Author Topic: 2006 Olympia Press Release (Read 5497 times)

Ron · « **on:** February 16, 2006, 11:37:01 AM »

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Woodland Hills, CA: February 16, 2006

JOE WEIDER’S 2006 OLYMPIA WEEKEND RETURNS TO THE ORLEANS ARENA AND LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER

American Media, Inc. (AMI) and the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB) announced today that Joe Weider’s 2006 Olympia Weekend competitions (Mr. Olympia, Ms. Olympia, Women’s Figure and Fitness) will be held at the Orleans Arena and the Olympia Fitness Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The weekend kicks off on Thursday, September 28th and concludes Sunday, October 1st.

This year’s Super Bowl of bodybuilding, Mr. Olympia, will see current titleholder Ronnie Coleman go for an unprecedented 9th straight Sandow on Saturday night, September 30th. If successful, Coleman will break Lee Haney’s record of 8 Mr. Olympia titles. On the women’s side, Yaxeni Oriquen (Ms. Olympia), Davana Medina (Figure) and Jen Hendershott (Fitness) will return to defend their titles.

One major schedule change moves the Mr. Olympia prejudging to Friday night (September 29) at the Orleans Arena (last year it was held on Saturday morning). In addition, the Ms. Olympia Finals will move to Friday night at the Arena as well, Also taking place at the Arena on Friday night is the Fitness Finals. The Figure Olympia Finals will shift to Saturday night with the Mr. Olympia Finals. The Ms. Olympia, Fitness and Fitness prejudging will take place at the Expo on Friday, September 29. The 8000 seat Orleans Arena hosted its first Olympia competition in 2005 and proved to be the ideal venue for the event.

The Olympia Expo will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 29 – Sept. 30, with increased space on the main floor to accommodate a greater number of new exhibitors than ever before, plus a host of new events. The UFC Octagon and mixed-martial arts exhibition that was a big hit last year is scheduled to be back.

To handle the traffic flow to and from the Convention Center and the Orleans, as well as other popular Vegas hotels and destinations, a fleet of buses will be providing free transportation throughout the weekend.

IFBB President, Ben Weider commented “This year’s Olympia will be the biggest ever, spearheaded by Ronnie Coleman’s attempt to win his 9th Mr. Olympia title. And, in the Orleans Arena and Las Vegas Convention Center, we have the two premiere locations in Las Vegas to showcase our athletes and our industry.”

AMI Chairman David Pecker added, “We intend to make this years Expo bigger and better than ever. Through this venue, we believe there is a significant opportunity to increase consumer awareness about bodybuilding and allow our exhibitors to reach a mainstream audience as well as their core customers.”

Tickets for the events will go on sale at the Orleans Box Office starting March 31st. Watch for more details at www.2006Olympia.com, ifbb.com, flexonline.com and muscleandfitness.com starting March 1st. For more information, contact Olympia Weekend Director Robin Chang at 818-595-0466.

240 is Back · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2006, 11:47:34 AM »

Moving the prejudging to Fri night... wow...

Hey, what was the big change about the venue that Shawn Ray hinted at?

gordiano · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2006, 11:55:03 AM »

I guess all the bitching by fans and competitors about the Orleans went unnoticed by AMI.........

Wiggs · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2006, 12:27:03 PM »

What a crock of shizznit!! F that, I'm not going now. I heard how crappy it was with the New Orleans and the expo. They didn't say they're not going to have the illustrious challenge round. Oh well maybe next year.

What the hell is the point of moving the mens prejudging to Friday night?

shootfighter1 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2006, 12:31:49 PM »

The orleans sucks. looks like we'll be staying at an alternative location again. good to hear the women are back on the main stage but I'd still like to see them on sat night instead of the figure finals.

Kaliym73 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2006, 01:04:35 PM »

T

Quote

The orleans sucks. looks like we'll be staying at an alternative location again. good to hear the women are back on the main stage but I'd still like to see them on sat night instead of the figure finals.

The IFBB still doesn't have it right. After so many people complained about the Orleans, the IFBB still ended up keeping the event at the same hotel. Mind Blowing. I've been to the Olympia for the past three years, but I might sit out this one. The Bad thing is that I will be in the area.

midknight · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2006, 01:10:07 PM »

Orleans is terrible! I'm going to have to stay else where again!

BAD decisions, IFBB. Keep them coming and you'll lose lots of fans

HRDCOR · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2006, 01:17:12 PM »

Maybe ,just maybe , AMI was locked into a 2 to 3 year deal with the New Orleans, plus the fact the owners of the Mandaly have shut the Olympia out from the strip, they have been left with no choice , which begs the question,,, You guys ever heard of the Statment --"Bad management" !!

The Olympia at the Orleans was just not right , it was poorly organised , badly run and a poor venue !!!

