Sixers Vs. Brooklyn Nets "Boardwalk Classic" Preseason Game In Atlantic City Saturday, October 13 At Boardwalk Hall

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Atlantic City Alliance welcomes the Philadelphia 76ers as they take their game from the city to the seaside in an historic "Boardwalk Classic" match against the Brooklyn Nets at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall (2301 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, N.J. 08401) on Saturday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. The game is sponsored by Caesars Atlantic City, Global Spectrum with promotional partner Longport Media.

QUICK FACTS – HISTORIC BOARDWALK HALL

• Historic Boardwalk Hall is the region's premier entertainment spot that has helped to solidify Atlantic City's reputation as the entertainment destination of the Northeast.  As the city's signature entertainment venue, this unique seaside arena has hosted legendary musical icons, knockout sporting events, and entertaining family shows throughout its 83 year history. SMG manages Boardwalk Hall on behalf of its client, the Atlantic City Convention & Visitor's Authority.
• Boardwalk Hall opened in May, 1929. Constructed on seven acres of concrete, the building, a modern adaptation of the Romanesque period, was the largest auditorium in the world built without roof posts or pillars, and was heralded for its architectural and engineering achievements. At the time the building was referred to as the Atlantic City Auditorium or Convention Hall.
• The first basketball games were played Wednesdays and Fridays throughout November and December 1929.
• The nation's first indoor college football game was contested in the Hall on October 25, 1930 between Lafayette University and Washington Jefferson University.
• On November 20, 1945 the Atlantic City Senators Professional Basketball Club played their   inaugural game in the facility.
• On December 29, 1945 Philadelphia played Syracuse in a pro basketball game; a day after Georgetown played LaSalle. A year later in December 1950, the Harlem Globetrotters played in Convention Hall for the first time.  Two days later, college basketball returned with LaSalle playing Idaho. 
• The Beatles made their sole Atlantic City appearance at Convention Hall on August 30, 1964.  More than 19,000 fans attended the concert. 
• Boardwalk Hall hosted the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) basketball tournament and a Women's Basketball Association competition in 1966.
• At the dedication of Boardwalk Hall's West Exhibition Hall on November 21, 1970 a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter made the nation's first indoor helicopter flight when it was flown around the inside of the 13 story-high main auditorium. Miss America 1971, Phyllis George, accompanied the pilot during the celebration.
• On October 9, 1982 the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers played against the New Jersey Nets. Under the direction of then-head coach Billy Cunningham and game-high scorer Darryl Dawkins, the 76ers beat the Nets 93-91.
• On October 8, 1983, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New Jersey Nets 117-113 in an overtime win. Moses Malone scored 19 points and Julius "Dr. J" Erving scored 18 points.
• Boardwalk Hall was listed on the United State Register of Historic Places as a national Historic Landmark on February 27, 1987.
• The Black College Basketball Classic was contested at Boardwalk Hall December 17-19, 1993.
• Between 1999 and 1996 four more college basketball games would be contested. Participating schools included Temple, Kansas, North Carolina State, Georgia Tech, St. Joe's and Tulsa.
• Striking NBA all-star athletes played a charity exhibition entitled "The Game" on December 19, 1997. This was the last major event produced in the building prior to the $9 million renovation project. Workers began the erection of the scaffolding for the ceiling renovation just before the end of 1998.
• Atlantic City celebrated the grand re-opening of Boardwalk Hall on October 11, 2001.  Four days of events celebrated the re-opening of the Hall following the $90 million renovation and restoration project.  The remarkable project would earn more than seven architectural and engineering awards, including the 2003 National Preservation Award, awarded by The National Trust for Historic Preservation.
• On December 10, 2005 top-ranked Villanova Wildcats defeated the Longwood (Virginia) Lancers 90-77 in a neutral site Division I game.
• The Temple Owls fell to the Cincinnati Bearcats 80 - 71 in the Atlantic City Lenape Trail Classic contested December 9, 2006.  Televised live on local cable, U.S. service men and women around the world in 176 countries and aboard 200 ships at sea were also able to see the game courtesy of the American Forces Network (AFN).
• Atlantic City hosted the first of The Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship made an impressive debut March 7 – 10, 2007.  Of the twelve schools that competed during the 11 game tournament, the George Washington Colonials and the Rhode Island Rams made it to Saturday's final game, televised nationally on ESPN.  The Colonels clinched the championship 78-69 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Temple Owls won three consecutive Championships from 2008 through 2010. During 2012's final Championship in Atlantic City, St. Bonaventure defeated Xavier 67 – 56. The final game was carried live on CBS Sports.
• The 2009 Legends Basketball Classic brought four great college hoops games to the arena for a two night tournament November 27 and 28. In the final game the Florida Gators defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 73-58, and Michigan State bested the UMass Minutemen 106 – 68.  The Legends Classic Basketball Championship rebounded into Boardwalk Hall in 2010 with four more games.  In the first two games, #9 ranked Syracuse defeated Michigan 53-50 and Georgia Tech beat UTEP (Texas-El Paso) 71–61.  During Saturday night's finals, the Syracuse Orange beat Georgia Tech's Yellow Jackets 80-76. The consolation game resulted in a 65–56 victory for UTEP's Miners over the Michigan Wolverines.
• In 2009, Boardwalk Hall was recognized by trade pub Billboard magazine as the top grossing mid-sized arena in the world for the decade.
• In 2012, Boardwalk Hall was recognized by trade pub Venues Today as a "Top Stop for the Decade", ranking #1 in North America and #2 in the world based upon Box Office gross.
• Since reopening in 2001, notable concert artists who have taken the stage include Jay-Z and Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Lady Gaga, Nickelback and Justin Bieber.  Additional sporting events include championship boxing, indoor auto racing, professional rodeo, the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic, the ECAC Hockey Men's Championship and the New Jersey State High School Wrestling Championships. Top family shows include Walking With Dinosaurs, Cirque Du Soleil, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and Disney On Ice.

About the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA)

The Atlantic City Alliance was established in 2011 as a not-for-profit corporation whose primary mission is to develop and implement a full-scale, broad-based, multi-year marketing program for Atlantic City.

For more information visit www.doatlanticcity.com. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticCityNJ or Twitter at https://twitter.com/VisitAC.

SOURCE Atlantic City Alliance