EAST LANSING, Mich. - March 17 - Fans attending the 1998 Michigan High School Athletic Association Boys Basketball Finals, March 26-28 at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing will have an opportunity to take advantage of discounts and specials at participating merchants in the area by displaying a Here 4 Hoops sticker.
The Here 4 Hoops program is a cooperative venture of the MHSAA, corporate partner Farm Bureau Insurance, participating downtown East Lansing merchants, participating merchants in the Frandor Shopping Center near the tournament venue, and other participating area businesses.
Over 40,000 Here 4 Hoops stickers will be distributed at the Breslin Center, and on the three days of the event, participating merchants will be offering discounts and specials to tournament goers.
"We owe a special thanks to the East Lansing business community and Farm Bureau Insurance for their promotion of the Boys Basketball Finals," said John E. "Jack" Roberts, executive director of the MHSAA. "These groups have helped heighten public awareness of the event by underwriting the cost of the March Magic banners in East Lansing, and Here 4 Hoops is our way of saying thanks for that support."
The MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals will draw over 60,000 spectators to the area again in 1998. According to a study released a year ago by the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, the event is a financial boon to its host community, creating $10.4 million in direct spending and an economic impact in excess of over $20 million, making it the largest, single-weekend, annual sporting event in the greater Lansing area.
Participating merchants will be displaying Here 4 Hoops signs in their storefronts. Downtown East Lansing merchants participating in Here 4 Hoops are: Bagel Fragel, 527 E. Grand River Ave.; Beggar's Banquet, 218 Abbott Road; Bell's Pizza, 225 MAC Ave.; Brother Gambit, 211 MAC Ave.; BW3, 220 MAC Ave.; Caffe Latte, 110 Charles St.; Chesapeake Crab House, in the Marriott Hotel; Chester's Nuts, 412 Albert Ave.; Chios, 541 E. Grand River Ave.; Cool Creations Gifts & Stuff, 209 MAC Ave.; Curious Book Store, 307 E. Grand River Ave.; Earport, 301 MAC Ave.; Footgear, 108 Division St.; Gina's Hallmark, 301 E. Grand River Ave.; Haircuts Plus, 545 E. Grand River Ave.; Harper's, 131 Albert Ave.; In Flight Sports, 507 E. Grand River Ave.; Instant Interiors, 333 Albert Ave.; Juice Because, 317 MAC Ave.; MSU Bootery, 217 E. Grand River Ave.; Panchero's Mexican Grill, 125 E. Grand River Ave.; Prime Time Travel, 507 E. Grand River Ave.; Saper Galleries, 433 Albert Ave.; Showroom Shine, 300 MAC Ave.; Southbeach Café, 101 E. Grand River Ave.; State Discount, 501 E. Grand River Ave.; Student Book Store, 417 E. Grand River Ave.; Tower Records, 115 E. Grand River Ave.; Uncommon Accessories, 333 Albert Ave.; and X-Cel Sports, 219 E. Grand River Ave.
Participating Frandor Shopping Center merchants are: Bollert's Hardware, Baskin Robbins, Grande Gormet, Mote Photo, Holden-Reid, God's Creations and Community Newscenter.
Also participating in Here 4 Hoops is Moto Photo in the Brookfield Shopping Plaza at the corner of Grand River Ave., and Haradorn Road in East Lansing.
Roberts added that the MHSAA plans to take Here 4 Hoops on the road in December, staging the program at the Association's Girls Basketball Finals in Mt. Pleasant, December 3-5.