Miami Kicks Off Ticket Sales For Soul Beach Music Festival Presented by Verizon

NEW YORK -- The warm almost-summer nights of Miami will swell with the rich sounds of soul music performed by leading artists next month during

the five-day Soul Beach Music Festival Presented by Verizon. Tickets for the three main-stage concerts at the Orange Bowl go on sale today.

The festival, hosted by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority, will feature top rhythm and blues and

soul artists, including Angie Stone, Eric Benet, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Musiq Soulchild, Ron Isley and the Isley Brothers, and

other performers at a series of musical events May 30 through June 3.

Verizon is the presenting sponsor for the festival.

"By sponsoring this event, Verizon is enriching the musical calendar of the summer of 2001, delivering the best in neoclassic soul music to a nationwide

audience we want to acknowledge and support," said Gregory R. Smith, director of multicultural marketing for Verizon.

"Verizon serves customers with a wide range of musical preferences, and sponsorship of this festival will appeal to the largely urban and African American

community," he said.

Verizon is promoting the Soul Beach Music Festival in 17 U.S. markets: Atlanta; Philadelphia; Detroit; Chicago; Baltimore/Washington, D.C.; New York; New

Orleans; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Raleigh/Durham and Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas; Miami, Tampa and Orlando, Fla.; and Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.

Tickets also are being sold in these 17 markets.

The festival, produced by AR Entertainment Marketing, will include three evening concerts hosted by comedian Bill Bellamy, star of the hit movie "The

Brothers" and former host of the "MTV Jams" television show, and a number of other beach and club-based events.

"The collaboration between Verizon and the Soul Beach Music Festival is an excellent way to build brand awareness as both entities strive to forge lasting

consumer relationships. It is our hope that Verizon and the Soul Beach Music Festival continue to support the others efforts to ensure future success," said

Mark Adkins and Tony Rome, producers, AR Entertainment Marketing.

Tickets for the main stage concerts can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or at Florida Ticketmaster locations. Charge-by-phone purchases can be made

through Ticketmaster centers, including Dade County, 805-358-5885; Broward County, 964-523-3309, and Palm Beach County,

561-966-3309. Prices range from $35 per event for upper-deck, general admission to $55 for field-access, unreserved general admission.

Three-day passes are available for $150.

Travel and hotel reservations can be made through American Express Travel Related Services at 1-800-AXP-2796, or through Apel Travel,

1-800-538-2553. Travel agents can arrange exclusive premiere travel packages through Aiken Tours and Travel Impressions. More information is

available at www.soulbeachmusicfest.com.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of

wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with nearly 109 million access line equivalents and more than 27.5 million wireless customers. Verizon

is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with approximately 260,000 employees and more than $63 billion in annual revenues,

Verizon's global presence extends to 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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