Stars Unite For 2013 Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational In Vegas

LAS VEGAS, March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hosted by ARIA Resort & Casino, the 12th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI) returns to Las Vegas' Shadow Creek April 4 – 7 featuring celebrity favorites plus first-time attendees including Olympic Champion Michael Phelps, Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Jonathan Ogden, comedian Rob Riggle,  PGA Golfer Dustin Johnson, country star Jake Owen, actor James Denton, NFL Quarterback Josh Freeman and actor/comedians Kevin Nealon and Wayne Brady*.

The new participants will join MJCI standout veterans including host Michael Jordan, Marcus Allen, Anthony Anderson, Brian Baumgartner, Roger Clemens, Wayne Gretzky, Ken Griffey Jr., Penny Hardaway, Brett Hull, Toni Kukoc, Mario Lemieux, Greg Maddux, Tom Welling, Jesse Williams and Adrian Young as they swing for a cause.

In its third year in Las Vegas, MJCI will gather dozens of celebrities for four days of star-studded events and golf at Shadow Creek and ARIA. Additional celebrity and athlete participants include defending champion Brandi Chastain, Jerome Bettis, Chris Chelios, Vince Coleman, Janet Jones-Gretzky, Dan Jansen, Win McMurry, Christina Milian*, Paul O'Neill, Stuart Scott, Ozzie Smith, Alan Thicke and Winky Wright.
*Non-Golfer

The Celebrity-Amateur tournament, which pairs one celebrity with four amateur participants, will take place Thursday, April 4 and Friday, April 5. The MJCI two-person, 36-hole scramble format tournament, including only competing celebrities, will take place Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7.

Proceeds from the charitable tournament will benefit Make-A-Wish, James R. Jordan Foundation, Opportunity Village and Cats Care, the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats' charity arm. Since its inception in 2001, MJCI has raised more than $6 million for charity.

Tickets are now on sale and available at all 10 MGM Resorts' box offices and concierge desks in Las Vegas, and online at www.arialasvegas.com, www.MJCIgolf.com and www.shadowcreek.com. Fans who wish to experience this exclusive event can purchase daily or weekly general admission and VIP ticket packages. VIP ticket holders will enjoy added perks including complimentary parking at Shadow Creek (a $10 daily value), unparalleled views from the open-air MasterCard® VIP Hospitality Deck, complimentary food and full-service bars. Prices are as follows:

Discounted tickets are available for military service members, senior citizens 65 years of age or older and college/university students with valid identification. Each group will receive 25 percent off daily or weekly general admission tickets. Additionally, the tournament offers a "Bring the Kids for Free" general admission ticket pass, providing access to Shadow Creek for youth 17 years of age and younger when accompanied by a general admission ticketed adult (up to two children per paid adult).

All ticketholders can enjoy complimentary shuttle service between ARIA and Shadow Creek. Shuttles will depart every 30 minutes from ARIA's North Valet entrance Thursday and Friday of the tournament from 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Continuous return service from Shadow Creek to ARIA will be provided until 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information about MJCI, visit arialasvegas.com, MJCIgolf.com or call (877) 253-5847.

About ARIA Resort & Casino
ARIA Resort & Casino, a stunning AAA Five Diamond resort, features an unprecedented combination of spectacular amenities, high-end service, striking architecture, sustainable design and premium meeting and convention space. ARIA provides access to the ultimate Las Vegas experience highlighted by The Shops at Crystals and the acrobatic spectacle Zarkana by Cirque du Soleil. CityCenter is a joint venture between MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World. For more information and reservations, visit arialasvegas.com or call toll free at (866) 359-7757; also find ARIA on Facebook and Twitter.

About Shadow Creek
Perennially ranked among Golf Week magazine's Top 10 courses, Shadow Creek's special environment is normally reserved solely for guests of MGM Resorts International.  Located in the midst of the barren Nevada desert, the Tom Fazio-designed Shadow Creek makes golfers feel they've been transported to another world with its natural beauty, rolling terrain, glistening brooks and ponds, spectacular waterfalls, lush gardens and mature trees.

SOURCE ARIA Resort & Casino