Pick the Pro's Football Contest returns! At all Boyd Gaming Properties!

 Boyd Gaming’s  Pick the Pros, the longest-running football contest in Las Vegas, will return for its 34th season.  Recognized as “Best Football Contest” by the staff of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Pick the Pros will award more than $500,000 in prize money during the 2011 professional football season.

Unlike other football contests, Pick the Pros starts a new contest each week, so players have a chance at sharing in a $30,000 guaranteed prize pool each week of the season.  Pick the Pros is also completely free; players only need a B Connected card to participate.

In Pick the Pros, players are asked to pick winners straight-up (not against the point spread) in each of the week’s professional football contests.  Holders of Ruby cards receive three entries each week; Sapphire members, four entries; and Emerald players, five entries.

A total of $30,000 in cash will be awarded each week.  If there is only one top performer during a given week, that player will receive the entire $30,000 prize pool.  If there is a tie among multiple players, one player (selected by tie breakers) will receive a $10,000 cash prize, while all runners-up will split a $20,000 pool.  Last year, 213 players were awarded cash prizes over the course of the season.

Following a successful rollout last year, Boyd Gaming will once again use kiosks to accept entries at all participating properties.

“The introduction of kiosks made Las Vegas’ favorite football contest even better, as we greatly reduced player wait times and made the contest more accessible to our customers,” said Bob Scucci, Director of Race and Sports for Boyd Gaming.  “Participation in last year’s Pick the Pros was up nearly 60 percent, and we expect another record-breaking season in 2011.”

Players can participate in Pick the Pros at any one of 60 kiosks at seven participating properties: The Orleans, Sam’s Town, Suncoast, Gold Coast, California, Main Street Station and Fremont.  A B Connected card is required to participate; however, membership is completely free to all adults age 21 and older.

Entries for week one will be accepted starting Tuesday, August 30 and the contest will continue through the end of the regular season. For further information, including contest rules, visit www.pickthepros.com or any Boyd Gaming race and sports book.

About Boyd Gaming

Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 16 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana and Louisiana.  Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com.

See the best of Broadway in Las Vegas! Special pricing to benefit KNPR!

 Nevada Public Radio listeners and members have the rare chance to support public radio and experience the best of Broadway in Las Vegas with discounted tickets to “Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular,” “Jersey Boys” and Disney's “The Lion King” during the September 23-25 weekend.

Attendees will be seduced by “Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular” at the Venetian Resort and Casino during the 7 p.m. performance on Friday, September 23. “Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular” reunites Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Hal Prince and others from the show's original creative team, who together reconceived their show into a spectacular 95-minute production. From the moment you enter the magnificent custom-built theatre, you are in the storied Paris Opera House and part of the Phantom's world. The production features every song from the original, includes spectacular sets, new illusions, and a breathtaking chandelier experience.

Relive the hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons with “Jersey Boys” at The Palazzo Resort and Casino at the 9:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, September 24. This musical phenomenon is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys, from the wrong side of the tracks, became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. “Jersey Boys” takes you up the charts, across the country and features hits such as "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You," "Oh, What A Night" and many more.

The whole family will have a chance to see Disney's “The Lion King” in its last months in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino during the 4 p.m. performance on Sunday, September 25. More than 60 million people worldwide have enjoyed the majesty and the truly one-of-a-kind experience that is the Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation Disney's “The Lion King”. Hailed by Newsweek as "a landmark event in entertainment," the show is a breathtaking adventure that stretches the boundaries of Broadway, from the heart of Africa to the plains of your imagination.

BASE Entertainment and Disney presented Nevada Public Radio with a limited number of priority seating tickets for all three productions. Tickets are priced at $100 per show ticket, or $250 to see all three performances; which equates to savings of 50 percent or more over regular box office prices and fees.

Proceeds will directly benefit and must be purchased through Nevada Public Radio. Tickets must be picked up at the will-call and may not be resold. To purchase tickets, visit www.knpr.org, www.classical897.org or call (702) 258-9895 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

About Nevada Public Radio

Nevada Public Radio, a not-for-profit organization, is the state’s premier non-commercial broadcaster of National Public Radio programming and includes News 88.9 KNPR, broadcasting national and regional news and discussion; Classical 89.7 KCNV, a network of rural translator and repeater signals: KTPH, Tonopah (91.7); KLNR, Panaca (91.7); KWPR, Lund/Ely (88.7) and KSGU, St. George (90.3), plus a statewide radio reading service for the visually impaired.

