Home Depot Center News

Battle of the High School Marching Bands Returns in November, Second Annual Music, Movies and More Symposium Opens Registration Thursday

CARSON, CALIFORNIA (Tuesday, March 30, 2010) - As spring and the 2010 MLS season get underway, The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation will launch two programs this week, including phase one of the 2010 Battle of the High School Marching Bands competition and registration for the second annual Music, Movies and More Symposium at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). Also this week, the foundation will host the fourth annual Easter Egg Hunt on Fri., April 2, in partnership with the LA Galaxy Foundation at the 125-acre multi-sport facility, operated by AEG Facilities.

After a one-year hiatus, the Battle of the High School Marching Bands will return to The Home Depot Center on Sat., Nov. 20, 2010. Phase one of the competition opens this Thurs., April 1, in which bands from all over the U.S. may submit entries for the \"southern show style\" marching band competition, featuring eight high schools competing for $10,000 and prizes. All proceeds from the event are donated to The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, which help support music and arts education programs in schools in Southern California, and across the United States. The official competition rules and entry guidelines will be online at www.homedepotcenter.com this week.

In addition, the foundation will open registration on Thurs. for the Movies, Music and More Symposium, which will take place on Tues., May 4, 2010 on the campus of CSUDH in the Loker Student Union. In partnership with CSU Dominguez Hills and their 50th Anniversary celebration, The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation will host the second annual half-day symposium, composed of five sessions featuring professionals from the entertainment industry, including legendary music icon Chaka Khan, Power 106 and SUBELO! radio deejays and Pocos Pero Locos hosts E-Dub and Khool Aid, plus executives and writers from Music Connection Magazine.

The free symposium, held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on May 4 will introduce college and high school students to some of the most powerful people in the entertainment industry - both on-stage and behind-the-scenes - and educate them on the future of the industry. The symposium is free and limited to 300 people, and registration will be accepted online starting on Thurs. at www.homedepotcenter.com .

Lastly, on Fri. April 2, The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation and the LA Galaxy Foundation will host the fourth annual Easter Egg Hunt for more than 500 kids, ages one to 10, which includes an egg hunt in the track and field facility, plus appearances from the Easter Bunny, the Galaxy's mascot Cozmo and LA Galaxy players. The event starts at 12:30 p.m. on Fri., April 2, and asks for a $3 donation per attendee, for the American Red Cross' Haiti Earthquake Relief fund. More details, including visual opportunities and media availability for the LA Galaxy players will be released later this week.

About The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation

The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation was established to provide financial and in-kind support for educational, recreational and social service programs which improve the lives of young people in the Greater Southern California region. The Home Depot Center Charitable Foundation has given more than $500,000 to youth organizations since The Home Depot Center opened in 2003.

About The Home Depot Center

The Home Depot Center is southern California's home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. The $150 million, privately financed facility was developed and is operated by AEG Facilities on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. The Home Depot Center features an 8,000-seat tennis and boxing stadium, a 27,000-seat stadium for soccer, rugby and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts, a 10,000-seat facility for track & field and a 2,450-seat indoor Velodrome for track cycling. The Home Depot Center is home to two Major League Soccer teams, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA. Named an Official U.S. Olympic Training Site, The Home Depot Center is also home of the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) High Performance Training Center, the national team training headquarters for the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and Athletes' Performance, an international training center for elite and professional athletes. For more information, please visit www.homedepotcenter.com .

Contact:

The Home Depot Center Communications
Alison Groendal Salcedo, (310) 630-2032