Atlantic City Alliance, IMG and AVP to Host the DO AC Pro Beach Volleyball Invitational Sept. 6-8

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., July 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic City's sun-filled beaches will extend the summer with the DO AC Pro Beach Volleyball Invitational from Sept. 6-8. The Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) has partnered with global sports and media company IMG to host the prestigious Invitational as the fourth stop on the 2013 AVP Tour, putting on the only world-class pro beach volleyball event on the east coast this summer and one of the most competitive beach volleyball tournaments of the year.

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The most renowned men's and women's beach volleyball talent in the world, including three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh, Olympians April Ross, Jen Kessy, Sean Rosenthal, Phil Dalhausser and hometown hero Ryan Doherty of Toms River, will go head-to-head during the first three stops on the AVP tour to earn one of 16 coveted team spots in Atlantic City, then will battle along the Boardwalk for a piece of the $100,000 prize purse.

Eight two-player men's teams and eight two-player women's teams will make it into the DO AC Pro Beach Volleyball Invitational field. In addition to the five teams from each gender that will get in based on their position on the AVP point standings, two teams per gender will earn wild-card spots and one team per gender will get in through an open qualifying tournament. 

The event features brand new beach volleyball courts just off the famous Boardwalk in Atlantic City, where fans, players and visitors of Atlantic City can expect a full weekend of intense competition and family-filled fun. Qualifiers will kick off the weekend with the main draw on Friday, followed by finals on Saturday. The world-class stadium will be erected in the heart of Atlantic City between the Revel Casino and the Showboat Hotel and Casino.

"Last summer, there was a vacant lot along the Boardwalk, which has been transformed into world-class beach volleyball courts adjacent to the world famous Atlantic City Boardwalk. This summer, IMG, the AVP and Atlantic City are christening those courts with world-class athletes competing in a pro beach volleyball competition," said Liza Cartmell, president, Atlantic City Alliance. "September is a perfect time to extend our season with a competition that highlights our beautiful beach and warm Atlantic Ocean." 

The volleyball courts were opened in October 2012 after a redevelopment partnership with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the City of Atlantic City, the Atlantic City Alliance and Caesars Entertainment's Showboat Atlantic City Hotel & Casino.  Atlantic City's volleyball courts are open all season for regional leagues, visitors, players of all types and professional athletes.

"IMG is pleased to be working with the Atlantic City Alliance to bring a first-rate event to one of the premier destinations on the east coast," says James Leitz, SVP, IMG Action Sports. "There is a rich history of pro beach volleyball up and down the eastern seaboard and Atlantic City is the perfect location for an event of this magnitude."

"We're looking forward to a terrific tournament in the DO AC Pro Beach Volleyball Invitational," said Donald Sun, the AVP's managing partner. "Atlantic City's Boardwalk is such an amazing summer destination that we feel it's a natural fit for us to be bringing the world's best athletes and our unique brand of summer entertainment here."

IMG also produces the prestigious Manhattan Beach Open beach volleyball tournament taking place on August 23-25, 2013 in Manhattan Beach, Calif. – the second stop of the 2013 AVP Tour. Cumulative points from the first three stops in Salt Lake City, Manhattan Beach and Cincinnati will determine the top five teams from each gender that secure automatic entry into the Atlantic City tournament.

For more information on the DO AC Pro Beach Volleyball Invitational, go to avp.com/events/atlantic-city. 

Click-to-tweet: NEWS: @VisitAC's sun-filled beaches extend summer with "#‎DOAC Pro Beach Volleyball Invitational," 9/6 - 9/8 http://bit.ly/AC-Volleyball

About Atlantic City
From sandals to stilettos and foie gras to funnel cakes, Atlantic City offers something for everyone. Enjoy world-class entertainment, dining, shopping, gaming, relaxing on the beach and strolling the historic Boardwalk in the city created to escape the city. For more information visit www.doatlanticcity.com or:

• Facebook – www.facebook.com/AtlanticCityNJ
• Twitter – www.twitter.com/VisitAC
• YouTube – www.Youtube.com/DoAtlanticCity 
• Foursquare – www.foursquare.com/VisitAC
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The Atlantic City Alliance was established in 2011 as a private, not-for-profit corporation whose primary mission is to develop and implement a full-scale, broad-based, multi-year marketing program for Atlantic City.

About IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, fashion and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in more than 30 countries around the globe. IMG's areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG's Joint Ventures in India, China, Brazil and Turkey; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Tennis and IMG Golf; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academy; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at IMG.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About the AVP
The AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) is a leading lifestyle sports and entertainment company that produces, markets and distributes professional beach volleyball events. Organized in 1983, it has operated the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, featuring the top American men and women competitors in the sport including athletes who have won numerous Gold, Silver and Bronze Olympic medals. Synonymous with the sport and the most recognized brand in the space, the AVP was recently acquired by new ownership that has set out to solidify its leadership position. Please visit AVP.com for additional information.

SOURCE Atlantic City Alliance