Press Release

N.C. State University to Build Arnold Palmer Designed Golf Course in Downtown Raleigh

Media Contact: Martin Armes; (919) 645-2654; marmes@visitraleigh.com

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 2007) – The Downtown Raleigh landscape adds to its $2 billion renaissance with the announcement by N.C. State University to build an Arnold Palmer designed golf course on the university's Centennial Campus. The 18-hole Lonnie Poole Golf Course will feature a 7025-yard, par-71 layout located on 200 acres of the southern-end of campus and will be Palmer's first course designed specifically for a college campus.

The spring 2009 completion of this course will add to the more than 20 area public courses and will be the only public course in Downtown Raleigh. Ideally located within minutes of the new Raleigh Convention Center and Marriott City Center headquarters hotel slated to open in Summer 2008, the course will provide the opportunity for both leisure and convention visitors to be in close proximity to one of the area's most notable sporting activities. To accompany the course, plans include a state-of-the-art clubhouse and adjoining 12,000 square foot building that will house classrooms, working labs, meeting and conference rooms and offices which can be rented as a meeting venue.

"This is certainly another notable addition to Raleigh's destination transformation," said Dennis Edwards, President & CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. "North Carolina has an international golf reputation with Raleigh serving as one of its primary gateways. This signature course in the Capital City will be another significant selling feature for the new convention center slated to open in 2008."

Palmer Course Design Company has had a hand in designing more than 300 courses around the country, including Raleigh's only signature Arnold Palmer Golf Course, Brier Creek County Club located near Raleigh-Durham International Airport. With the tendency to create a course that has uncompromising standards and is built with the natural landscape in mind, the course will blend in harmony with Raleigh's dedication to green space.