Champions Tour adds New Tournament in Mississippi

The Champions Tour has announced the addition of a new tournament to its schedule next year - the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic to be held April 26-May 2, 2010.

The tournament will feature three days of stroke play, a pro-am as well as special events. Champions Tour favorites Hal Sutton, Loren Roberts, Fred Funk, Jay Haas, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, Hale Irwin and Fuzzy Zoeller are expected to compete.

"The Gulf Coast Business Council has a vision of seeing the Mississippi Gulf Coast become a Tier One tourism destination. Achievement of such an ambitious goal requires that we have nationally recognized events and attractions," explained Anthony Topazi, Chairman of the Gulf Coast Business Council. "The PGA Champions Tour is a signature event for any region of this country and is a significant step in becoming a Tier One destination. This Tournament will showcase the Mississippi Gulf Coast's premier golf, fishing, and resort amenities on a national and world-wide basis."

The tournament will be played at Fallen Oak, a Tom Fazio design that features streams and marshland along with pecan and magnolia groves. The layout, which contains dramatic elevation changes and more than 4,000 oaks, magnolias, pines and other hardwood trees, has been recognized as one of the best new courses in the country, garnering 12 national honors, including Golf Digest's "America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses," where Fallen Oak debuted at No. 19.

"Fallen Oak was built with the intention of challenging golfers of all abilities and handicaps. It tested the likes of Ryder Cup captains Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo during last year's 'Captain's Challenge.' Now, we look forward to seeing how Fallen Oak will stand up to some of the other legends of the game. Knowing this course and how unique it is, I have no doubt that these incredible players will find a thorough test of their games when they play it next spring." said George P. Corchis, Jr., president and chief operating officer of MGM Mirage's Mississippi Operations, which owns Fallen Oak.

The tournament will be broadcast on Golf Channel, which reaches an estimated 81.5 million households in the United States and an additional 86 million households in 112 countries around the world. It is expected that the tournament will draw volunteers and ticket buyers from around the country as well, based on data from other Champions Tour events.

The financial foundation of the tournament was established by a consortium of businesses including the Gulf Coast Business Council, Beau Rivage, IP, Grand Biloxi, Island View, Hard Rock, Habitat for Humanity, Cellular South, the State of Mississippi, Roy Anderson Corp, Yates Construction, Hancock Bank and Southern Company, as well as Harrison and Hancock County's Tourism Commissions.

The Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic with donate all charitable dollars to Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast, Inc. "We are proud of the way our community has come together to make this happen and we are especially delighted that Habitat for Humanity of the Gulf Coast will be the beneficiary of this tournament. This organization continues to serve countless families in our community in helping to rebuild homes and lives," added Topazi.

"Our players look forward to this terrific addition to our 2010 Schedule," said Mike Stevens, President of the Champions Tour. "Mississippi has a rich history of hosting PGA Tour tournaments and we're delighted to team with these great partners for the first Champions Tour event in Mississippi."

The tournament's foundation hired Bruno Event Team to manage the event, including the sponsorship sales, marketing, volunteers and operational set-up. "We are very excited to be part of this event - the leadership and support the community has shown to date is incredible and is a great indicator of success for the tournament," explained Gene Hallman, President and CEO, Bruno Event Team.

For more information about the tournament, available sponsorship packages, volunteer opportunities and tickets, visit www.mississippigulfresortclassic.com.