Jon Bon Jovi and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today that Bon Jovi would perform a free concert in Central Park as part of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week. The concert will take place on July 12th on the Great Lawn.

Read the official press release for ticket information after the jump.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg was joined by Jon Bon Jovi today as the City, Major League Baseball Executive Vice President Tim Brosnan and Brian Moynihan, President, Global Corporate & Investment Banking, Bank of America, announced that Major League Baseball and New York City will host a free concert by Bon Jovi, the Grammy-winning band whose current Lost Highway World Tour is the top-selling tour in the world. The historic concert on the Great Lawn in Central Park on Saturday, July 12th at 8 p.m. will be in celebration of Major League Baseball All-Star Summer in New York City. Bank of America, the official bank of Major League Baseball, is the presenting sponsor of the concert, which will take place three days before Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game during the last year of Yankee Stadium.

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta also joined the announcement, held in the Blue Room at City Hall.

Beginning Wednesday, July 2nd, tickets will be distributed at baseball parks and events throughout New York City. The bulk of tickets distributed at the ballparks will be found at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, with others made available at Shea Stadium in Queens, KeySpan Park in Brooklyn, and at the home of the Staten Island Yankees at 9 a.m. In addition, tickets also will be available in Manhattan at DHL All-Star FanFest at the Jacob K. Javits Center on Friday, July 11. MLB.com also will be conducting a random drawing for tickets.

A ticket is required to attend the concert. Go to MLB.com for more information about the concert.

“All-Star Summer is set to hit New York City in a few weeks, and the lineup of festivities just added another future hall-of-famer in Bon Jovi,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The free concert in Central Park is going to help make this year’s All-Star Summer a celebration to remember. 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.”

“Major League Baseball wants All-Star Summer to be the ultimate celebration for baseball fans in New York City,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League Baseball. “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. Bank of America has been a critical part of making this major event in New York City happen and we value our partnership.”

Bank of America will promote the concert and offer ticket giveaways through radio promotions in the tri-state area. Additional concert supporting partners including MLB sponsors Aquafina, Sharp and Taco Bell will be distributing tickets through radio sweepstakes, promotional giveaways and in-store programs.

In the event of inclement weather as deemed by the Parks Department, the concert will be cancelled. If it is raining and fans are unsure about the status of the concert, they can call 311 for information or visit MLB.com.

“This concert is the perfect exclamation to all the festivities and events that have been planned around Yankee Stadium’s final All-Star farewell,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. “MLB All-Star Summer and Bon Jovi playing Central Park are just a few examples of all the things there are to see and do around the City - not only this summer, but year long - and proves once again that New York City is the best destination to host world-class, high profile events.”

“Live music and Central Park go together like baseball and hot dogs,” said Parks Commissioner Benepe. “This concert helps celebrate the past, present and future of Major League Baseball in New York City. Bon Jovi’s music, delivered free to the fans in an historic park setting, is an appropriate tribute to Yankee Stadium and the MLB All-Star Summer.”