The cast of entertainers and sports icons slated to appear at Keep Memory Alive's 16th annual Power of Love Gala on Saturday, Feb. 18, in Las Vegas keeps getting bigger every day, though only a limited number of tickets remain for the celebrity-filled fundraiser.
Fans wishing to see what’s happening inside this one-of-a-kind 70th birthday celebration for Muhammad Ali — which will raise funds in support of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center — will also be able to tune in to “Ali 70th From Las Vegas” on ABC on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 4 p.m. ET and 2 p.m. PT. It will re-air on ESPN2 later that same night at 10 p.m. ET.
The lineup for the night includes performances and heartfelt tributes from some of the world’s hottest entertainers and sports icons. The list of performers and celebrity supporters slated to appear at the celebration includes Stevie Wonder, Samuel L. Jackson, David Beckham, Larry King, Ken Jeong, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Common, Lenny Kravitz, Sean Combs, Anthony Hopkins, John Legend, Chris Cornell, Cee Lo Green, Joe Perry, Slash, Terrence Howard, David Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, Andre Agassi, Stefanie Graf, Jim Brown, Randy Couture, Brad Garrett, Kelly Rowland, Dave Koz, Robin Leach, James Gandolfini, Steve Schirripa, Chazz Palminteri and Sammy Hagar. Boxing icons scheduled to attend the celebration include Sugar Ray Leonard, Evander Holyfield, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and Tommy “Hitman” Hearns. Even more big names from the entertainment and sports worlds will be added to the lineup as the event nears.
Lenny Kravitz is hosting an additional performance with special guest Raphael Saadiq, as well as scheduled appearances by Lil Jon, Cee Lo Green, Kid Cudi and Slash, on Sunday, Feb. 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in support of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Keep Memory Alive and the Muhammad Ali Center. Tickets for this event are still available at ticketmaster.com, mgmgrand.com or by phone at 800-745-3000.
The Power of Love Gala is being produced by Bill Edwards Presents Inc. and supported by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), Muhammad Ali Enterprises and Keep Memory Alive, the fundraising arm of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. The star-studded celebration for Ali is designed to honor the boxing legend’s contribution to the world and raise awareness for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s, the disease “The Champ” has been battling since 1984.
“This year’s Power of Love Gala will bring attention and funds to the important work being done at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health on a whole new scale,” said Larry Ruvo, Chairman, Keep Memory Alive. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to shed light on the fight to knock out neurocognitive disorders while celebrating the life and ongoing contributions of the legend, Muhammad Ali.”
The event will also include the world-premiere of an inspirational video from 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, featuring Muhammad and Lonnie Ali discussing their joint efforts to research and cure Parkinson’s. Muhammad Ali is one of more than 6,500 individuals already participating in 23andMe’s research into the genetic basis of Parkinson’s Disease.
“We are grateful to have had the chance to work with Muhammad and Lonnie to create this video. They are passionate about their crusade against Parkinson’s and it is an honor to have them in the 23andMe Parkinson’s community,” said Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe. “We are committed to making valuable genetic discoveries that will impact the lives of Parkinson’s patients.”
In keeping with its 16-year history, the Power of Love Gala will showcase a celebrity-chef-packed dinner featuring Tom Colicchio, Scott Conant, Michael Mina and Wolfgang Puck, a Dom Perignon reception and one-of-a-kind live and silent auction items, including a spectacular vacation of a lifetime for two couples on David Copperfield’s private island in the Bahamas.
The gala’s celebration for Ali aligns with the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s recent launch of a landmark study examining the long-term brain health of professional fighters. Aiming to improve the safety and health of fighters, the study will help determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, along with other tests, can detect subtle changes in brain health that correlate with impaired thinking and functioning. Researchers hope the information uncovered by this research will eventually result in better ways to prevent permanent brain injury in not only fighters, but also in others who may suffer from brain trauma.
A limited number of tickets for the gala still remain by visiting keepmemoryalive.org or by calling 702-263-9797.
