Rock band Bon Jovi is scheduled to perform in New York City's Central Park on July 12 for free as a prelude to the All Star Baseball Game 2008, New York City officials said on Monday.

Starting on July 2, 60,000 tickets will be given out at baseball parks as well as at events throughout the city. The concert will take place at 8:00 p.m. on Central Park's Great Lawn three days before Major League Baseball's Midsummer Classic at Yankee Stadium, to celebrate its last year of existence.

The free concert in Central Park is going to help make this year's All-Star Summer a celebration to remember, said New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement.The 2008 All-Star Game will pay tribute to the storied history of Yankee Stadium, and Bon Jovi will help us ensure it goes out in a blaze of glory, hopefully a blaze in late October.

The concert's sponsor, Bank of America, will promote it and offer tickets through radio promotions in the tri-state area. Other supporting partners including Major League Baseball sponsors Aquafina, Sharp and Taco Bell will be distributing tickets through radio sweepstakes, promotional giveaways and in-store programs, according to the statement.

A free concert in Central Park featuring one of the biggest rock bands in the world will reach tens of thousands of fans and put an exclamation point on the week's many fan festivities, said Tim Brosnan of Major League Baseball.

The band, originally from New Jersey, will also hold a concert on July 14 and 15 at Madison Square Garden where tickets are selling, starting from $49.50 to as high as $303.50.

The band released its last album Lost Highway in June 2007 which along with the albums Crush and Bounce has gained several Grammy Awards nominations. In 2006, the band was awarded a Grammy for best Country Collaboration with Jennifer Nettles for Who Says You Can't Go Home from Sugarland.

Michael bloomberg Major league baseball Bank of america Free