Nevada Public Radio produces 10 hours a week of original content, which is also available on demand at knpr.org, including the national award-winning public affairs program KNPR's State of Nevada. Nevada Public Radio was incorporated in 1975 with its flagship station News 88.9 KNPR signing on the air in 1980. Since early 2008, Nevada Public Radio has provided digital (HD) programming with additional channels of Spanish language, contemporary eclectic music and news broadcasts. Nevada Public Radio also publishes Desert Companion™, a monthly magazine. For further information, call 702.258.9895.

Remember the Titanic - "The Big Piece!"

 Rediscover RMS Titanic One Artifact at a Time Artifact Feature: The Big Piece

Twenty six years ago this month, the wreckage of the most infamous ship in history, RMS Titanic, was discovered at the bottom of the North Atlantic. Today, the largest artifact ever recovered, appropriately called The Big Piece, can be found in an unlikely place; in the middle of the desert at Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at Luxor, Las Vegas.

Weighing approximately 15 tons and measuring 26 by 12 feet, The Big Piece is a section of Titanic’s starboard side hull and was successfully recovered during RMS Titanic Inc.’s 1998 Expedition.  It displays the extensive rivet work that went into the building of Titanic (about three million rivets were used in the Ship’s construction). Also, a part of the original support beam that attached the Big Piece to the frame of the Ship is visible on the back of the object.

True history buffs will be interested to know that the portholes visible on the Big Piece came from C Deck and were part of cabins C-79 and C-81. Although these cabins were unoccupied, nearby cabin C-83 housed New York theatrical producer Henry B. Harris and his wife Irene. Also nearby was the cabin occupied by W.T. Stead, the most famous journalist in England at the time. Irene Harris survived the sinking, but both Henry Harris and W.T. Stead lost their lives in the disaster.

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition provides guests with the opportunity to become a passenger as they move through Exhibition galleries and view more than 20 never-before-seen authentic artifacts including gaming chips, passenger personal papers and decorative sections from Titanic’s famed Grand Staircase. Experience the Ship’s historical journey in chronological order: from the construction yards, her launch, first and third class room re-creations, the Promenade Deck, the Grand Staircase, the fated sinking, to modern day recovery efforts.

www.facebook.com/pages/Titanic-The-Artifact-Exhibition/104994432804

Too Short in Vegas at Old School Wednesday!

Too Short hosted at LAVO for Old School Wednesdays.  The Oakland born rapper thrilled the crowd, performing hits from past and present including “B**ch” and “Blow the Whistle”.  When not entertaining the packed club he held court at a VIP table drinking margaritas.  Spotted in the crowd checking out the night was R&B singer, songwriter and producer Patrick “Sleepy” Brown.

Photo credit: Al Powers

Gilley's brings you Football Specials! BBQ, Flat Screens and Gilley's Girls!

 Special Event Updates for Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall & Bar-B-Que NFL and college football specials  

Treasure Island Las Vegas keeps the fun going all week long within Gilley’s Saloon, Dance Hall and Bar-B-Que with new special events.

Games will be broadcast on most of Gilley’s flat screen televisions, with Gilley’s Girls serving four Budweiser/Bud Light Bottles for $15 and $3 draft beers during the game, which begins 5:30 PST. The specials will be available each Saturday, Sunday and Monday during the college football and NFL regular seasons.

Each week, Gilley’s offers the following:

Monday – Captain Morgan’s Locals Appreciation Night (no cover charge)

•           2-for-1 Captain Morgan’s Cocktails, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. (everyone)

•           $1 draft beers & 2-for-1 cocktails, 7 p.m. – Close (with Nevada ID)

•           Four Budweiser/Bud Light Bottles for $15 and $3 draft beers during Monday Night Football

Tuesday – Crown Royal Karaoke (no cover charge)

•           2-for-1 Crown Royal cocktails, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

•           DanSing Karaoke, 8 p.m. – Midnight     

•           Line Dancing Lessons, 7 p. m. – 9 p. m                              

 Wednesday – Ladies Night & Tequila Thursday w/ Sauza Hornitos (no cover charge)

•           Gilley’s Toughest Cowboy Contest, 10 p.m. ($200 Cash Prize)

•           2-for-1 Sauza Hornitos cocktails, 10 p.m. – 1 a.m.

