OH MY GOD..READ THIS..NOTICE THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA!! I'M FREAKING OUT! WHO IS COMING WITH ME TO THIS RED CARPET ENTRANCE THING??
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Muhammad Ali center will be a knockout Builders scurry to finish public display areas for November opening; other behind-scenes areas must wait their turnBy Sheldon S. ShaferThe Courier-Journal
Although scaffolding is still up and most of the reflective exterior tiles aren't installed, the Muhammad Ali Center will be ready for a private celebrity gala Nov. 19 and a public preview the next day, center officials said Friday.
The center's exhibits and public space will be open for good on Nov. 21.
But administrative offices, support space, a surrounding plaza and a pedway connection across Sixth Street to Riverfront Plaza won't be done until next spring, they said.
The scaffolding and the bare frame of the building without the exterior tiles make it seem as if the six-story center at Sixth and River Road has a long way to go before completion.
But "we're moving right along," center President Michael Fox said at a news conference.
About two-thirds of the center's exhibits, which will be concentrated on the fourth and fifth floors, have been installed, Fox said in an interview.
They include six pavilions, each reflecting an Ali trait - respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, giving and spirituality.
Each of the six stations is designed to tell viewers something about Ali and also themselves.
Displays include Ali boxing gear and memorabilia, and the exhibits make extensive use of multimedia, including film clips of fights and interviews.
Fox said the exterior tiles, which will show images of Ali, have been delivered. The tiles on the building's north face are up, and all should be in place by early November.
Fox said the scaffolding is scheduled to come down by Nov. 8.
The first peek at the center's interior will be a media tour on Nov. 18.
The following evening, there will be a "grand opening gala" sponsored by Yum! Brands, including a red-carpeted entrance into the Kentucky Center.
A tribute to the former heavyweight boxing champion and humanitarian will be at 8:30 p.m. at the center's Whitney Hall.Stars due to attend include Angelina Jolie, Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Gladys Knight, Wynonna Judd, Kris Kristofferson and numerous athletes, Fox said.President Bush and all living former presidents were invited, but only Bill Clinton is expected to appear.
At 1 p.m. Nov. 20 there will be a "community celebration" for the public on Riverfront Plaza, dedicating the center.It will be open to the public for two hours, and at least a few hundred people will be allowed inside for a look. But they will have to pay the regular admission, which is $9 for adults.
The center will begin its regular hours Nov. 21. They are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
sshafer@courier-journal.com
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Muhammad Ali center will be a knockout Builders scurry to finish public display areas for November opening; other behind-scenes areas must wait their turnBy Sheldon S. ShaferThe Courier-Journal
Although scaffolding is still up and most of the reflective exterior tiles aren't installed, the Muhammad Ali Center will be ready for a private celebrity gala Nov. 19 and a public preview the next day, center officials said Friday.
The center's exhibits and public space will be open for good on Nov. 21.
But administrative offices, support space, a surrounding plaza and a pedway connection across Sixth Street to Riverfront Plaza won't be done until next spring, they said.
The scaffolding and the bare frame of the building without the exterior tiles make it seem as if the six-story center at Sixth and River Road has a long way to go before completion.
But "we're moving right along," center President Michael Fox said at a news conference.
About two-thirds of the center's exhibits, which will be concentrated on the fourth and fifth floors, have been installed, Fox said in an interview.
They include six pavilions, each reflecting an Ali trait - respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, giving and spirituality.
Each of the six stations is designed to tell viewers something about Ali and also themselves.
Displays include Ali boxing gear and memorabilia, and the exhibits make extensive use of multimedia, including film clips of fights and interviews.
Fox said the exterior tiles, which will show images of Ali, have been delivered. The tiles on the building's north face are up, and all should be in place by early November.
Fox said the scaffolding is scheduled to come down by Nov. 8.
The first peek at the center's interior will be a media tour on Nov. 18.
The following evening, there will be a "grand opening gala" sponsored by Yum! Brands, including a red-carpeted entrance into the Kentucky Center.
A tribute to the former heavyweight boxing champion and humanitarian will be at 8:30 p.m. at the center's Whitney Hall.Stars due to attend include Angelina Jolie, Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Gladys Knight, Wynonna Judd, Kris Kristofferson and numerous athletes, Fox said.President Bush and all living former presidents were invited, but only Bill Clinton is expected to appear.
At 1 p.m. Nov. 20 there will be a "community celebration" for the public on Riverfront Plaza, dedicating the center.It will be open to the public for two hours, and at least a few hundred people will be allowed inside for a look. But they will have to pay the regular admission, which is $9 for adults.
The center will begin its regular hours Nov. 21. They are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
sshafer@courier-journal.com