Bank One, JPMorgan Chase to Underwrite Celebration for Grand Opening of Millennium Park in Chicago CHICAGO, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bank One Corporation and J.P. Morgan Chase & Company announced today that they will underwrite the three-day festival of free concerts, family activities and events for the grand opening of Millennium Park in downtown Chicago July 16-18. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030116/NYTH053LOGO ) Bank One and JPMorgan Chase, which plan to merge later this year, each made grants to underwrite all costs of the events. "Millennium Park adds one more jewel to the crown of Chicago, one of the truly great cities in the world," said William M. Daley, Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase. "We can think of no better way to celebrate the coming together of Bank One and JPMorgan Chase than to come together in Millennium Park." An international destination that will showcase the city of Chicago to the world, the 24.5-acre Millennium Park is located on Michigan Avenue between Randolph and Monroe streets. Its centerpiece will be the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the most sophisticated outdoor concert venue in the United States. The park will also be home to one of the world's largest outdoor sculptures by the British artist Anish Kapoor; the tradition-setting Lurie Garden designed by the team of Kathryn Gustafson, Piet Oudolf, and Robert Israel; and the Crown Fountain designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. "Bank One funded the Promenade at Millennium Park, and we're delighted to join with JPMorgan Chase to now fund the grand opening of the park," said Warren K. Chapman, President of the Bank One Foundation. "Together, we are funding an event that neither of us would have been able to do alone." The Grand Opening will kick off on Friday, July 16 with a world premiere concert by the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus in the Pritzker Pavilion, including a composition by the American composer, John Corigliano, commissioned for the occasion. Other weekend events include: -- Fitness classes on the Great Lawn, -- A participatory parade featuring performing groups from neighborhoods throughout the city, -- A large-scale illumination installation by Redmoon Theater, -- Reflecting Chicago-a concert showcasing Chicago's diverse music scene, -- Late-night performances and dancing, -- A circus performance and workshops, and -- Tours led by Chicago Architecture Foundation docents departing every thirty minutes from locations throughout the park. Bank One is the largest retail and business bank in Chicago, serving customers through its Chicago network of 230 branches and more than 1,050 ATMs. During the past decade, Bank One has committed more than $65 million to non-profit organizations serving the people of the Chicago area. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030116/NYTH053LOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Bank One CONTACT: Thomas Kelly of Bank One, +1-312-732-7007 Web site: http://www.bankone.com/

Copyright