Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (The Latin Recording Academy®) President Gabriel Abaroa, Univision news anchor Barbara Bermudo and NYC Big Events President Maureen J. Reidy today announced the 7th Annual Latin GRAMMY® Awards will be broadcast live on Thursday, November 2, 2006, from Madison Square Garden, marking the first time New York will host the international showcase of Latin music.  The Latin GRAMMY Awards ceremony has been previously held in Miami and Los Angeles.  This important event, which honors excellence in Latin music, was eagerly pursued by NYC Big Events.  The City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) projects that the 7th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will have an estimated economic impact in excess of $30 million, and will stimulate future tourism dollars through its global telecast in more than a 100 countries.  Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assembly Member Adriano Espaillat, Congressman Jose Serrano, Congressman Jerry Nadler, Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez, Mayor’s Liaison to the Latin Media & Entertainment Commission Willie Colon, Musician Johnny Pacheco, Recording Artist India and Vice Chairman of Madison Square Garden Hank Ratner attended the announcement held at City Hall.

“Hoy me siento muy orgulloso al anunciar que la 7a. entrega Anual del Latin GRAMMY se realizará por primera vez en la Gran Manzana,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “New York City is the proud home to the most diverse Hispanic population in the world.  Hosting this premier Latin event will bring worldwide media attention and tourists to our City, creating a significant economic impact and helping us continue creating more jobs.  As a venue for world-class events, there is only one New York, and we are thrilled that The Latin Recording Academy and Univision have selected New York City to help propel the Latin GRAMMY Awards to the next level.” 

“Producing the 7th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards and other events that surround the telecast in New York City is a great milestone in the young history of our organization,” said Gabriel Abaroa, President of The Latin Recording Academy.  “New York constitutes a worldwide mecca of arts and at the same time represents the center of musical movements such as Salsa, Mambo, Tango, Mariachi, Merengue and Latin Jazz.  New York is also the place many of the big stars have called home: Tito Puente, Los Panchos, Celia Cruz, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, Johnny Pacheco, India, Eddie Palmieri, Hector Lavoe, Thalia, Placido Domingo and Marc Anthony, to name just a few.   In fact, by going to New York City we are going home because one out of every four City residents is a Latino. 

Today, The Latin Recording Academy with the support and leadership of The Recording Academy, our broadcast partner Univision and our amazing hosts, the City of New York together, sing loud and clear: start spreadin’ the news the Latin GRAMMYs are on the way!”

“Univision is widely known as the network of the biggest and most spectacular events of special interest to Hispanics,” said Univision Executive Vice President and Operating Manager Alina Falcon.  “After its record-breaking debut on our network, we are confident that this year's Latin GRAMMYs will result in even higher ratings. And we are particularly excited to broadcast one of the foremost Latin music events live from New York, a City with one of this country’s most vibrant Hispanic populations that includes home to some of our most loyal viewers.”

“This great city is truly the crossroads of the world and because of this distinction, we are blessed with a strong Latin influence and heritage,” said New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.  “The Latin GRAMMY Awards further enhances our legacy as a global center for arts and entertainment.  So, it is fitting that the finest Latin singers and musicians should be feted here for their remarkable talents and for the extraordinary gifts they share with us and the rest of the world.  My thanks to Mayor Bloomberg, to my colleague, Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, who chairs the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, to James Dolan, chairman of Madison Square Garden, and to everyone who worked so hard to bring the Latin GRAMMY Awards to New York.”

In 2005, the Latin GRAMMY Awards aired for the first time on Univision — and for the first time entirely in Spanish — to explosive ratings.  Delivering nine million total viewers, the program was the most-watched Latin GRAMMY telecast ever among young adults, nearly two million more than the previous telecast in English.

In December 2005, NYC Big Events and NYC & Company, the City’s Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, presented a multi-faceted pitch highlighting New York’s unique ability as the #1 media market to increase the awareness, exposure and media ratings for the Latin GRAMMY Awards to Univision, the exclusive broadcaster in the U.S.  City officials presented a plan that would benefit The Latin Recording Academy and Univision by providing a platform for capitalizing on the media and marketing capital of the world, and demonstrated that hosting the Latin GRAMMY Awards in New York City would expand media awareness and access as well as broaden the consumer and sponsor base. 

“Bringing an event like the 7th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards to New York City offers residents and guests alike the opportunity to experience the City’s diversity, creativity, energy and friendly environment,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding Daniel L. Doctoroff.  “At the same time, this event — one of the highest rated and most successful shows honoring Latin culture — will generate tremendous media exposure and positive short-term and long-term economic impact.”
 
“We have a proven track record of hosting the biggest and most-watched events around the globe including the 2005 Country Music Association Awards, the worldwide premiere of King Kong, the 2004 Republican National Convention, the 45th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2003, and the 2002 NFL Kick-off in Times Square,” said NYC Big Events President Maureen J. Reidy.  “New York City is the number one media market, and we are prepared to host the most exciting celebration of Latin music ever by using the City’s unparalleled resources to create an unforgettable night of music.”

Led by NYC Big Events and working closely with The Latin Recording Academy and Univision, NYC Marketing will develop partnerships with companies in a variety of categories to help promote the event, which is the same model used for other mega-events like the Country Music Association Awards.

“Our model has proven to be an effective way to recruit events without relying on taxpayer revenue,” said Joe Perello, President of NYC Marketing.  “In addition to helping pay the incremental event costs, our corporate and promotional partners help build awareness around the event and create terrific exposure for New York.”

The 7th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will air live on the Univision Television Network on Thursday, November 2, at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central.  Nominations for this year's Latin GRAMMYs will be announced in New York on Tuesday, September 26.

The Latin Recording Academy is an international membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other creative and technical recording professionals.  The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. For more information about The Academy, visit www.grammy.com. 

Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States.  Its operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 98% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 86% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Galavisión, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 62 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 69 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 4 stations in Puerto Rico; Univision Music Group, which includes Univision Records, Fonovisa Records, La Calle Records and a 50% interest in Mexico-based Disa Records labels as well as Fonomusic and America Musical Publishing companies; and Univision Online, the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at www.univision.com.  Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa’s pay television channels in the U.S., and a non-voting 14.9% interest in Entravision Communications Corporation, a public Spanish-language media company.  Univision Communications is headquartered in Los Angeles with television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States.

NYC Big Events, Inc. is the City’s official organization dedicated to attracting high-profile events, creating new ones and working with existing major New York City events. Just recently, NYC Big Events announced the return of the MTV Video Music Awards to New York City in August 2006 and the first-ever VH1 Hip Hop Honors Week in October 2006.  NYC Big Events’ recent successes include the 2005 Country Music Association Awards, the Worldwide Premiere of Peter Jackson’s King Kong in Times Square, the 2005 “VH1 Save the Music Benefit Concert,” and the 2004 Republican National Convention.