Georgia Power Co. president and CEO Allen Franklin and Savannah Sailing Center chairman John McIntosh Sr. announced today that Georgia Power will be the Lead Sponsor of the 1996 U. S. Olympic Team Trials -- Yachting, April 16 through May 12 in Savannah.

The U. S. Trials are the final step in the selection of the U. S. Sailing Team that will represent the United States in the 1996 Olympic Games.

“Georgia Power is proud to be a part of the sailing trials in this beautiful and historic city,” Franklin said. “This sponsorship fits in well with Georgia Power’s designation as Official Power Source of the 1996 Olympic Games. It also recognizes our commitment to all of Georgia.”

“We are pleased to have Georgia Power on board,” said McIntosh. “This event provides a unique opportunity for U. S. competitors because they will be sailing in the trials on the actual waters where the Olympic Yachting competition will be held.”

Georgia Power, which serves 1.7 million customers throughout Georgia, and its sister company, Savannah Electric and Power Company, a Bronze Sponsor of the trials, are subsidiaries of The Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest electric utility groups.

“We are proud to join our sister company, Georgia Power, in sponsoring the regatta. We welcome all the athletes to our waters and wish them ideal conditions and smooth sailing,” said Arthur Gignilliat, president and CEO of Savannah Electric.

One of Georgia Power’s main Olympic sponsorship objectives is to promote Georgia -- throughout the world -- as an excellent place to locate business, manufacturing and institutional facilities through “Operation Legacy,” a public-private economic development partnership. Operation Legacy identifies and targets domestic and international companies that could invest in Georgia.

“We hope economic development successes resulting from the 1996 Olympic Games will mean economic prosperity for Georgians as the world continues to move to a global economy,” said Franklin. “As a port city, Savannah is in an excellent position to leverage the exposure of the Olympic Games through events like the U. S. Sailing Trials.”