FRISCO, TEXAS (May 15, 2007) - The 2007 US Youth Soccer Region IV (West Regional) Championships, to be played June 18-24, is estimated to provide more than $14 million in non-gaming economic impact to the Las Vegas area.

Local restaurants, hotels, retail stores and others will benefit from the more than 5,000 players, coaches, teams and tournament officials, who also bring along their families to this seven-day tournament. Visitors to the Las Vegas area will book an estimated 35,000 room nights at area hotels. The top 256 boys and girls US Youth Soccer teams, including at least 18 teams from host Nevada Youth Soccer Association, will compete at the Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex and the Kellogg Zaher Sports Complex for the US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships, in Las Vegas.

"Las Vegas is accustomed to hosting large and prestigious events, but having the Far West Regional Championships in the Silver State is truly something special,” said Guy Hobbs, President of Nevada Youth Soccer and Chairman of the Nevada Far West Regional Planning Committee. “Our business community and tourism industry are completely committed to this great event. Part of the culture of Las Vegas is to attract the best shows and events that are held anywhere in the world. Hosting this event is in keeping with that culture."

The US Youth Soccer Region IV Championships, which will feature top teams in the Under-12 through Under-19 age groups, begins on Monday, June 18 with preliminary games played through Wednesday, June 20. After a day of rest, quarterfinal matches will be played on Friday, June 22. Semifinal matches will be played on Saturday, June 23, with the US Youth Soccer Region IV Champions being crowned following final games on Sunday, June 24.

US Youth Soccer State Cup champions and select runners-up from 14 state associations, including host Nevada Youth Soccer Association will participate. The other state associations represented are Alaska, Arizona, California North, California South, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

"Las Vegas, with its more than 130,000 hotel rooms, extraordinary retail offerings, world-class shows and entertainment, and unsurpassed dining choices will certainly offer the players, coaches and others coming to town for the Far West Regionals an experience they will truly remember. We are excited about having the chance to show teams from around Region IV what a wonderful host city Las Vegas can be,” according to Hobbs.

Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the 2007 US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 24-29, in Frisco, a suburb of Dallas, Texas, at Pizza Hut Park.

One of the twelve national crowns awarded is the James P. McGuire Cup, the oldest trophy in youth sport dating back to 1935 with the inaugural youth championships. The Under-19 Boys National Champion will hoist the McGuire Cup on the 72nd anniversary of the storied cup.

Following individual State Cup tournaments, the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships are the second leg of the country’s premier national youth soccer tournament, the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series.

The chronological dates and locations for the 2007 US Youth Soccer Regional Championships and the 2007 US Youth Soccer National Championships are:

US Youth Soccer Region IV (West Regional) Championships
Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex and Kellogg Zaher Sports Complex – Las Vegas, NV
June 18-24, 2007

US Youth Soccer Region II (Midwest Regional) Championships
James W. Cownie Soccer Park and Hidden Valley Soccer Park– Des Moines, IA
June 22-27, 2007

US Youth Soccer Region I (East Regional) Championships
Bowdoin College, Falmouth Park and Falmouth High School – Portland, ME
June 28-July 3, 2007

US Youth Soccer Region III (South Regional) Championships
South Lakes Soccer Complex – Oklahoma City, OK
June 28-July 4, 2007

US Youth Soccer National Championships
Pizza Hut Park – Frisco, TX
July 24-29, 2007

To learn more about these events visit http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org the online home to the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, providing the latest in news, information and more.