Sponsors Join Premier Line Up 
For 2001 WTA Family Circle Cup

CHARLESTON, S.C.  Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wachovia and Wild Dunes Resort will join an impressive list of returning premier sponsors for next year's Family Circle Cup on Daniel Island.  As one of the richest and most popular events on the Sanex WTA Tour, the tournament has a loyal list of returning sponsors at the premier level including Brita, Hormel Foods, Caress, Tennis magazine and State Farm Insurance Companies.   The 29th annual Family Circle Cup is scheduled for April 14 - 22 at the Tennis Centre at Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina. The biggest names in women's tennis including Anna Kournikova will be battling for an increased purse of $1.2 million.

"Unlike many tournaments, at Family Circle Cup we design each sponsorship to fit the needs of the company," commented Lisa Thomas, Family Circle Cup Tournament Director. "We want every sponsor to walk away from this event completely satisfied with the job we did.  So far the feedback we have received from our sponsors indicates that we are accomplishing that goal."

In the Charleston area, the visitor industry is the area's largest economic component, attracting 3.7 million visitors annually. As a preferred destination, Charleston continues to be recognized among top US and international travel destinations as evidenced this year in rankings in Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, and Southern Living magazine readers surveys.

The Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is charged with marketing and leading the local tourism industry to maintain its market share and appeal among a savvy traveling public. Sales and promotional efforts require

proper care of the $3.2 billion annual economic engine, responsible for over 58,000 local jobs. The hospitality industry is the soul of business in the Charleston area. And, as the front-line sales force to persuade meeting and convention planners and visitors to, ever so politely, choose this historic coastal area for their business and leisure travel, the CACVB welcomed the Family Circle Cup with opened arms.

"Unquestionably, the Family Circle Cup is a significant enhancement for the Charleston area product - bringing an established twenty-eight year resume of success, a permanent facility to be shared with our citizenry, guaranteed annual network television coverage, and the unique assurance of affluent, corporate executives on site," said Helen Hill, executive director of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. " We, the CACVB, are proud to be partners and neighbors with the Family Circle Cup's professional staff as we work together to promote the Charleston area to a worldwide audience."

With nearly 700 offices and 1,400 ATMs in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, Wachovia serves close to 4 million consumers and joins the Family Circle Cup in 2001 as a premier sponsor. A loyal supporter of the tournament since 1993, Wachovia will be returning with an expanded promotional sponsorship designating them as the tournament's "Official Banking Institution".   They will be sponsoring two on-court promotions in the new Family Circle Stadium during the week and will once again host the "Ladies Day Luncheon" on Tuesday, April 17th.

"Wachovia's partnership with the Family Circle Cup has provided world class women's tennis to South Carolina for the past eight years and we are very excited to see this tournament become a major event for the City of Charleston and this growing market.  We are pleased to be a major player in this inaugural year," stated Charles T. Cole, Jr. Executive Vice President of Wachovia Bank.

As the "Official Player Hotel" the Wild Dunes Resort will provide the women professional tennis players a beautiful place to unwind after a hard day of tennis.  In the November issue of Tennis magazine, Wild Dunes Resort ranked No. 9 in their "50 Greatest U.S. Tennis Resorts" list.  In addition to being a wonderful tennis facility, Wild Dunes Resort also offers a number of amenities that the players and other VIP's will enjoy including a nearby beach, swimming pools, golf courses and restaurants.

"We are very proud to be a sponsor of this prestigious tournament," said Rich Jones, General Manager of Wild Dunes Resort. "Our sponsorship of the Family Circle Cup, a world-class event, is a partnership that we are enthused over and one that we feel will spotlight the impressive tennis offerings in Charleston."

The Family Circle Cup, celebrating 29 years in women's professional tennis, is one of the longest running women's professional tennis events in the United States.  A week of world-class tennis starts April 14-22nd at the Tennis Centre at Daniel Island.  Tickets are now on sale for this exciting week of women's tennis and fans can choose from a variety of ticket packages.  The new Family Circle Cup offices are located at 416 King Street in downtown Charleston.   For more information on tickets, please call 1-800-677-2293 or (843) 534-2400.   To check out the latest news on the Family Circle Cup contact our tournament's official website at www.familycirclecup.com <http://www.familycirclecup.com>.

[For more information: Media Contacts: Robin Reynolds (407)282-8976  Fax: (407)282-0188, rreynolds@gjusa.com, Jeff Cataffa  (843)534-2400, Fax:(843)723-8355, jcataffa@gjusa.com]