•           Ladies drink for $1.00, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. (well drinks & draft beer)

•           Line Dancing Lessons, 7 p. m. – 9 p.m.

Thursday – Whiskey Thursday with Jim Beam Red Stag (no cover charge)

•           Live band starting at 9 p.m. (no cover charge)

•           2-for-1 Jim Beam Red Stag cocktails, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

•           DanSing Karaoke 8 p.m. – Midnight

•           Line Dancing Lessons, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Friday – Black Jack Fridays with Jack Daniel’s

•           2-for-1 Jack Daniel’s cocktails, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

•           Live band starting at 10 p.m. ($10 cover charge)

•           ½-off cover for Local Men & Military with ID

•           No cover for local ladies with ID

Saturday - Snakebite Saturday with Southern Comfort

•           2-for-1 SoCo & SoCo Lime cocktails, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

•           Live band starting at 10 p.m. ($10 cover charge)

•           ½-off cover for Local Men & Military with ID

•           No cover for local ladies with ID

•           Four Budweiser/Bud Light Bottles for $15 and $3 draft beers during college football games

Sunday – Jagermeister presents Gilley’s World Famous Bikini Bull Riding                                               

•           2-for-1 Jagermeister shots & cocktails, 10 p.m. – 1 a.m.

•           Bikini Bull Riding, 10 p.m. ($200 cash prize)

•           Line Dancing Lessons, 8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

•           Four Budweiser/Bud Light Bottles for $15 and $3 draft beers during NFL Football games

About Treasure Island

Treasure Island on the Las Vegas Strip, a privately owned hotel and casino boasting nearly 3,000 guest rooms, stands alone as the only major Strip property to claim that unique market position. It’s a world-class destination for headline entertainment, the enchanting Sirens of TI nightly outdoor show and Mystère, the classic Cirque du Soleil performance that combines the powerful athleticism, high-energy acrobatics and inspiring imagery that have become the company’s hallmark. Upscale and casual dining choices, hip nightspots and shops, and an indulgent spa further complement the one-of-a-kind Treasure Island guest experience. For information or to make a reservation, call 800-288-7206 or visit www.treasureisland.com.

Torch Song Trilogy Part 1 tonight at Onyx Theatre! 4pm and $15!

 Torch Song Trilogy Part 1

Sunday, September 11 · 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Onyx Theatre

           

ONLY 1 SHOW LEFT!!!

Sunday at 4pm $15

Harvey Fierstein's examination of life and love is coming to the Onyx Theatre Stage, courtesy of Off-Strip Productions.

Arnold is a man in search of love in a world where love eludes him. Armed with a quick wit, a sharp tongue, and a big heart, his journey is both delightful and devastating.

Directed by John Morris, this show is the perfect way to kick off Pride Month. Join us for this celebration of love, life, and the pursuit of happiness!

CAST

Arnold - Michael Neel

Ed - Christopher Hermening

Torch Singer - Olga Rios

Piano Player - Eric Eichorst

Productions design by Holly Morris

Hair & makeup by Deborah Anderson

For tickets and info call 702-732-7225 or go to www.onyxtheatre.com/boxoffice/index.php?event_id=395

ghostbar Sundays at Palms Casino with Zen Freeman!

Martinis & Manicures at Beauty Bar...with the Neon Reverb!

Martinis and Manicures: Neon Reverb edition Feat. The Beauty Bus!

Sunday, September 11 · 3:00pm - 7:30pm       

Beauty Bar

517 Fremont St.

           

Martinis and Manicures comes back to the Beauty Bar starting off with a special Neon Reverb party! 3-7:30pm!

Come and relax and get fancy after your weekend of great Neon Reverb fun!

