CONTACT: Andrew J. Groveman
Senior Vice President
Belz Enterprises
(901) 260-7348

WONDERS "EGGSTRAVAGANZA" COMING TO PEABODY PLACE ENTERTAINMENT AND RETAIL CENTER

Peabody Place Museum's Russian Artifacts on Display at WONDERS

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Tuesday, May 7, 2002 — The Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center will be the "nesting" home of a group of specially decorated Russian Imperial Eggs which are part of the WONDERS Imperial Egg Competition. The competition was "hatched" by WONDERS: The Memphis International Cultural Series to promote its current exhibit, CZARS: 400 Years of Imperial Grandeur.

Each of the fiberglass eggs, weighing approximately 100 pounds, measures 8 feet high and sits a 4-foot-wide base. Local businesses and organizations sponsoring each of the eggs have commissioned artists to decorate them, emulating the two historical jeweled eggs on display at the WONDERS exhibit.

Czar Alexander III started the tradition of giving a jeweled egg to his wife Alexandra as a present for Easter.

A group of about a "dozen" of the eggs will "roll," in trucks provided by Covington Pike Toyota, in a parade from the WONDERS exhibit at The Pyramid past St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and on to their new home down Second Street into the Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center Tuesday, May 7 at Noon.

"We're pleased to be a part of the fun and excitement surrounding the WONDERS Imperial Egg Competition with Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center showcasing the wealth of talent and creativity displayed in the design of each of these truly unique eggs," said Andrew J. Groveman, senior vice president, Belz Enterprises, developers of Peabody Place.

Some of the eggs on display at the Entertainment and Retail Center and at varying points around the city feature everything from elaborate paintings and stained glass to bottle caps and working clocks, according to Victor Rocha, director of communications for WONDERS. Several area schools are also sponsoring eggs decorated by art students.

The public will be invited to vote on their favorite egg, with an auction of the eggs to be held in June.

Specially selected items from downtown's Peabody Place Museum are currently on display at the WONDERS exhibit. Among the Russian artworks on display are lacquer boxes as well as silver Judaica items crafted by Russian artists.

An additional showcase features a selection of the museum's extensive Asian collection including jade, malachite and ivory carvings. All of these works of art can be found just inside the main entrance to the WONDERS exhibit.

"It's an honor to have a few of our new Russian artifacts on display at WONDERS' fabulous exhibit, and to be able to share some of the Peabody Place Museum's artworks with exhibit guests," said Jack Belz, the driving force behind the Peabody Place Museum.

During the WONDERS exhibit, the Peabody Place Museum, located at 119 South Main Street on the concourse level of the historic Pembroke Square building, is featuring a special section dedicated to its own collection of Russian works of art.

The museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 5 p.m. admission is $5 for adults, $4.50 for senior citizens, and $4 for students. Special group rates are available by contacting Jane Malton, director of group sales at (901) 260-7419.

As an added tribute to Czars: 40 Years of Imperial Grandeur, each of the Peabody Place restaurants is featuring a special Russian inspired dish during the exhibit. The exhibit runs through Sept. 15.

Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Belz Enterprises is a leading innovator in real estate development with interests throughout the South, including Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center at 150 Peabody Place. Throughout the United States, Belz develops, owns and/or manages more than 30 million square feet of industrial warehouses, distribution centers, shopping centers, office buildings, mixed-use centers and corporate campuses. The company also owns a group of premier hotels including the Peabody Hotels in Memphis, Orlando and Little Rock.