FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
July 30, 1996

1996 HONG TA SHAN U.S. OPEN OFFERS GREATEST PRIZE PURSE IN BADMINTON GRAND 
PRIX CIRCUIT TOURNAMENTS

(ATLANTA, Ga.) -- USA Badminton's President Diane Cornell announced
today that the six-star,  $200,000 Hong Ta Shan U.S. Open will take
place at the Orange County Badminton Club in Orange,  California,
September 23-28.  With $200,000 total prize money, the event is the
highest prize purse of any  individual Grand Prix Circuit tournament.
Following the great success of badminton at the Atlanta  Olympics, the
U.S. Open will draw many of the best athletes the sport has to offer.

"Hosting a badminton event of this magnitude is a giant step forward
for the sport in the U.S.," said USA  Badminton's Executive Director
Dr. Cliff McPeak.  "Tournament sponsor Hong Ta Shan's generous
support is playing an instrumental role in promoting the sport in the
United States, and around the  world."

The International Badminton Federation's (IBF) World Grand Prix
circuit is badminton's professional  world tour established in 1985.
Tournaments are rated as "stars" based on prize purses provided,
ranging  from a one-star $15,000 event to a six-star $165,000 event.

"We are very excited about the dramatic increase in prize purse for
the 1996 U.S. Open," said IBF  President and International Olympic
Committee member Lu Shengrong.  "It demonstrates the ever  increasing
popularity of badminton in the United States, which is one of our
major goals."

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(FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT PAUL PAWLACZYK, USBA  
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR VIA PAGER AT 1-800-946-4646, PIN# 2004333 OR AT  
THE USOC PRESS OFFICE AT 404-547-8762).