7.19.96

FORECAST: high near 92[degrees] with a chance of late-afternoon
or evening thunderstorms.

HOT TICKET: Opening ceremonies (ZO9993). The cast is 5,500
strong, with a backstage crew of 2,100. Costumes are covered
with 1.6 million sequins. More than 5,000 fireworks are ready to
explode during the grand finale. And you wondered why tickets
were priced as high as $636.

WHAT IF...you've misplaced your ticket? Find a television or
scramble for a broker, most of whom were asking for upwards of
$1,000 a ticket as of yesterday. According to ACOG officials,
lost tickets will not be replaced.

OPENING CEREMONIES

OLYMPIC STADIUM

5 p.m.--Gates open.

8:30 p.m.--Ceremonies begin with Call to the Nations.

9:01 p.m.--President Clinton enters, followed by the playing of
"The Star-Spangled Banner."

9:15 p.m.--Atlanta native Gladys Knight sings "Georgia on My
Mind."

9:53 p.m.--The Parade of Nations begins with the entrance of the
delegation from Greece. A record 197 countries will participate.

11:20 p.m.--The Parade of Nations concludes with the arrival of
the U.S. delegation.

11:35 p.m.--Opening remarks from Billy Payne, ACOG president and
CEO.

11:38 p.m.--International Olympic Committee president Juan
Antonio Samaranch addresses the crowd.

11:41 p.m.--President Clinton declares the Games open.

11:42 p.m.--The Olympic flag enters the stadium.

12:01 a.m.--The torch relay ends with the lighting of the
Olympic cauldron.

12:03 a.m.--Georgia native Teresa Edwards, a member of the U.S.
women's basketball team, leads the 11,000 athletes in the
Olympic oath.

12:05 a.m.--Canadian pop singer Celine Dion performs "The Power
of the Dream."

12:17 a.m.--The grand finale, culminating in a spectacular
fireworks display.

LOCAL CULTURE

HISTORIC ROSWELL FESTIVAL
Historic District
11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily Through Aug. 4

Located 20 minutes north of Atlanta, Roswell kicks off a
two-week festival today on its downtown streets. The gala
features the "Coolest Place in Hotlanta"--the Moscow Circus on
Ice. Plenty of music, food and entertainment for folks of all
ages.

SI ONLINE

WWW.SPORTSILLUSTRATED.COM
Visit SI's Web site and CompuServe (SIOLYMPICS) for instant
Olympic results plus Games-related stories published in the
OLYMPIC DAILY and the weekly SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. Browsers may
also search the SI Olympic Preview issue, the official Olympic
program and a database filled with Olympic history, past results
and information on every sport at the Summer Games.

COLOR PHOTO: SCOTT GOLDSMITH [Bruce Baumgartner]

SPOTLIGHT ON ...

BRUCE BAUMGARTNER

The four-time Olympian will carry the Stars and Stripes while
leading an 800-member U.S. delegation into Olympic Stadium
during the opening ceremonies. Winner of two gold medals and one
silver in freestyle wrestling, the superheavyweight was chosen
as flagbearer by a vote of U.S. team captains.