Inner-City Games set to begin

Nearly 150 children filed into Mandalay Bay's House of Blues Wednesday morning for a festive celebration kicking off the fourth annual Greater Las Vegas Inner-City Games.

The Inner-City Games, an effort to deter youth from gangs, drugs and violence, provides sports, educational and cultural programs to children 7-17. More than 8,000 children are expected to attend this year's local games.

The games begin April 10 and will be held over a six-month period at area schools. The games are free and transportation is provided.

This year new cultural programs including art, music, creative writing and chess will be added, Elaine Wynn, co-chairwoman for the games, said.

"The reason we offer the Inner-City Games for the children is because we constantly tell our children what not to do but we forget to tell them what to do, which is to have fun," Wynn told the audience Wednesday.

A new partnership between the House of Blues Foundation and the Inner-City Games will offer field trips to the House of Blues to teach the children about folk art and music.

The folk art hanging on the walls of the House of Blues, known also as outsider art -- art done outside of schools by artists using materials from their back yards or town dump -- was created from people of all ages.

Children participating in the Inner-City Games will have an opportunity to display their artwork and perform at the House of Blues, Jodi Gutstein, marketing director for the Inner-City Games, said.

Pre-registration for the games is closed, but those wishing to register can call 223-5300.

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