Colorado 

On Friday night, fans and athletes will see this American Olympic hero up close when he lights the cauldron at the Colorado Springs World Arena to officially open the 2010 Rocky Mountain State Games at the conclusion of the Opening Ceremony.

Holcomb continues the tradition of Olympians chosen to light the torch at State Games openings in Colorado Springs in recent years, adding his name to a list that includes Rulon Gardner, Michelle Kwan, Apolo Ohno, Derek Parra and Henry Cejudo.

Tickets: priced at $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for seniors and youth, available at www.ticketswest.com or by calling (719) 576-2626.

Tickets will also be available at the World Arena box offices on Friday evening.

The events get underway at 5:00 p.m. when the gates open, and fans and athletes can enjoy the many attractions and entertainment in the Games’ Vendor Village outside the arena and inside on the concourse. The Opening ceremony gets underway at 7:00 p.m.

Singing star, television host and American Idol performer Kimberly Caldwell will also be featured during a sensational evening of entertainment for the Opening Ceremony.

Her long-anticipated debut album, “Without Regret,”  is due for release soon. The rock/pop star will be performing with the help of AT&T, and 2,000 tickets to the event will be donated to the area’s military families by the performer and AT&T.

See more about the Opening Ceremony headliner at:  http://www.kimberlycaldwell.com/

Also performing for the athletes and fans at the Opening ceremony will be ACRODUNK, the acrobatic, Extreme slam-dunk performance team that took its sensational showing on NBC’s America’s Got Talent  to stardom, and performances at NBA and college basketball halftime shows , thirteen appearances during the NBA All-Star Game festivities, and performances in a dozen nations.

The members of ACRODUNK jump off mini trampolines and perform acrobatic stunts before dunking the basketball. Intricate passes are also performed where the members of the squad pass the basketball off the glass, off the ground or through the air prior to the last performer dunking the basketball.

Colorado athletes from more than 120 towns and cities will make their way to Colorado Springs  to compete in 35 sports at 23 venues across the city during the Games, and with one event, cycling, taking place in Salida.

Registration for athletes of all ages and skill levels is open at www.coloradospringssports.org, and Wyoming athletes have also been invited this year by the host Colorado Springs Sports Corporation