News

INDIANAPOLIS, June 26, 2012 – USA Gymnastics announced today that the 2013 American Cup, an International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup event, and the fourth-annual Nastia Liukin Cup return to the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass., in March 2013. The DCU Center hosted both events in 2010. Tickets for the events will go on sale in the fall.

“Returning to Worcester and the DCU Center is very exciting for USA Gymnastics,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “The American Cup and Worcester will be a great place to start the road to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.”

Set for March 2, the American Cup is one of the most prestigious international invitationals and featuresmany of the world’s top all-around gymnasts. Scheduled for March 1, the Nastia Liukin Cup showcases some of the USA’s top Junior Olympic gymnasts and made its debut in 2010 in Worcester.

The City of Worcester and the SMG-managed DCU Center, in conjunction with Destination Worcester, worked together to attract the American Cup and the Nastia Liukin Cup to central Massachusetts.

“The City of Worcester is thrilled to host the 2013 American Cup,” said City Manager Michael O’Brien. “As a result of the 2010 events that USA Gymnastics brought to Worcester, the city received international exposure, national television coverage, thousands of visitors, and more than 700 occupied hotel rooms for a direct economic impact of more than $800,000.”

Sandy Dunn, general manager of the DCU Center, said, “During the course of three days and two levels of competition, nearly 10,000 competitors, supporters and fans came to Worcester to witness the 2010 American Cup and the inaugural Nastia Liukin Cup. Coming off the 2012 Olympic Games in London, there is no doubt that this prestigious invitational will leave its mark on the DCU Center and City of Worcester for a second time.”

The 2013 American Cup is an all-around competition. The field for the event will be announced closer to the competition. The list of former champions comprises some of the sport’s best-known names, including Bart Conner, Paul Hamm, Shawn Johnson, Danell Leyva, Nastia Liukin, Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson, Mary Lou Retton, Peter Vidmar and Jordyn Wieber.

The participants for the Nastia Liukin Cup qualify through the country’s top invitationals that are included in the Nastia Liukin Cup Series, which runs from January through February. The Nastia Liukin Cup is held the night before the American Cup, and its proceeds benefit the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund within the National Gymnastics Foundation.

Past sites for the American Cup include: New York City (1976-80, 1982-84, 2004, 2008, 2012); Ft. Worth Texas (1981, 1996-98); Indianapolis, Ind. (1985); Fairfax, Va. (1986-90, 2003); Orlando, Fla. (1991-94, 2000-02); Seattle, Wash. (1995); St. Petersburg, Fla. (1999); Uniondale, N.Y. (2005); Philadelphia (2006); Jacksonville, Fla. (2007, 2011); Hoffman Estates, Ill. (2009); and Worcester, Mass. (2010).

Background Information

• DCU Center. A multi-purpose arena and convention center uniquely designed to accommodate the needs of any size group from 15 to 15,000, the DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the world’s leading private management and developing firm for public assembly facilities. Headquartered in Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities internationally and also offers food and beverage operations through SAVOR… Catering by SMG. For more information, please visit www.dcucenter.com.
• Destination Worcester. Destination Worcester is a destination marketing organization whose primary focus is on selling the City of Worcester as a destination to meeting and convention planners, and event and sports organizers. Acting as a single point of contact, Destination Worcester provides enhanced communications and a streamlined process for booking events in Worcester.
• International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). The International Gymnastics Federation is the governing body for gymnastics worldwide. It is the oldest established international sports federation and has participated in the Olympic Games since their revival in 1896. The FIG governs seven disciplines: gymnastics for all, men’s artistic, women’s artistic, rhythmic, trampoline, aerobic and acrobatic. It counts 130 national affiliated federations and boasts a 25-person staff at its international seat in Lausanne, Switzerland, host city of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).