AT&T steps in as major TdG sponsor

VeloNews | Press Release: AT&T takes major sponsorship role in Tour de Georgia

AT&T, re-establishing its brand after the recent merger of BellSouth and Cingular Wireless, will provide $500,000 in sponsorship to this year's Tour de Georgia.

“It is an honor to make this contribution to the Tour de Georgia, one of the great international cycling events,” said AT&T Georgia President Sylvia Anderson.

The contribution will make AT&T a Founding Sponsor of this year's race.

Update: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution chimes in:

Tour advocate Jeff Mullis, a Republican state senator from Chickamauga, a North Georgia town that has benefitted from race-related tourism, said he and other legislators worked the phones to secure private funding for the Tour. The new sponsorship "means that the state will be prepared to put in less money," he said. "The budget process is very complex, and there's no telling what that number could be when we're through."

Mullis predicted more private sector contributions to the race next year so "we won't be having this discussion about the state trying to salvage the event."

Comments

[James]

I am certainly glad AT&T stepped in. Let's hope that the investment pays off so that they will continue to sponsor the race in future years.