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Columbus Crew SC

Crew honored with Expy Award at "Experience Columbus" Annual Meeting

March 10, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio (Wednesday, March 10) - The Columbus Crew was honored today by "Experience Columbus" at its Annual Meeting with one of five inaugural EXPY Awards, which recognize the contributions that local individuals, businesses and organizations make toward creating a more vibrant and fulfilling Columbus experience for visitors and residents in 2003.

The Crew was recognized - before a crowd of more than 750 people gathered to celebrate "The Faces of Hospitality in Columbus" - for bringing three high-profile international and national soccer events to Columbus and Crew Stadium last year.

Crew Founder Lamar Hunt was in attendance to receive the award, along with Hunt Sports President John Wagner and Crew President/General Manager Jim Smith.

"It is extremely gratifying to be recognized in this manner, by this group of people and for this reason," Hunt said. "Crew Stadium's important place in the Greater Columbus hospitality industry - and community as a whole - is something of which we are very proud. This honor for advancing the goals of "Experience Columbus" is quite special to our organization."

The Crew Stadium events recognized by the award are the U.S. Men's National Team's 2-0 victory over Paraguay in July; three doubleheaders in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup in September, which brought the national teams of Argentina, Canada, Germany, Japan, North Korea and the United States to Crew Stadium; and the 2003 NCAA Men's College Cup in December, which featured the top four teams in U.S. college soccer (Maryland, Santa Clara, St. John's and the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers).

"Bringing these kinds of high-profile events to Crew Stadium is one of our organization's priorities," Smith said. "As the first major league stadium built specifically for soccer in this country, we remain uniquely positioned to continue to bring the world to Columbus."

The other four inaugural winners of the Expy Awards were the Franklin Park Conservatory for "Chihuly at the Conservatory;" American Electric Power for Cirque du Soleil's "Dralion"; Chef Hartmut Handke for putting Columbus cuisine in the national spotlight at the Bocuse d'Or international culinary contest; and the Short North Business Association for Via Colori.

Keynote speakers at the luncheon included Paul D. Astleford, President and CEO of "Experience Columbus;" Phil Urban, outgoing chairman of the " Experience Columbus" Board of Trustees; and Joseph Alutto, new chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Special guests included Mayor Michael B. Coleman; Matt Habash, President of Columbus City Council; Arlene Shoemaker, President of Franklin County Commissioners; and Amir Eylon, Assistant Director of the Ohio Division of Travel & Tourism.

"Experience Columbus," formerly known as the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, markets Central Ohio to conventions, meetings, trade shows and leisure travelers and strives to orchestrate a positive experience for all visitors to the area.

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