Featuring the Beauty Bus, a full service mobile salon provided by Girls Night Out! Cocktails and DJs!

Check out their website for services! www.vegasbeautybus.com

The Palazzo Las Vegas shows patriotic colors!

The Palazzo Las Vegas waves its patriotic colors in honor of the heroes and for those who lost their lives 10 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001. The newly installed LED signs on each tower of The Palazzo will feature a streaming American Flag on the 14-foot letters from now through Sunday, Sept. 11.

Visit 911day.org to join the tribute movement to share how you’re honoring the victims and heroes of 9/11.

It's that time again...FOOTBALL! Where to go in Las Vegas?

Are you ready for some football?  Rockhouse Bar & Nightclub is, and will they show every Monday night football game beginning Sept. 12 throughout the rest of the NFL season.

The Strip’s only ultra-dive bar will showcase the gridiron action as the New England Patriots take on the Miami Dolphins in the season opener of Monday Night Football.  Rockhouse will show the game on their 28 high definition TVs and offer football fanatics $30 bottomless domestic drafts during each Monday night game.

Day or night, it’s always the right time to party at Rockhouse. Whether people watching on the rowdy Strip-side patio by day, or dancing on the bar with an 80-ounce guitar by night, the ultra-dive bar is one of Vegas’ best-kept secrets. Rockhouse gives partygoers the ultimate nightlife experience – minus the “VIP” attitude. With a knockout lineup of gorgeous bartenders, bottle service that won’t break the bank, a daiquiri bar and casual dress code, Rockhouse is definite must-visit hotspot for locals and tourists alike.

Blending a local dive bar with the glamour of Sin City’s party scene at a convenient center Strip location, Rockhouse is the top party destination on the Strip. Las Vegas’ only ultra-dive bar features top-notch lighting and sound with the best DJs in Las Vegas blending upbeat rock, hip-hop and dance. With beautiful bartenders pouring drinks from the bar tops, playing in the giant bird cage and dangling from tire swings suspended from the ceiling, Rockhouse is the spot where the party never stops.   Rockhouse is located on Las Vegas Blvd. in front of Imperial Palace, directly across from Caesars Palace in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip.  The daiquiri and main bar open daily at 10 a.m. and the adjacent nightclub is open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly. For more information visit www.therockhousebar.com, and for bottle and table reservations call 702.731.9683 or email info@therockhousebar.com. Follow Rockhouse on Twitter at www.twitter.com/rockhousevegas or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rockhousevegas.

Caesar's Entertainment Corp. presents $75k three year grant to Public Education!

 Caesars Entertainment Corporation and the Caesars Foundation presented a $750,000, three-year grant to The Public Education Foundation (the Foundation) to support the non-profit’s Teacher EXCHANGE™ initiative.

The Teacher EXCHANGE™ is a re-use resource center for all Southern Nevada public school teachers offering learning tools to educators to enhance projects and curriculum. This multi-year grant will help to expand the program’s reach through website enhancements, creation of a eco-friendly bus delivering supplies directly to schools and will overall streamline and increase efficiency of operations. Since 2008, educators have made more than 26,000 visits to the Teacher EXCHANGE™, picking up more than 1.1 million items for their classrooms.

“Caesars is proud to be a community partner in furthering education and supporting our educators in Southern Nevada through initiatives such as Teacher EXCHANGE™,” said Rick Mazer, Regional President of Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Western Division. “Our commitment to helping our employees and the communities we operate in is integral to the future success of our company and our children.”

Since 2008, Caesars Entertainment and the Caesars Foundation have given nearly $1.5 million to support the Teacher EXCHANGE™ initiative.

“The value of support the Caesars Foundation and Caesars Entertainment provides the Teacher EXCHANGE™ and our educators is immeasurable,” said Judi Steele, President of The Public Education Foundation. “By supporting education and environmental sustainability, they are impacting millions of lives now and in the future.”

Caesars Entertainment’s efforts go beyond monetary giving. Annually, its Las Vegas resorts collect and donate the equivalent of $43,000 in supplies for the Teacher EXCHANGE™ where the materials are reused for educational classroom projects by valley teachers. Donated meetings and conventions materials have included t-shirts, water bottles, office supplies and equipment, surplus materials, computers, televisions and furniture.

