The Tribune

Several New Providence hotels are offering special rates to facilitate Family Islanders attending next month’s US college football game.

The HBCUX Classic, which is being held on September 12-14 at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium, will see Central State University (CSU) and the Texas Southern University (TSU) - two historically black colleges - square off in the first college football game ever held in the Bahamas.

To promote the event, the Nassau Junkanoo Resort, Different of Nassau Casuarinas, El Greco Hotel, the British Colonial Hilton and Melia Nassau Beach Resort will all offer special rates.

Patrons can get a hotel room for as little as $107 per night.

Virginia Kelly, general manager of sports tourism marketing, encouraged Family Islanders to take advantage of the packages.

“We have the Bahamas Fast Ferries coming through the islands, and that’s one way to go,” she said. “Bahamasair always gives us good rates and, of course, we are working on hotel packages, so we really want this to be a Bahamas event and not a Nassau-centric event. So please come out. We want everyone to come out.”

During the HBCUX Classic weekend there will be a tailgate concert featuring the Bahamas’ hottest recording artists, as well as other Caribbean and American soca, calypso, hip hop and R&B musicians.

CSU’s Invincible Marching Marauders band and TSU’s Ocean of Soul Band, plus some of the Bahamas’ award-winning bands, will compete in a “battle of the bands” contest, while a freestyle Greek step show will culminate the tailgate experience.

The HBCUX Network will host a celebrity golf challenge at the Ocean Club Golf course on Paradise Island.

Immediately following, the first HBCUX Classic, awards will be presented to NFL legends and distinguished alumni of the respective HBCUs.

A classic old-school party will be held at Atlantis, and a college career fair and empowerment workshop with recruiters and representatives from CSU and TSU, will round out the weekend activities.

Both CSU and TSU have awarded three full four-year academic scholarships, including tuition, room and board, at their respective universities to deserving Bahamians.