November 17, 2000
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) 2000 State Football Championship Tournaments will again be played in Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois on Thanksgiving weekend, Friday and Saturday, November 24 and 25, 2000. The Champaign-Urbana Convention & Visitors Bureau has rallied the community together and planned activities in conjunction with the games that will be fun and entertaining for everyone attending the two-day event.
A wide variety of businesses and organizations are sponsoring various activities - see the list at end of this release. In addition, an IHSA Football and Champaign-Urbana logo has been designed by local Centennial High School student Tim Colandro to be used on signage.
A special C-U Convention & Visitors Bureau community ambassador will deliver a C-U welcome package on Monday, November 20 to each of the twelve championship finalist team schools. The packages will include exciting information about community festivities, souvenir football key chains, maps of the area, shopping opportunities and other goodies. These community ambassadors will also be available to each team while they are here to provide information and whatever else the team may need to have a great stay in C-U.
Information about the State Championships:
· Games: Friday, November 24:
- 11:00 a.m. - Class 1A
- 3:00 p.m. - Class 2A
- 7:00 p.m. - Class 3A
Saturday, November 25:
- 11:00 a.m. - Class 4A
- 3:00 p.m. - Class 5A
- 7:00 p.m. - Class 6A
· Tickets: Available at the Assembly Hall North Box Office and at the will call window on game days.
- Prices:
$7 for a single game ticket
$30 for a pass for all six games
All tickets are general seating
Phone: 217-333-3470
The high school teams, cheerleaders, band members and drill teams will be able to experience the Illini traditions by actually performing in the same areas that their respective Illini counterparts perform in for Illini games.
The following entertainment, food, games and activities will be part of the two-day celebration and there are new items this year:
· Festival Tent City will be set up on the west side of Memorial Stadium, and will include one center Main Festival Tent that will be bigger than last year's, with six team hospitality tents around the parameter.
- The Main Festival Tent will include more games for older children; more giveaways and Santa will visit this year! The tent will be open from 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. It will be heated and include: inflatable games, interactive games such as football target toss, bounce boxing, a 9-hole miniature golf course, football skill activities, video play stations, food, music, and information about interesting things to see and do in the community, plus shopping opportunities.
- The six team hospitality tents will be the day's respective team headquarters. Each school playing that day will be invited to set up their own tailgate, hold pep rallies, etc. There will be a team decorating contest and the tents will be available to the teams approximately from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. each day.
· Free 40-minute bus tours of the U of I campus held on Friday and Saturday at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m.
· Toys Drive charity to help collect toys for the holidays for needy children.
· ihigh.com vehicle with free give-aways all day both days.
· USTA Men's Challenger professional players autograph sessions.
· Other Welcoming Activities Will
Include:
- Yard signs on the entryway roads that IHSA
visitors will use to come into town.
- 10,000 souvenirs to be given away.
- Shopping opportunities all over the community.
- Area hotels and motels will provide
comprehensive community information at host tables
in their lobbies.
List of Sponsors:
Souvenir Sponsors $2,000
Cisco Systems
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Team Tent Sponsors $1,500
Carle Sports Medicine
SuperValu
Papa John's Pizza
Mobile Super Pantry
State Farm Insurance
Champaign-Urbana Convention & Visitors Bureau
and the C-U Hotel-Motel Association
Corporate Sponsors $500
Huddleston Manufactured Homes
Busey Bank
Banner Sponsors $250
Broeren Russo Construction
Ramshaw Smith
BankIllinois
Chevy's Fresh Mex Restaurant
Christie Clinic
CollegeIllinois
Collegiate Cap and Gown
Dick's Sporting Goods
Hawthorne Suites
Market Place Mall
Ned Kelly's
Lincoln Square Mall
Life Lines, Inc.
McDonald's
Pia's
Monical's Pizza
Provena Covenant Medical Center
Land's End
Mr. Rooter Plumbing
Mittendorf-Calvert Funeral Home
TGIF's
Urbana Park District
Individuals, businesses and other organizations are encouraged to purchase tickets to boost attendance at the games.
The mission of the C-U Convention & Visitors Bureau is to provide leadership in coordinating efforts that serve to promote Champaign County by encouraging growth in visitor and convention-related business.