This effort is supported by the company’s sustainability initiative, CodeGreen, and is one of hundreds employee grass roots programs implemented to minimize the impact of business on the environment. In the last three years, the Teacher EXCHANGE™ has diverted nearly one million tons of materials from ending up in landfills.

The Teacher EXCHANGE™ provides public school teachers with reusable, recycled and gently used materials and equipment to use in their classrooms. Donations of new and reusable materials, office supplies, surplus materials, computers, equipment and furniture are collected from businesses and individuals and provided to teachers to support classroom instruction. Many of the materials collected may have been otherwise disposed of in local landfills. Established in 2002, the Teacher EXCHANGE™ is located at 3165 W. Sunset Road.  The Teacher EXCHANGE™ is open to licensed Clark County School District (CCSD) educators. 

To learn more about the Foundation’s Teacher EXCHANGE™ visit www.thepef.org/programs_exchange.html

About The Caesars Foundation

The Caesars Foundation is a private foundation funded by a percentage of operating income from Caesars Entertainment's resorts. The Foundation is the entity through which Caesars Entertainment funds programs and projects of $10,000 or more, as well as not-for-profit giving requirements imposed by certain operating jurisdictions. The Foundation's objective is to strengthen organizations and programs in the communities where our employees and their families live and work. For more information, please visit www.caesarsfoundation.com. 

About Caesars Entertainment Corporation

Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world's most geographically diversified casino-entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 73 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company's resorts operate primarily under the Harrah's®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment.  For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

32nd Annual San Gennaro Feast..right around the corner!

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Hosts 32nd Annual San Gennaro Feast Celebrate Italian heritage with great food, rides and entertainment

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will host the 32nd annual San Gennaro Feast Tuesday, Sept. 13 through Sunday, Sept. 18 featuring more than 70 restaurant food booths, amusement rides, complimentary entertainment and arts and crafts.

The feast is a celebration of Italian culture offering guests a large selection of traditional Italian fare including pasta, fried calamari, calzones, baked clams, pizza, lobster ravioli, Italian fried dough, sausage and peppers and more from restaurants throughout Las Vegas including Martorano’s at the Rio. Entertainment begins daily at 4 p.m. with Las Vegas headliners such as Kevin Burke from “Defending the Caveman,” Matt Lewis as Elvis from “Legends in Concert” and Zowie Bowie, hosts of the new show “Name That Tune” at Imperial Place , among others. Mayor Carolyn Goodman will also make a special appearance on Wednesday, Sept. 14. In addition to the all food and entertainment, the festival features more than 29 rides and 30 games with the new 140-foot roller coaster, The Zillerator, just added to the roster.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and free for children shorter than 54 inches. As is tradition, moms ride free on Sept. 13 and dads ride free on Sept. 15. Additionally, unlimited rides can be purchased for $25 Tuesday through Thursday or $30 Friday through Sunday. Coupons are available by visiting www.sangennarofeast.com. For information on group rates, please call 702-286-4944.

The San Gennaro Feast goes from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday; 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday. It will be held in the northeast parking lot of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Complimentary parking is available in the Masquerade parking garage and the Rio Pavilion self-parking.    

                                          

About Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino offers guests a unique all-suite hotel experience. Complete with 2,522 all-suite hotel rooms, the property overlooks the famous Las Vegas Strip, and sits one block west of the famed boulevard. The resort features a variety of entertainment options including headliners Penn and Teller, the world-famous Chippendales and the Show in the Sky.  Rio is home to a diverse array of dining and nightlife experiences including, the famous Voodoo Rooftop Nightclub, Martorano’s, McFadden’s, iBar and VooDoo Beach . Rio also offers the Rio Secco Golf Club. Recognized by USA Today as one of the “Top 10 Golf Destinations in the World,” Rio Secco Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course designed by famed architect Rees Jones and home to the Butch Harmon School of Golf. For more information, visit www.riolasvegas.com, find us on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Rio, along with all Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts, including Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Imperial Palace and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon, proudly prohibit adding hidden resort fees to hotel guest room rates. For information on No Resort Fees visit www.caesars.com/vegasnoresortfees.