Charleston's Newest Attraction
The AVP Charleston Open, South Carolina’s only professional beach volleyball event and Charleston’s largest beach party of the year, returns Thursday, May 8 through Saturday, May 10th, 2008.  Defending champions Misty May-Treanor / Kerri Walsh and Stein Metzger / Mike Lambert return to Charleston headlining a world class player field at the three-day event.

Be sure to check out AVP.com's glowing review of the 2007 AVP Charleston Open, full results (Men / Women ), and a host of historical facts from the inaugural event.  Visit the AVP Charleston Open MySpace page where you can become a friend with this exciting event and other fans who are just as passionate about Pro Beach Volleyball as you are!

Tickets
Tickets are available for individual sessions & weekend packages on www.avp.com, www.ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster charge-by-phone (843) 554-6060, and local Ticketmaster outlets in Publix stores.  If you don’t want to miss a day of excitement, click here to order a weekend package that includes 1st Tier tickets for each session Thursday through Saturday (Finals). 

Volunteer Information  We are still accepting applications!
Session Times:
Thur, May 8th (8am - 1pm, 1-6pm, 6:30-10:30pm)
Fri, May 9th (8am - 1pm, 1-6pm, 6:30-10:30pm)
Sat, May 10th (9:30am - 2pm, 2-6pm, 6:30-10:30pm)
*Click here to download an application.  Questions, please call (310) 426-7148.  

AVP Charleston Open Fan Club
While you're anxiously awaiting the event, you can become an official member of the “AVP Charleston Fan Club” where you'll receive e-mail updates and be able to participate in a special "members only" activities.

2008 Schedule of Events:

Date	Day	Session	Round	Gates Open	Play Begins	Sand Seating	Box Seats	Terrace Seating	Weekend Pass
May 08	Thu.	Day	Main Draw	8:30am	9:00am	$50	$35	$20	-
May 08	Thu.	Night	Main Draw	7:00pm	7:30pm	$50	$35	$20	-
May 09	Fri.	Day	Main Draw	8:00am	9:00am	$50	$35	$20	-
May 09	Fri.	Night	Main Draw	7:00pm	7:30pm	$50	$35	$20	-
May 10	Sat.	Day	Main Draw	10:00am	10:30am	$50	$35	$20	-
May 10	Sat.	Night	Main Draw	7:00am	7:30am	$50	$35	$20	-
Package		Weekend	Packagexx	xxxxxxxxx	xxxxxxxxx			xxxxxxxx	$140

Special Events
Wednesday, May 7
Meet & Greet @ The Dog & Duck (5-8pm):
Celebrate the AVP’s return to Charleston! We’re kicking off the party at The Dog & Duck on Long Point Road in Mt. Pleasant. This is your change to meet and greet AVP Players before they hit the sand! Stop by for autographs, AVP ticket giveaways, drink specials, and more!

Thursday, May 8
The Bridge, Live Radio Remote @ Red's Ice House (5-7pm):
Party with 2 Cuervo AVP Tour Players at a live radio remote.   Stop by for autographs, AVP ticket giveaways, and more!

98X Live Radio Remote @ AVP Charleston Open Front Gate (6-8pm):
Party with 2 Cuervo AVP Tour Players at a live radio remote.

Saturday, May 10 
Lowcountry Orphan Relief Donations - Front Gate (10am - 5pm)
Bring donations of clothing, gift cards and school supplies for children in need. 

Nathan Angelo Concert (10pm)
We’re celebrating the Finals of the 2008 AVP Charleston Open with an on-sand concert in the stadium featuring Atlanta-based Nathan Angelo. The concert is free to all Saturday Night ticket holders and promises to be the perfect ending the biggest beach party in Charleston! Make plans now to cheer on your favorite players during the finals and then dance the night away with Nathan Angelo on stadium court. Learn more about Nathan and his music by visiting www.myspace.com/nathanangelo.

The Beach Girlz
The Beach Girlz are Brooke Adams, Dominique Domingo, Noreen Juliano, Mandy Jiroux, and Laura New. These singer-dancers all met in Los Angeles and share their passion for performance and the stage. This summer they will tour the U.S. from coast to coast with the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour. With original songs and high energy dance performances, The Beach Girlz are set to take the summer of 2008 by storm. See them in action at the AVP Charleston Open from the stadium’s expanded entertainment stage!

Television Times:
The AVP Charleston Open will be re-adcast on Fox Sports Net. Tune in and re-live every minute of the action:

Men’s Final:  Sat., May 17, (3-4pm)
Women’s Final:  Sun., May 18, (5-6pm )

World's Greatest Players
The best volleyball players in the world compete on the AVP Crocs Tour!  Get to know the stars of the game that include internationally known USA Olympic gold medalists and AVP Pro Beach Volleyball superstars who play with intensity and ferocity while looking like models before you get to rub shoulders with them at the event!  AVP Tour players are among the most accessible and friendly athletes in the world, so be sure to check them out before you come to the event in Charleston, SC!  Competing for a share of the $200,000 purse, each championship team will be awarded a check for $20,000.

Photo Galleries from the 2007 AVP Charleston Open:
View an exciting photo gallery from Charleston on avp.com!

World Class Tennis & Volleyball Facility
The Family Circle Tennis Center, home of the Family Circle Cup and the AVP Charleston Open, is a public facility owned by the City of Charleston and operated by Family Circle Magazine that hosts a variety of events including concerts, festivals, tennis events and other special activities throughout the year.  This world class tennis facility transforms into a southeastern mecca for volleyball enthusiasts as our center court stadium (seating capacity: 10,200) is filled with 350 tons of high quality beach sand, and lit for day or night action. 

Three additional world class beach volleyball courts are located adjacent to the stadium on our Grand Lawn spanning over 21,000 square feet of lush green grass beautifully landscaped in the shadows of majestic live oak trees, transforming this lush locale into prime beachfront property!  This beach volleyball paradise is only few minutes from the Atlantic ocean, but it will have the look and feel of historic west coast volleyball events.

Come for world class action, stay to enjoy a world class city!
When you think of beach volleyball in Charleston, you should imagine a high-energy action-packed weekend of Olympic class athleticism combined with a world class beach party in a city by the sea offering limitless opportunities for fun, food, shopping, and nightlife.  If you haven't been to Charleston, please check out the many opportunities to relax or live life to its fullest. 



More Info:
For in-depth content including photo galleries, player Blogs, fan forums, videos, player bios, AVP Crocs Tour Newsletter, and developing stories about the tour, visit www.avp.com.

Media:
Media Credential Applications can be e-mailed to kimberlym@bzapr.com or faxed to (818) 344-1714.   All credentials must be submitted to BZA for approval.  BZA will send out a letter the week of the event with specific details on parking, event times etc. 

                 Family Circle Tennis Center - 161 Seven Farms Drive - Charleston, SC - 29492