Andre Agassi to Receive MSG Garden of Dreams Hero Award
New York, NY, February 18, 2011 – Madison Square Garden and the Garden of Dreams Foundation announced today that tennis legend Andre Agassi is the recipient of the 2011 Garden of Dreams Hero Award. The award, established in 2009, honors one person or organization annually that embodies the spirit and commitment of the Garden of Dreams Foundation, with active, on-going dedication to children facing obstacles.
Agassi’s work with children mirrors that of the Garden of Dreams Foundation, which works closely with all areas of Madison Square Garden, including the New York Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Media, MSG Entertainment and Fuse “to make dreams come true for kids facing obstacles.” The Garden of Dreams Hero engages in personal, sustained support of, or involvement in organizations and activities that directly enhance the lives of children and their families, while serving as a driving force and inspiration for others.
Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam champion, has been as dedicated off the court working with children as he was winning tournaments on the court. In 1994, he founded the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, which is devoted to transforming public education in the United States through its school in Las Vegas and by influencing state and national policy. In 1997, he established the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club in Las Vegas, which supports 2,000 children throughout the year and boasts a world class junior tennis team and basketball program. In 2001, Agassi opened the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in Las Vegas’ most at-risk neighborhood. In 2009 and 2010, the school graduated a 100% acceptance rate for higher education. The school currently enrolls approximately 650 pupils K-12.
“Making a difference in the lives of children is something we are passionate about, and Andre’s unwavering dedication to children through education, sports and community outreach makes him a legend on and off the court,” said Hank Ratner, President & CEO, Madison Square Garden and Chairman of the Board, Garden of Dreams Foundation. “Andre’s commitment to children has made a difference in thousands of lives and his work epitomizes what Garden of Dreams stands for, which is to make dreams come true for children facing obstacles. We are proud to honor him with the 2011 Garden of Dreams Hero Award.”
Since its inception in 2006, Garden of Dreams has worked tirelessly to fulfill its mission by creating unique and unforgettable events and activities – often involving unprecedented access to MSG celebrities and athletes at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the MSG Training Center, Fuse and the Beacon Theatre – for more than 165,000 tri-state area children. Over 145,000 tickets have been donated to organizations served by Garden of Dreams and more than 1,800 special events have been designed for children and families.
Garden of Dreams strives to be heroic, inspirational and unforgettable – all attributes of the children the Foundation has had the privilege to meet over the course of its history. Partnering with a diverse collection of outstanding children’s related organizations – from hospitals, to foster organizations, to homeless shelters and “wish” organizations, the Garden of Dreams Foundation has a singular goal each and every day – to utilize the power and magic of Madison Square Garden and its properties to bring joy and happiness to children facing devastating problems – whether they relate to illness, homelessness, poverty, foster care issues or tragedy.
On Monday, February 28 during the much anticipated BNP Paribas Showdown and prior to his match against Pete Sampras, Agassi will be center court at Madison Square Garden to accept the Garden of Dreams Hero Award.
For more information on the Garden of Dreams Foundation, the programs we run, and the children we serve, please visit www.GardenofDreamsFoundation.org
About Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden is a fully-integrated sports, entertainment and media business. The company is comprised of three business segments: MSG Sports, MSG Entertainment and MSG Media, which are strategically aligned to work together to drive MSG’s overall business, which is built on a foundation of iconic venues and compelling content that MSG creates, produces, presents and/or distributes through its programming networks and other media assets. MSG Sports consists of owning and operating sports franchises, including the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Connecticut Whale (AHL). MSG Sports also features other sports properties, including the presentation of a wide variety of live sporting events including professional boxing, college basketball, track and field and tennis. MSG Entertainment is one of the country’s leaders in live entertainment. MSG Entertainment creates, produces and/or presents a variety of live productions, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes. MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts other live entertainment events such as concerts, family shows and special events in MSG’s diverse collection of venues. These venues include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the Chicago Theatre and the Wang Theatre. MSG Media is a leader in production and content development for multiple distribution platforms, including content originating from MSG’s venues. MSG Media consists of the MSG Networks (MSG, MSG Plus, MSG HD and MSG Plus HD) regional sports networks and the Fuse Networks (Fuse and Fuse HD), a national television network dedicated to music. MSG Media is also responsible for managing interactive initiatives across all business segments. More information is available at www.msg.com.
Garden of Dreams Foundation
Garden of Dreams is a non-profit charity that works closely with all areas of Madison Square Garden, including the New York Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Media, MSG Entertainment and Fuse “to make dreams come true for kids facing obstacles.” In the four years since its inception, Garden of Dreams has worked tirelessly to fulfill its mission by creating unique and unforgettable events and activities -often involving unprecedented access to Madison Square Garden celebrities, events and venues -that have brightened the lives of thousands and thousands of special children and their families.
About the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education
The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education seeks to transform public education in two ways. Through its signature project, the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, the Foundation works to provide underserved children in Las Vegas with a first-class K-12 education to prepare them for excellence in college and beyond. Through state and national advocacy, the Foundation strives to increase investment in, and accountability for, public schools. To support the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education or to obtain additional information, please visit www.agassifoundation.org.
About The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy
Agassi Prep was founded in 2001 and has become the signature project of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education. The school is located in Clark County, Nevada – one of the nation’s largest school districts. In 2009, the school graduated its first senior class with a 100 percent college acceptance rate. The U.S. Department of Education has called Agassi Prep a “National Model” among charter schools and Agassi Prep has received both “Exemplary” and “High Achieving” designations from the Nevada Department of Education. For more information, please visit www.agassiprep.net.
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