May 12, 1999
YouthLink got jump start on millennium
___ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--First MTV, then the Church of Scientology requested space for new millennium celebrations at the Tampa Ice Palace, a beautiful venue overlooking Tampa Bay. Because YouthLink 2000 already had the 20,000 capacity dome under contract, each group was turned away.
___As the dawn of the millennium approaches, the foresight of YouthLink 2000 planners has left them in an enviable position among millennial party-planners--many of whom have been left waiting in the wings for prime meeting venues. As early as 1996, planners for YouthLink 2000--the millennial event for 200,000 teenage and college students--hadunder contract most of its seven venues across the United States.
___Perhaps the resolve on the part of YouthLink 2000 to hold its space has surprised a few, like the Church of Scientology. They first made an offer to buy out the YouthLink contract--at a nice profit for YouthLink. After that was turned down, in January the Church of Scientology offered free use of costly sound and light setup if YouthLink 2000 would give up two days of occupancy. Concerned for its own full schedule and the quality of its event, YouthLink 2000 once again said no.
___While other groups are just now scrambling to put together large millennium events, the vision for YouthLink 2000 came in the 1980s to Richard Ross, one of the originators of "True Love Waits," and Dean Finley who brought W.O.W (Win Our World) and "See You At the Pole" to the denomination. Their life's work has been with students: Finley at the North American Mission Board and Ross at LifeWay Christian Resources.
___In 1989, Finley and Ross sat down to share their vision with a small group of denominational leaders. By 1992, they had formed a steering committee to explore the idea seriously and to seek bids on a management plan. Realizing the potential to challenge hundreds of thousands of young people with the gospel, in 1995 several agencies of the Southern Baptist Convention--now LifeWay Christian Resources, the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board and Woman's Missionary Union--agreed to fund the dream.
___The result of the early planning: hosts on talk radio in Houston these days are puzzling over some group called YouthLink 2000 that has locked up most hotels around that city for New Year's Eve 1999.
___In Atlanta, meanwhile, YouthLink 2000--currently set for the Georgia World Congress Center with its 30,000 capacity--is eyeing a first option on the 70,000-seat Georgia Dome. If the date ultimately chosen for the Peach Bowl allows it, YouthLink 2000 is first in line for the space.
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