LOS ANGELES, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- AEG and Health Net, Inc. announced the details of the Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival -- a complementary component of the internationally sanctioned professional cycling road race to be held throughout California February 19-26, 2006, the traveling eight-day festival will be presented by Health Net.
Located near the finish line of each daily stage, the Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival will bring free race-day activities consisting of health screenings, cancer awareness education, bicycle stunt shows, live music, sweepstakes drawings, family activities and interactive displays featuring more than 40 participating companies.
With an emphasis on health and wellness, teaching visitors about healthy living and the benefits to living an active lifestyle, the festivals will give the public an opportunity to interact with the sport of cycling while awaiting the finish of the day’s stage. A big-screen TV featuring live action viewing of the race will be located near the festival grounds to keep spectators apprised of the events unfolding on the course.
“With something educational and entertaining on offer for adults and kids alike, the Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival presented by Health Net, is a cornerstone of the race,” said Shawn Hunter, president of AEG Sports. “Each day, the festival gives us an opportunity to have a positive and lasting impact on the cities that have opened their roads to this race.”
Elements of the Lifestyle Festival will include: * Sponsor booths and interactive mobile displays * Health & Fitness Expo -- cancer awareness, screenings, educational activities * Cycling Center -- bicycle safety, free bike valet, vendors featuring cycling gear, gadgets and apparel * Demo Area -- BMX stunt riders and local entertainers * Race Central Pavilion -- inaugural race merchandise, commemorative programs and sweepstakes promotions * Big Screen TV -- live action viewing at the finish line as cycling fans cheer their favorites out on the course to the explosive, up close and personal sprint to the finish * Stage Finish and Awards Ceremony -- every day brings the excitement of a new stage ending with a furious sprint to the finish and the traditional awarding of jerseys to stage and overall leaders
2006 Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival presented by Health Net Schedule:
Sunday, Feb. 19 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. San Francisco (Prologue Start/Finish) Embarcadero/Market Street Monday, Feb. 20 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Santa Rosa (Stage 1 Finish) Santa Rosa Ave/3rd Street Tuesday, Feb. 21 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. San Jose (Stage 2 Finish) Almaden Blvd./Park Avenue Wednesday, Feb. 22 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. San Jose (Stage 3 Time Trial) Santa Teresa Blvd. between Chantilley Lane and Avenida Espana Thursday, Feb. 23 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. San Luis Obispo (Stage 4 Finish) Monterey/Chorro Street Friday, Feb. 24 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Santa Barbara (Stage 5 Finish) West Cabrillo Blvd. near State Street Saturday, Feb. 25 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Thousand Oaks (Stage 6 Finish) Rancho Conejo Drive/ 1 Amgen Center Drive Sunday, Feb. 26 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Redondo Beach (Stage 7 Start/Finish) North Harbor Drive south of Beryl Street
For more information on the Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival presented by Health Net, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
About Health Net
Health Net, Inc. is among the nation’s largest publicly traded managed health care companies. Health Net’s mission is to help people be healthy, secure and comfortable. The company’s HMO, POS, insured PPO and government contracts subsidiaries provide health benefits to approximately 6.3 million individuals in 27 states and the District of Columbia through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE programs. Health Net’s behavioral health services subsidiary, MHN, provides behavioral health, substance abuse and employee assistance programs (EAPs) to approximately 7.3 million individuals in various states, including the company’s own health plan members. The company’s subsidiaries also offer managed health care products related to prescription drugs, and offer managed health care product coordination for multi-region employers and administrative services for medical groups and self-funded benefits programs. For more information on Health Net, Inc., please visit the company’s Web site at www.healthnet.com.
About AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation, owns or controls a collection of companies including facilities such as STAPLES Center, The Home Depot Center, The Manchester Evening News Arena and NOKIA Theatre Times Square; sports franchises including the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), five Major League Soccer franchises, two hockey franchises operated in Europe, management of shares of the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) and Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) owned by Philip Anschutz and the Amgen Tour of California to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring and a variety of programming and multi-media production. Additionally, the company has begun cycling road race debuting in San Francisco on February 19; AEG LIVE, the organization’s live-entertainment division, is a collection of companies dedicated to fully developing the 28-acre Millennium Dome and adjacent property located in the eastern part of London along the Thames River and will create the O2, a new arena within the ‘Dome’ and additional arenas, on a 50- acre site in the heart of Berlin and Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri; stadiums in Bridgeview, Illinois and Harrison, New Jersey. For more information, visit AEG today at www.aegworldwide.com.
CONTACTS: Laura Perry Michael Roth Health Net, Inc. AEG Director, Communications Vice President, Communications (818) 676-7666 (213) 742-7155 laura.perry@healthnet.commroth@staplescenter.com
AEG
CONTACT: Laura Perry, Director, Communications of Health Net, Inc.,+1-818-676-7666, laura.perry@healthnet.com; or Michael Roth, VicePresident, Communications of AEG, +1-213-742-7155, mroth@staplescenter.com
