Sonny Perdue
Governor

For Immediate Release

Contact: Office of Communications
(404) 651-7774

Monday, July 14, 2003

White House Announces Sea Island as Site for 2004 G8 Summit
Event Could Bring Well Over $200 million to Georgia Economy
Governor to Hold Press Briefing Wednesday

ATLANTA, GA - Governor Sonny Perdue today praised the decision by President Bush to hold next year’s Group of Eight (or G8) Summit in Sea Island Georgia. The event, to be held next June will bring thousands of government officials, diplomats and journalists to coastal Georgia and generate more than $200 million for the state economy.

"I wish to thank President Bush for the great honor he has given our state and this community by choosing Sea Island to host this historic summit," Perdue said today. "It will be a very exciting time and we will be ready for it. This will be the most important international event that Georgia has hosted since the Centennial Olympic Games.

"For three days, the eyes of the world will be on us and as the spotlight shines on Georgia once again, we will demonstrate that Georgia hospitality is unmatched anywhere. The good folks in the Savannah area will host the best G8 Summit on record setting a new benchmark," Perdue added.

Perdue travels today to Sea Island to join White House officials and Sea Island Chairman and CEO Bill Jones III in briefing state and local leaders on the ramifications of the announcement. The Governor will also join Jones along with Executive Director of 2004 G8 Summit Planning Organization Bob Goodwin and Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs/ Deputy National Security Advisor Gary Edson in holding a news conference on the Summit tomorrow at the Cloister Hotel on the South Lawn.

G8 member nations include the United States, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Russia.