Hawks to Open 2004 Preseason Schedule in Macon

Atlanta will host Orlando at the Macon Centreplex, Wednesday, October 13 ATLANTA, GA -- (Sept. 9, 2004) The Atlanta Hawks today officially announced plans to hold their 2004 preseason opener in Macon, on Wednesday, October 13 at the Macon Centreplex, when the Hawks host the Orlando Magic at 7:30 p.m. Atlanta-based companies Boddie Sims Associates and RP Entertainment, LLC will serve as the co-promoters of the game.
The preseason contest follows a week of two-a-day workouts and marks the first game for new Hawks head coach Mike Woodson and several of the exciting newcomers – All-Star forward Antoine Walker, last year’s NBA Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Al Harrington, and top rookie draft picks Josh Childress of Stanford and Josh Smith of Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy and Powder Springs, GA – all of whom who are expected to make a huge impact on the Hawks fortunes for the coming season.
“We are delighted to bring Hawks basketball to the Macon area,” said Atlanta Spirit President and CEO Bernie Mullin, “as we extend our brand to the central Georgia region. Basketball fans will get the opportunity to see our new-look Hawks for the first time in action under Coach Woodson, and we are certainly appreciative to those who worked tirelessly in helping to make this event a reality.”
“This is a great event for the city of Macon and we are looking forward to helping charities in our local area as we bring some of the best athletes in the world to our community,” said Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis. “We thank the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic for creating this wonderful opportunity for our fans and we hope that it is a tremendous success.”
In hosting the Magic, the game reunites former AAU teammates, the Hawks’ Josh Smith and Orlando’s Dwight Howard, the number one pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. The two players, who were both named to the McDonald’s All-American team last March, played together on the highly successful Atlanta Celtics squad that won the 2003 AAU championship in Las Vegas. For Howard, Georgia’s “Mr. Basketball” last season, the Macon contest brings back pleasant memories, as he capped off his high school career by leading his Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy team to the Class A Georgia state championship over Whitefield in the title game played at the Centreplex.
Tickets are currently on sale at all Ticketmaster locations and the Macon Centreplex and prices range from $20-$100, with a majority of tickets in the $20-50 range.