Here,s a thought , do you think if you carry on doing the same thing the result will be any different !!

Cool Black Clyde · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2006, 01:34:49 PM »

I thought the arena was very good, slightly better than Mandalay. Also, the rooms in the hotel were okay, bigger than Mandalay. It's just the whole low rent atmosphere of the casino and stuff and the fact that it's far from the Strip. Just don't stay at the hotel.

tommywishbone · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2006, 02:06:03 PM »

Is it really, "Joe Weider's Mr. Olympia" ? That must be a typo. If not, I'm planning to watch "Dean Smith's North Carolina Tarhills" play tonight. or maybe a tape of the "Pete Rozell Super Bowl".

Can Professional Bodybuilding do anything right?

MB · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2006, 02:12:10 PM »

Another cost cutting move by AMI. Now, instead of having 3 events at the Orleans Arena, there will be only 2. They need more events in the Orleans Arena instead of fewer. The Meet the Olympians and Press Conference should be moved there. That little room they were held in last year was ridiculous. I guess a bigger room is too expensive -- what a low budget, amateur production.

Cool Black Clyde · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2006, 02:23:16 PM »

Quote from: tommywishbone on February 16, 2006, 02:06:03 PM

Is it really, "Joe Weider's Mr. Olympia" ? That must be a typo. If not, I'm planning to watch "Dean Smith's North Carolina Tarhills" play tonight. or maybe a tape of the "Pete Rozell Super Bowl".
Can Professional Bodybuilding do anything right?

It's always been like that. Weider still owns half. Same thing with the Arnold Classic or the Shawn Ray Classic or the Bob Hope Classic in golf. Actually it'll end up being something like the MuscleTech Presents Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend Sponsored by Bodybuilding.com, Max Muscle and Vyotech. But it's that way in other sports too. Wrigley Field, Coors Field, Staples Center, everything has the owner's name on it.

midknight · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2006, 02:46:45 PM »

If it was just Olympia, it would be the beer that the contest was named after.

Childish///AMG · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2006, 10:54:08 AM »

Well "Mi-Espousa" won't be happy about this. She was hoping that it wouild be moved closer to the strip. Oh well, hopefully we will be able to attend again this year

CQ · « **Reply #14 on:** February 17, 2006, 11:26:47 AM »

Can anyone explain the reasoning behind moving the figure finals to Sat night?Attempting to increase ticket sales I assume?

jwb · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2006, 01:52:40 AM »

I hope everybody brings their pajamas and pillows on the friday night because with the women's finals, fitness finals and men's prejudging all on the same night it's gonna be a long one folks!!

Tre · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2006, 07:33:18 AM »

The single, most common complaint from 2005 was that the event/host hotel was so far from the expo location. It's still a 30-minute trip, no matter how much 'free transportation' is provided.

Failure to address that at all is just stupid. What a Mickey Mouse operation.

bigdumbbell · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2006, 07:43:37 AM »

SPEARHEADED ?

lol

what a choice of words!

donrhummy · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2006, 07:54:34 AM »

You know the problem with bodybuilding today, and why it's not seen as a full honest sport? Because of stuff like this:

Ronnie's NOT competing in the Mr. Olympia, he's competing in "Joe Weider's Mr. Olympia"

Can you imaging a real sport like football or baseball calling the World Series the "William C. Temple World Series?" (William Temple invented the idea of the World Series in 1894 as an official proposal which was finally accepted in 1903). It just smacks of something that's less professional sport and more pure entertainment/exhibition.

The sport needs to become it's own organization, free from personal influence. It needs an air of honesty (judging) and independance as an organization rather than a collection of Weider and other individual "leaders".

bigdumbbell · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:09:54 AM »

Quote from: donrhummy on February 23, 2006, 07:54:34 AM

You know the problem with bodybuilding today, and why it's not seen as a full honest sport? Because of stuff like this:
Ronnie's NOT competing in the Mr. Olympia, he's competing in "Joe Weider's Mr. Olympia"
Can you imaging a real sport like football or baseball calling the World Series the "William C. Temple World Series?" (William Temple invented the idea of the World Series in 1894 as an official proposal which was finally accepted in 1903). It just smacks of something that's less professional sport and more pure entertainment/exhibition.
The sport needs to become it's own organization, free from personal influence. It needs an air of honesty (judging) and independance as an organization rather than a collection of Weider and other individual "leaders".

the title tells me it's an extravaganza not a sport

hillbilly · « **Reply #20 on:** February 23, 2006, 08:19:07 AM »

I guess pre-judging being the day before may work out cus u wont have guys fading by the night show. however it will be tougher on the pros to be all dehydrated for longer. i'm not sure weather its good or bad. Please discuss!

onlyme · « **Reply #21 on:** February 23, 2006, 10:03:38 AM »

