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Westfield Galleria will host Capitals in Roseville

September 14, 2006 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Sacramento Capitals News Release


Westfield Galleria at Roseville is partnering with World TeamTennis and the Sacramento Capitals to bring the first professional team based in Placer County, kicking-off the first season in July 2007 and has plans to continue to host the Sacramento Capitals for at least the next five years.

"We're excited to be entering this new phase of success with Westfield since they represent the best in malls and marketing," said Ben Combs, co-owner of the Sacramento Capitals. "We're looking forward to having the Capitals play in such a high-visibility area and also the busiest intersection in Placer County. This is the epicenter of tremendous growth in the Central Valley."

Westfield Galleria at Roseville will provide tennis fans the opportunity to watch world-class professionals such as Andy Roddick, Martina Hingis, Pete Sampras and Anna Kournikova compete in an exciting and unique co-ed format that is individual to WTT. The Capitals will play 14 matches, including seven home matches located on the southeast corner near Nordstrom at Westfield Galleria in which all of Sacramento is welcome to attend.

"We are thrilled to partner with World TeamTennis in hosting the Sacramento Capitals next July," said Gavin Farnam, general manager for Westfield. "The Sacramento Capitals is such an exciting team event and it is an opportunity for Roseville and area families to experience a world class sport right here at home. We have exciting plans for our expansion at Westfield and this is another great opportunity to bring Roseville more than ever before."

During the inaugural year, the Capitals organization aims to have up to 5,000 seats at Allstate Stadium. In future years, they hope to entertain crowds of up to 10,000. Tennis fans can also look forward to improved facility amenities.

The stadium layout will now cast a shadow on the vendors, sponsor booths and food court area, which means more shade on those steamy summer nights. The stadium will also hold new bleachers and boxseats, with hopes of closed-circuit monitors in the sponsor tents. Increased lighting and air conditioning will make the sponsor deck even more comfortable. Permanent-style restrooms will also be air-conditioned.

"We're delighted that we're the new home of the Sacramento Capitals," stated Gina Garbolino, City of Roseville Mayor. "World TeamTennis fits beautifully with our goals of encouraging visitors to our facilities and to promote and strengthen Westfield's community identity...and having Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick here...well, that's cool, too!"

In their 22nd year of the WTT League, the Sacramento Capitals have captured the King Trophy five times (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002). The Capitals have reached the Western Conference Finals 16 times, with 10 consecutive appearances in the playoffs, and won the Western Conference in 2005-06.

"The Capitals have won a lot of championships," said Ilana Kloss, WTT Commissioner, on site at Westfield Galleria. "But it's not the championships we remember; it's the commitment to this community. I cannot tell you how important communities like Roseville and companies like Westfield mean to World TeamTennis. We're all about taking tennis to the people. [WTT founder] Billie Jean King and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

The WTT Pro League consists of 12 teams, each comprised of two men and two women. A match consists of five sets: women's singles and doubles, men's singles and doubles, and mixed doubles. Each game in a set is worth one point. The winner for the evening is based on the total number of games won during the match. This no-ad scoring system ensures action packed tennis from beginning to end because both teams have a chance to win the match until the last minute, even if they've lost the first four sets. The entire match normally takes two and a half hours. The Sacramento Capitals have not only been successful on the court, but off the court as well. They have contributed over one million dollars back to the community during their tenure in WTT. The Capitals are proud to give back to the community, and with the assistance of sponsors and season ticket holders, the charitable donations go further. The Capitals hope to make 2007 a record-breaking year for donations. The Capitals would like to extend the opportunity to others in the community to help them make a difference.

"I tip my hat to Ben Combs because he was instrumental in putting the deal together with Westfield," said Capitals co-owner Lonnie Nielson. "Our players and wonderful coach Wayne Bryan have always interacted with the community to stimulate tennis interest and activity."

"This place is going to rock," assured Wayne Bryan, who has coached the Capitals since 2002 and was voted the 2005-2006 WTT Coach of the Year. "We want packed stands and we're going to give more than we get."

Several ticket packages are available for Westfield 's first season of the Sacramento Capitals. Individual tickets will start at $15, box seats are $55.50 and seats for the press box are $69.50. Tennis fans can also purchase general season tickets for $90, bleacher season passes for $180, season tickets for box seats at $330 and press box season tickets for $355. Those interested in purchasing tickets should visit the Sacramento Capital's web site at www.gocaps.net, contact (916) 638-4001 x134 or visit the Westfield Galleria at Roseville Concierge Center .

Westfield Galleria at Roseville is owned by the Westfield Group (ASX: WDC), an Australian-based company with interests in 120 shopping centers in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the U.S., the Group has a portfolio of 60 shopping centers that are home to more than 9,000 specialty stores and comprise approximately 64.6 million square feet of leasable space in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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