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BCA Pool League to Host Second Pro Event in Vegas
Mar 13, 2008, 12:54 PM

The BCA Pool League has added a second professional event to go alongside its National 8-Ball Championships in May. Already hosting the World Pool Masters, the BCAPL has reached an agreement with Dragon Promotions to bring the Predator International 10-Ball Championship to the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Held in Florida last year (as the "Predator World 10-Ball Championships"), this year's event will feature a 96-player field and take place May 12-17. The BCAPL championships — set for May 8-16 at the Riviera — will provide plenty of fan interest with thousands of amateurs already in the building.

"The BCAPL Nationals is the best-attended pool event by players in the work, I believe, so it's a great place for our 10-ball event to be showcased," said Charlie Williams, co-owner of Dragon Promotions.

Traditionally, the Billiard Congress of America would stage 64-player men's and women's tournaments during the massive amateur jamboree, but the trade association decided to hold the pro events in conjunction with June's International Billiard and Home Recreation Expo in Charlotte, N.C.

The BCAPL responded by booking the World Pool Masters, produced by the U.K.-based Matchroom Sport, for May 9-11. The 16-player invitational will make its first appearance on American soil in its 15-year history. The single-elimination tournament will boast players from nine countries and a purse of $62,000.

"We want to provide entertainment for our players," said David Vandenberghe, BCAPL chief operating officer.