JACKSON, Miss. -- The Mississippi Development Authority announces that Fallen Oak Golf Course – the acclaimed, new amenity of the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino which has drawn rave reviews from players and golf writers since its November 2006 opening – will host the 2nd Annual Governor’s Cup of Mississippi Golf Tournament on Monday, May 7.
The inaugural Governor’s Cup tournament was held at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss., last year. It raised more than $300,000 for the Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund, Inc. Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, this year’s host, is underwriting the entire tournament cost which will allow for 100 percent of the proceeds raised by the tournament to go directly to the Boys and Girls Clubs on the Gulf Coast.
The Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation established by Governor Haley Barbour, is presenting the tournament. The Fund has raised more than $32 million dollars from individuals, organizations, and corporations to provide recovery assistance for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Governor Barbour will be this year’s Chairman while Fallen Oak designer Tom Fazio, a longtime charitable contributor to the Boys and Girls Clubs, will co-chair the event.
'South Mississippi's efforts to recover from Hurricane Katrina have attracted many partners who are putting their time, efforts and money into helping,' Governor Haley Barbour said. 'I am grateful to Tom Fazio and Beau Rivage for their very generous support for the Boys and Girls Club on the Coast through the Governor's Cup golf tournament, and I applaud the continuing excellent work of the Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund in tending to so many pressing needs. We have a strong team whose significant contributions are deeply appreciated.'
“We are very proud that Fallen Oak and the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino are hosting this wonderful event and I look forward to assisting as co-chair,” said Tom Fazio. “I have been involved with Boys and Girls Clubs for many years and I truly believe in the impact we can have on the lives of young people. Events like this further that cause and I am proud to be a part of it. The Fallen Oak course is truly spectacular and the participants in the Governor’s Cup are in for a memorable golf experience.”
“Beau Rivage is honored to host this prestigious tournament in support of the Boys and Girls Clubs on the Gulf Coast,” said Beau Rivage President George Corchis. “This will be the first charitable tournament held at Fallen Oak, and who better to team up with than the Governor of our great state of Mississippi, and Tom Fazio, arguably the world’s greatest living golf course designer.”
The Governor’s Cup festivities will kick off Sunday, May 6 with practice rounds at Fallen Oak. That evening, Marsha Barbour will host the First Lady’s Reception honoring players and guests in Beau Rivage’s Magnolia Ballroom. On May 7, limousine transportation will take participants to the course for breakfast and an 18-hole schamble, followed by an Awards Reception in the Fallen Oak clubhouse.
The tournament is limited to 18 teams with 5 players. Entry fee for the Governor’s Cup is $3,000 per player. For more information, please call 228-265-2971.
MGM MIRAGE’s second collaboration with renowned golf course designer Tom Fazio, and a sister course to Shadow Creek in Las Vegas, Fallen Oak opened in November 2006 and quickly vaulted to the front ranks of Southeastern golfing experiences. Already recognized among the top 10 new courses in the United States by Golf Magazine, Fallen Oak features dramatic elevation changes – which is rare for a Gulf Coast course – and more than 4,000 stately oaks, magnolias, pines and other hardwood trees. From the moment guests enter the lush and picturesque course through the gated front entrance, they know they are someplace special. Beau Rivage guests find a round at Fallen Oak that delivers an experience that is memorable and unrivaled in the region.
Located on a 510-acre tract at the edge of the DeSoto National Forest, 15 miles north of Beau Rivage, Fallen Oak is available exclusively for guests of Beau Rivage. Greens fees for this MGM MIRAGE golf experience are $200. To make reservations, call (877) 805-4657 or visit www.beaurivage.com .
ABOUT BEAU RIVAGE:
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, named one of the top 100 hotels in the continental United States and Canada by Travel + Leisure Magazine, opened on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 1999. The property re-opened for business August 29, 2006 following a dramatic $550-million renovation. Beau Rivage is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM MIRAGEä, the premier entertainment, hotel and gaming company in the world. For more information or to make reservations, call (888) 56-ROOMS or (228) 386-7444 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (CDT), Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends, or visit www.beaurivage.com .
ABOUT FAZIO GOLF COURSE DESIGNERS:
Throughout his 40 years in golf course design, Tom Fazio and his staff of talented designers have been recognized for creating award-winning courses throughout the United States. No living designer has more credits on Golf Digest’s list of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses and Golfweek’s collection of America’s Best. The Golf Digest poll for Best Modern Day Golf Course Architect was discontinued after Tom claimed the award three consecutive times, and he has also received The Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
ABOUT MISSISSIPPI GOLF:
Mississippi’s 2007 Golf Guide is live and can be viewed by visiting www.visitmississippi.org/golf/ and clicking on the ONLINE GOLF GUIDE icon. It lists information about courses, accommodations and package information, including breaking down the info into Mississippi’s five diverse topographical and cultural regions:
* The Delta – birthplace of the Blues and comprised of Northwestern flatlands
* The Hills – home of gently rolling, Northeastern landscapes
* The Pines – located in the Central-East part of the state and blanketed with quiet forests
* The Capital/River – with its winding waterways and rich history in the state’s Central-Southwest
* The Coastal – located in the South and featuring the Gulf of Mexico’s sparkling water and beaches
Mississippi’s is the nation’s greatest golf-and-gaming tourism destination thanks to more than two dozen resort casinos throughout the state, many with acclaimed golf clubs as amenities.
Attractions contributing to Mississippi’s growing popularity as a preferred golf-and-travel destination are:
* Great year-round weather and direct flights from major carriers
* More than 150 courses offering all price points and design varieties in five distinct regions
* New and existing courses designed by top golf course architects that garner national recognition
* World-famous cuisine, blues music and luxurious casino resorts offering big-name entertainment
* Family-themed attractions of all types
* Widespread acclaim from the annual PGA Tour golf tournament held in Jackson
* History, heritage and architecture, including Antebellum Era mansions turned award-winning B&B venues.
In addition to being annually acclaimed for its great golf courses and other tourism attractions, Mississippi has collected a slew of distinctions recently. For instance, ZAGAT Survey, Golf Digest, Golfweek and Golf magazines have previously rated Mississippi courses as some of the best in the nation. For more information about Mississippi golf, gaming and other tourism opportunities call 1-866-801-8551 or visit www.visitmississippi.org.
CONTACTS:
Mary Cracchiolo, Beau Rivage, (228) 386-7134
Dan Shepherd, Buffalo Communications, 703-891-3320
