Dick's Sporting Goods Announces Grand Opening Celebration at Target Center in Columbia, SC

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S. based full-line sporting goods retailer, invites the community of Columbia to their three-day grand opening weekend. The store will open its doors on Wednesday, August 22 and begin the celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, August 24 at 9:00 a.m. at the retailer's new location at Target Center, 10204A Two Notch Road. Special extended store hours will also be in effect for Friday (8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.), Saturday (8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) and Sunday (9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.).

Dick's Sporting Goods also has a variety of special appearances and giveaways scheduled to celebrate the grand opening festivities.

The Fish'N' Crazee Show host Xavier "Mad Dawg" Tiberghien will be in store on Friday from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. to meet with customers.

Airing on The World Fishing Network at 11 p.m. ET, The Fish'N' Crazee Show showcases all aspects of the sport of angling.  

On Saturday, the USC Competitive Bass Fishing Team will be making an in-store appearance.

Sunday's schedule will feature a special appearance by University of South Carolina alum and former NFL running back George Rogers from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.** Rogers won the Heisman Trophy in 1980 while playing for USC and was selected as the New Orleans Saints first pick overall in the 1981 draft. In 1985, Rogers joined the Washington Redskins and went on to defeat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII. Additionally on Sunday, there will be a Mystery Gift Card Giveaway for the first 100 adults in line, who will receive unmarked Dick's Sporting Goods gift cards in varying denominations from $5 to $500, with one person winning the $500 card (limit one per person and must be 18 years or older).

Throughout the weekend, customers will be able to enter for the chance to win an Epic A35T Treadmill and a Nishiki Kinzua29 Limited Edition bicycle. There will also be opportunities for customers to meet with certified bike and lodge technicians and PGA/LPGA professionals, as well as additional activities throughout the store.  More details on all promotions are available at the store location.  

"We look forward to opening our new Dick's Sporting Goods store in Columbia and becoming part of the community," said Lauren Hobart, Dick's Sporting Goods Chief Marketing Officer.  "We want to serve athletes of all ages in Columbia by providing the equipment they need to help them excel."

The Columbia location will be the retailer's 10th store in the state of South Carolina and its 491st nationwide.

Visit www.dickssportinggoodsonline.com/Grand_Open/Northeast_Columbia/ for more grand opening details and directions.

**Beginning at 9:00 a.m. local time, 250 wristbands will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the store on the day of event only.  Limit one wristband and one autograph per person.  Fans must have a wristband and must be in the Special Appearance line by 11:00 a.m. to receive an autograph.  Times and appearances are subject to change without notice. See store for details.

About Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear in a specialty store environment. The Company also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, LLC, a golf specialty retailer. As of July 28, 2012, the Company operated 490 Dick's Sporting Goods stores in 44 states, 81 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and eCommerce websites and catalog operations for Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy. Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. news releases are available at http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/investors.  The Company's website is not part of this release.

SOURCE Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.