Wrestling legends to give anti-drug and anti-gang message to Newark youth

CITY OF NEWARK HOSTS “BACK TO SCHOOL” PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING MATCHES

AT JFK RECREATION CENTER, AT 211 W. KINNEY STREET, ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, AT 7 P.M.

NWA stars Powers of Pain, Danny Inferno, Spirit of SQ, set to headline event;

Newark, NJ - September 17, 2009 - Mayor Cory A. Booker and the Newark Municipal Council today announced that National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) professional and amateur wrestlers will swing into action for a “Back to School” celebration with live matches at the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center on Friday, September 25, at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The matches are free and open to the public, but residents must pick up their tickets in advance. The JFK Center is located at 211 West Kinney Street, with the entrance on Howard Street.

Headlining the event are NWA stars The Powers of Pain, Crowbar, Danny Inferno, Mickey and Kenney of the Spirit of SQ, Jim Powers, B-Boy, Josh Daniels, The Baby, and Rob Eckos. Tickets are free and available from the Division of Recreation/Cultural Affairs at 94 William Street, all Recreation Centers, Municipal Council Members’ offices, and the Office of Constituent Services in City Hall.

“We are excited to once again welcome these legends of wrestling to Newark,” said Mayor Booker. “Professional wrestling is entertainment that families can enjoy together. I encourage everyone to come to the JFK Recreation Center and be part of the action!”

In addition to the bouts, the wrestlers will team up with the Division of Recreation/Cultural Affairs to present an anti-drug and anti-gang message to attendees. NWA Midwest is providing the wrestlers. The event is sponsored by the City of Newark.

“This wrestling program offers family entertainment to our residents,” Director Waldrop said. “We hope they enjoy watching these grapplers face off in the ring. I congratulate the entire Recreation team for organizing this event.”

Still and video cameras are permitted at the event. The matches will be videotaped for broadcast for Dish Network on Colours TV.

The John F. Kennedy Recreation and Aquatic Center is the City’s largest such facility, offering Newark residents of all ages a wide variety of daily recreation, exercise, and swimming programs. The facility features a multi-purpose exercise room, an NBA-regulation size basketball court, a state-of-the-art weight room and the only indoor/outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool in the State equipped with a retractable roof. The John F. Kennedy Recreation and Aquatic Center has hosted numerous events, including the 2002 U.S. Youth Games Swimming competition, professional wrestling matches, a variety of exercise classes, amateur boxing bouts, basketball tournaments and other community functions.

For more information, contact the Division of Recreation/Cultural Affairs at (973) 733-6454 or Program Coordinator/Special Events, Donnell M. Redding at (201) 563-6485. For more information about all City of Newark programs, contact the Newark Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311.

-NEWARK -

About the City of Newark, New Jersey
Newark, commonly referred to as Brick City, is the third oldest city in the United States and the largest in New Jersey, with a population of more than 280,000 people. Newark sits on one of the nation’s largest transportation super-structures including an international airport, major rail connections, major highway intersections and the busiest seaport on the east coast.

With a new Administration as of July 2006, Newark continues to see signs of a strong revival. In population, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the northeast. Its six major colleges and universities are further expanding their presence. The production of affordable housing has doubled, businesses are returning and crime is going down. There is still much work to be done but Newark is on its way to achieving its mission: to set a national standard for urban transformation.

For more information on the City of Newark, please visit our website at www.ci.newark.nj.us