You want to change the venue. Don't stay at the hotel and don't gamble there. The reason casinos have conventions and things like this is because it brings in dollars. Mostly gambling dollars. When you go into a place like the Orleans you are telling them that this amount of people will be here. We will fill your rooms and these people play. A casino does not like a show like the Olympia or any other that does not bring them money. I am pretty sure they got a deal for the arena because of the number of people the show brings in. I am sure they showed them the number of rooms that sold at the Mandaly Bay inthe past years. I know the girl who is in charge of the marketing there and she is tough. She is also kind of pretty. But, she would have to se some good numbers to have the show go on there. Just don't stay there or gamble. Believe me they won't want the Olympia there again. No more comp rooms, no more room deals, no more discounts all will make it bad for the Olympia gang to put it on again there

gordiano · « **Reply #22 on:** February 23, 2006, 10:27:35 AM »

Quote from: Kaliym73 on February 16, 2006, 01:04:35 PM

T
The IFBB still doesn't have it right. After so many people complained about the Orleans, the IFBB still ended up keeping the event at the same hotel. Mind Blowing. I've been to the Olympia for the past three years, but I might sit out this one. The Bad thing is that I will be in the area.

I'd hit the titty bars.............

Tre · « **Reply #23 on:** February 23, 2006, 11:37:42 AM »

I guess in 5-10 years, the convention center's surrounding area won't be a ghetto anymore.

muscles goddess · « **Reply #24 on:** February 28, 2006, 12:55:14 AM »

ABOUT THE OLYMPIA .... I HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THEY ARE IN VEGAS AT THE MANDALABAY HOTEL AND IT WAS MUCH BETTER THERE ,, EVERTHING WAS PERFECT THERE . SO THIS YEARA AT THE SAME HOTEL SHIT!!! I KNOW THE PRICE WAS MORE EXPENSIF BUT WE EAT BETTER FOOD THERE , MORE QUALITY YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANS??? JOE WEIDER THINK IF HE CHANGED AT CHEAPER HOTEL HE CAN MAKE MORE MONEY,,, $$$$ YES FOR SURE, HE ALWAYS THINKING OF THAT AND MORE HE CAN PUT IN IS POCKET MORE IS BETTER FOR HIM .... ABOUT THE EXPO TOO..
YES LAST YEAR IT WAS SUCK AT THE CONVENTION CENTER BECAUSE WE FEEL IT WAS EMPTY NOT TO MANY KIOSQUE THERE,, THE FINAL SHOW WAS SUCK TO FOR THE FEMALE BB.. THE LIGHT AND THE SOUND OF THE MUSIC WAS TERRIBLE THE SOUND FROM THE CAN

BUT THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FEMALE BB SO

? THEY NEVER TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY THE SPORT OF FEMALE BB THEY SAID THEY DON'T SELL ENOUGHT TICKETS.... BUT WHY THEY DON'T DO CHANGED SOMETHING TO ASSIST MORE PEOPLE TO GET EXCITING TO SEE THEM ON STAGE?? THAN TRY TO CHANGED SOMETHING ABOUT THEM MASS MUSCULAR!! THEY SHOULD ACCEPT FEMALE BB POSING WITH HIGHT HEEL AT THE PREJGMENT LIKE IN EUROPE WHY NOT??? THEY WANT THIS SPORT MORE FEMINITY SO WHY NOT??? THEY CAN POSE WITH HIGHT HIGHT EASY!!!! ANWAY!!! ....

SO THIS YEAR AGAIN ,, SAME PORE HOTEL,, WHY THEY DON'T TAKE A HOTEL ON THE STRIP ... OF COURSE MORE EXPENSIF SO WHAT?

WE DON'T HAVE TO RUN OR RUSH TO TRY TO GET THIS SHUDLE WHO PAST ONE TIME EVERY ONE HR SHIT!! ME LAST YEAR BY CHANCE I REND A CAR IS SO CHEAP THERE TOO .... WHY THEY DON'T ASK AT THE PEOPLE LAST YEAR AT THE CONFERENCE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IF THEY LIKE THE ORGANISATION THIS YEAR AT THE ORLEANS HOTEL OR AT THE CONVENTION CENTER??? OF COURSE NO.. THEY ARE NOT INTERESTING TO HEARD WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THAT?? THEY PFEFER TO HEARD WHAT THEY WANT TO HEARD YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANS??? ....

SO ME OF COURSE I WILL GO BECAUSE I LIKE THIS SPORT BUT FOR SURE I WON BE AT THE ORLEANS HOTEL I WILL BE AT THE OTHER ONE CLOSER TO THE ORLEANS AND I WILL HAVE KITCHEN AND BIGGER ROOM AND THE PRICE BETTER TOO.... SO BYE ORLEANS HOTEL ,,, .....

LYNN , FL