A galaxy of stars will descend on Bermuda in September for a week-long tennis fundraising event, organisers have confirmed.

Plans for the Lori McNeil/Elbow Beach Pro Celebrity Classic have already attracted sufficient financial support to make the project viable.

Tennis stars Zina Garrison and Amanda Coetzer, actress Robin Givens, and former National Basketball Association stars Clyde Drexler and John Lucas will be involved, as well as McNeil herself.

And there are likely to be four more high-profile names joining in too.

Former French Open champion Yannick Noah and ex-New York mayor David Dinkins are others who are being linked with the event.

There will be 11 events over the week of September 23-30, including golf, tennis and a string of social events such as a black-tie dinner and a party at Hawkins Island.

Several Island businesses have purchased $5,000 slots allowing two people to take part in each event. The Elbow Beach Hotel has provided substantial backing to the project and will accommodate the visiting celebrities.

"As of now, it's on," said Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president David Lambert. "We very much appreciate the positive response from the business community. And we must give thanks to the government the banking institutions, the insurance companies and all the businesses who have supported us and to the Elbow Beach Hotel, without whose generosity this event could not happen.

"We are pleased to announce that we now have enough slots committed to to hold the event. We still have approximately seven slots left for those still interested."

McNeil is in Paris to compete in the women's doubles at the French Open with Coetzer, but the pair were yesterday knocked out in the first round.

Last week the duo warmed up for Roland Garros by reaching the doubles final in the WTA tournament in Strasbourg. They eventually lost 6-1, 7-6 to Silvia Farina Elia of Italy and Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan.

McNeil told The Royal Gazette that the green light for the event was a "dream come true" for her.

She recalled when she first envisaged the idea of a fundraiser in Bermuda involving her famous friends while with Lambert.

"I came on my first visit to Bermuda last October and David and I talked about it over dinner _ and now it's a dream come true for both of us," said McNeil.

"They've been working very hard in Bermuda to make it happen and I've been getting my friends to take part."

But why had McNeil, a former US Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist who grew up playing on the public courts of Houston, Texas, chosen Bermuda to stage her first such event?

"I always wanted to put on a tennis and golf celebrity event, but I never could decide where. Then I came to Bermuda and thought it was beautiful and kind of quaint and I had the chance to work with some of the juniors players.

"While I was working with the juniors, I thought it would be nice to establish a long-term relationship with Bermuda. A lot of cities came up when I was thinking where to have the event, but I chose Bermuda, because of David and the good people I met there."

The proceeds from the Classic the BLTA are hoping to raise around $70,000 will go towards the development of tennis, and in particular junior players.

McNeil coaches youngsters in Washington DC and hopes to set up her own tennis academy in Florida. She feels strongly about the importance of encouraging juniors to take up tennis.

"It's a good way for me to give something back to tennis," said McNeil.

"The kids are our future and it's a way to make a real difference."

Kendarry Burgess-Fairn, spokesperson for Elbow Beach, confirmed the hotel was providing free accommodation for the visiting stars. And she added that the hotel owners believed they were backing a good cause.

"Elbow Beach has a long history with tennis and with film stars and stars of all kinds," said Fairn.

"This event will give us the opportunity to bring people and the stars and the junior tennis players together."

Companies or individuals interested in buying involvement in September's event can contact Lambert on 239-8908.