TOWN OF CARY AND USA BASEBALL TO OPEN $11 MILLION NATIONAL TRAINING COMPLEX, KICKOFF USAB TOURNAMENT OF STARS

WHAT:           Grand Opening of the USA Baseball (USAB) National Training Complex and first pitch for the 2007 Tournament of Stars

WHEN:          Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Ribbon Cutting:  11:30 a.m.

USA Baseball Tournament of Stars First Pitch:  1 p.m.

WHERE:        Next to Cary’s Thomas Brooks Park at 200 Brooks Park Lane; Cary, NC    

WHO:             Cary Mayor Ernie McAlister and USAB President Mike Gaski will cut the ribbon to officially open the complex that will serve as training grounds for the nation’s top baseball players.  Afterward, Mayor McAlister and Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice-President of Baseball Operations Jimmie Lee Solomon will throw-out the first pitch to kick off the 2007 USA Baseball Tournament of Stars.

BACKGROUND:

The USA Baseball National Training Complex was built in a partnership between the Town of Cary and USA Baseball after USAB selected the Triangle as their new home in 2002.  In January 2003, the Town of Cary reached an agreement with Heery International to design the National Training Complex, and construction began on the facility in August 2005.  The National Training Complex has four baseball fields – a stadium field that seats nearly 2,000 people and three training fields that seat about 120 each.

Presented by Major League Baseball, the 2007 USA Baseball Tournament of Stars runs from June 19 through June 24 and will feature 144 of the nation’s best high school baseball players (18 years of age and younger) who are competing for a spot on the USAB Junior National Team. 

MEDIA NOTES:

Reserved parking spaces for the media will be available adjacent to the complex in the far left corner of the parking lot.  After arriving at the complex, please pick up credentials and media kits at the USAB Team Store located to the right of the main entrance.  The credential will serve as your admission pass and ticket for lunch that will be provided from noon until 12:45 p.m. in the tent to the left of the complex entrance.

During the ribbon-cutting and first pitch, media cameras will be allowed in the dirt area in front of the dugout near home plate. Also, a tent for conducting interviews will be set-up to the right of the Press Box at the top of the stands.

In case or rain, the event will be held in the tent to the left of the complex entrance.

DIRECTIONS:

From Interstate 40: 

• Take Exit 278 (Highway 55 exit).  Travel south on N.C. 55 towards Apex. 
• Travel approximately 7.5 miles and make a right on Green Hope School Rd. at the stop light.
• After approximately 1.5 miles, make a left into USA Baseball National Training Complex

From Highway 64: 

• Take the Highway 55 exit.  Travel north on N.C. 55 approximately 3.7 miles.
• Make a left on Green Hope School Rd. at the stop light.
• After approximately 1.5 miles, make a left into USA Baseball National Training Complex

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