Goodwill Games

For Release: January 9, 2000

Romero Britto selected Official Winter Goodwill Games artist

Britto to appear at local high school and to open new Gallery

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. - After an extensive search, pop artist Romero Britto has been chosen as the official artist for the first-ever Winter Goodwill Games to be held in Lake Placid, N.Y. Feb. 16-20, 2000. His piece for the Games is titled The Spirit of Winter. Britto will visit Lake Placid High School on Tuesday, Jan. 11 in the Art Room on the first floor at 2:00 PM.

Romero will meet with students that participated in the Goodwill Games-sponsored art contest. The artwork asked students to use a theme that furthered the mission of the Goodwill Games by reflecting 1) how sports enrich humanity-the power of sports, and/or, 2) international peace/cooperation, and/or, 3) winter sports. He will also instruct a session on Pop Art as well as conduct a question and answer period. Britto has judged the submitted artwork and has ranked the top three with gold, silver and bronze medals. The selected student artwork will be on display in the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games Gallery, located inside the Olympic Museum at the Olympic Center. It will feature Britto's Official Poster of the Goodwill Games to be unveiled at 8:00 PM Tuesday in the Gallery. Also on exhibition will be the work of over 40 national and international artists. The exhibition will run from Jan. 12 through Mar. 19 and is free to the public. Several pieces will be made available for purchase.

Brazilian-born Britto achieved striking success in 1999 with an exhibit in May at the prestigious October Gallery in London, and official artist designations for both the 1999 Montreux Jazz Festival and the "Grand Slam for Children" event founded by tennis champion Andre Agassi.

Britto burst on the international art scene a decade ago as the showcase artist for Absolut Vodka. He is known for his whimsical style and dedication to pop art.

"For the first Winter Goodwill Games, we wanted someone who could capture our enthusiasm for the event," said Mike Plant, president of the Goodwill Games. "Britto's vivid use of color and style really portrays our hope and our vision for the inaugural event."

"I am delighted to be the official artist of the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games," said Britto. "The spirit of the Goodwill Games and their commitment to children are the same principles which inspire me as an artist."

Tickets for the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games range in price from $5 to $46. Approximately 150,000 tickets will be available for sale for the five-day period. Tickets can be purchased by visiting or calling the Olympic Center Box Office, at (518) 523-3330, through Ticketmaster�, at (518) 476-1000 or (802) 862-5300, and via the Internet, www.goodwillgames.com or www.tickets.com. Tickets are also available through all usual ORDA ticket outlets.

The Goodwill Games were founded by Time Warner Inc. Vice Chairman R.E. Turner in 1986 to ensure that the world's best athletes have the opportunity to compete in world class competition. The four previous Goodwill Games have alternated between the United States and Russia; however, future Games will be staged in countries around the world in both summer and winter formats. In addition to the Winter Goodwill Games, plans are underway for the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia. TNT is the host network for both events. Goodwill Games, Inc., is a division of Turner Sports, the sports programming and production business unit of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

CONTACTS:

Jeff Pomeroy

Goodwill Games

404-827-4786

Samantha Shelton

Goodwill Games

404-827-4788

Sandy Caligiore

ORDA

518-523-1655

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