Arnold pumped up for Inner-City Games

Lisa Ferguson

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

He said he'd be back.

And true to his "Terminator" word, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger will once again flex his celebrity muscle at the 1997 Greater Las Vegas Inner-City Games this spring.

Schwarzenegger is chairman of the national Inner-City Games Foundation, which celebrated its inaugural year in Las Vegas last year.

The program, which will kick of in early April, provides youths 7 to 17 the chance to participate in educational and sporting events, including soccer, martial arts, and track and field.

More 7,000 local youngsters took part in the '96 games. As did Schwarzenegger, who hosted the opening ceremonies at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"His power of celebrity really draws people in," says Susie Lee, executive director of the local games. "The kids really look up tp Arnold and admire him."

Lee says it's likely the star will make an appearance at this year's closing celebrations, which will honor the 15,000 participants that organizers are expected to compete.

With that size turnout anticipated, this year's Games plan was restructured to include more convenient practice venues citywide and make transporting players -- free of charge -- easier.

Organizers have broken the valley into four "zones," scheduling practices at neighborhood schools, usually located within walking distance of the children's homes. Many of the actual competitions will again be held at UNLV.

"We think this is a better approach," Lee says. One that makes the games "appealing" to the participants and the 2,500 community volunteers organizers are counting on to lend a hand during the events, which are scheduled through September.

Several national and local corporations, hotel-casinos and media have expressed an interest in helping out -- physically and financially.

"It's corporations looking at ... their employees and their families and investing something in their kids. It's preventive medicine," Lee says.

For more information, call 382-5447.