Harrah’s Entertainment Celebrates Mexican Independence Day

Harrah’s Entertainment is gearing up for one of the most memorable fiesta celebrations on the Las Vegas Strip with four days of Mexican Independence Day festivities taking place Sept. 15-18, 2010.

Commemorating 200 years of Mexican Independence, the fun begins with Latin singing superstar Luis Miguel as he spices things up with four nights of special holiday concerts during Mexican Independence Day week at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.  One of the most successful and prolific musical artists in Latin American history, Miguel takes the stage at 9 p.m. nightly Sept. 15-18. Miguel’s string of chart-topping hits is virtually unrivaled and he has consistently broken many box office records. Tickets for this unique musical experience are $95, $155, $185 and $250 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 702-474-4000, in-person at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace box office, or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

Tequila lovers rejoice. The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is hosting the fourth annual Las Vegas Tequila Fest, Sept. 17-18. A unique tequila tasting event, sample legendary brands from renowned international labels as well as new and upcoming brands from spirits distilled in the heart of Mexico. Continuous live entertainment adds to the festive atmosphere. The event takes place in the Miranda Room on Sept. 17 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sept. 18 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Guests must be 21 years of age with a valid ID.  Tickets are $60 and available in-person at the Rio Box Office, by calling 702-777-7776 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

The celebration doesn’t end there; The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is also hosting the Las Vegas International Mariachi Festival on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 8:00 p.m.  This historic gala commemorates 20 years as the most prestigious Mariachi event in the United States and is proud to include special guests Shaila Durcal and Antonio Aguilar Jr. along with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Mariachi Sol de Mexico de José Hernández and Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano The festival will take place at The Pavillion with elegant table seating available.  Tickets are $75, $110, $150 and $185, available for purchase at the Rio Box Office, by calling 702-777-7776.

Harrah’s Entertainment will also feature roving Mariachi band performances at their resort properties throughout the festive weekend for all to enjoy.

Ten Couples To Simultaneously Pop The Question At The
Trevi Fountain At The Forum Shops On Oct. 10, 2010 At 10:10 A.M.
Imagine the scene.  It’s a Sunday morning.  On the sunny Las Vegas Strip, 10 couples walk out to the Trevi Fountain in front of The Forum Shops at Caesars.  But it’s no ordinary Sunday – it’s the auspicious date of Oct. 10, 2010 and when the clock strikes 10:10 a.m., ten men (or maybe some women!) will drop to one knee at the same time and propose to their 10 significant others.

The Forum Shops at Caesars, the world-renowned shopping venue, and Funjet Vacations, the family-owned business creating vacations far exceeding customer expectations, are partnering to make the dreams come true for 10 extremely lucky couples.  Among the items the 10 couples will receive:

All expense paid trip to Las Vegas, including flights provided by Funjet Vacations, arriving Saturday, Oct. 9 and departing Monday, Oct. 11, 2010.*
Two-night stay at Caesars Palace.
Post-proposal dinner hosted by The Palm-Las Vegas restaurant at The Forum Shops.
A post-dinner event at PURE Nightclub.
Wedding gifts provided by retailers at The Forum Shops.
The once-in-a-lifetime experience to get engaged in the most unique of ways.

SELECTING THE COUPLES
Beginning Monday, June 21, 2010, interested couples can go to www.101010at1010am.com.  They can submit an essay of 110 words or less explaining why they deserve to be part of this event.  To help make their case of being chosen, they are also encouraged to provide links to photos and/or a video.  Social media will be heavily incorporated to spread awareness of opportunity which will be done across a vast network of Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, instantly touching more than 1,000,000 potential contestants.  Couples will have until July 23, 2010 to submit essay and photos/video.

The Forum Shops and Funjet Vacations will determine the winning ten couples along with two runner-up couples** who will also be flown to Las Vegas the weekend of Oct. 10, 2010.

“We have created this phenomenal event based on the fun and excitement of 10 couples getting engaged at the same time and with it being such a unique date and time, it just adds to the entire occasion,” says Maureen Crampton, director of marketing and business development, The Forum Shops at Caesars.

FROM NOW UNTIL OCTOBER

Once couples are selected, they can be followed at www.101010at1010am.com, as well as social media assets.  Facebook friends and Twitter followers can learn more about each couple, including where they are from, how they met, what makes them such unique couples and much more.

OCTOBER 10, 2010

On the big day, the proposals will take place in front of the replica of Rome’s Trevi Fountain, located on the Las Vegas Strip in front of The Forum Shops.  Legend has it if three people throw coins into the fountain with their right hand over their left shoulder, marriage will soon follow.

“We definitely could not pass on this promotion,” says Michelle Burmeister, Funjet Vacations.  “We’re looking forward to not only seeing the day arrive when they get engaged, but also their faces when they hear what’s waiting for them once the engagement rings are on.  It will be an unforgettable surprise and will bring out the romantic in all of us.”

For more information on this event, go to www.101010at1010am.com

The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and its Headliners Receive Five Awards from the 2010 Las Vegas Review-Journal’s
“Best of Las Vegas” Awards

The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and its headliners were honored with five awards from the 2010 Las Vegas Review-Journal’s 29^th annual “Best of Las Vegas” awards.

Chosen by the readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and its staff, the following is a list of the awards:

· Bette Midler was named by the readers as “Best All-Around Performer”

· Cher was named by the staff as “Best All-Around Performer”

· Bette Midler’s The Showgirl Must Go On took home the “Best Showgirls” honor, according to the staff

· The Review-Journal readers claimed Bette Milder as “Best Singer”

· The Review-Journal staff awarded “Best Concert” of 2010 to Leonard Cohen at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

Each year thousands of local readers cast their votes for their favorite entertainment, restaurants and more. This year’s “Best of Las Vegas” featured 312 categories and printed in the Sunday, March 28 edition.

MGM MIRAGE’s highly anticipated CityCenterdevelopment will celebrate openings throughout December, culminating with a grand opening celebration Dec. 16. Vdara Hotel & Spa, an all-suite boutique hotel with a non-gaming, smoke-free environment, opened today, Dec. 1. Crystals, a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district featuring high-end designer stores and restaurants like BESO by Eva Longoria Parker, will open Dec. 3. Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, a 47-story, non-gaming hotel and residences featuring an unparalleled spa and unique Sky Lobby, will open Dec. 4. ARIA Resort & Casino, featuring Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil, dining experiences by world-renowned chefs and a luxurious spa, will open Dec. 16. CityCenter has earned its sixth LEED Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, marking the highest LEED achievement by any hotel, retail district or residential development in Las Vegas. LEED certified components include Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, Veer Towers, Vdara Hotel & Spa, Crystals, ARIA Resort’s hotel tower, and ARIA’s convention center and theater.

Ghosts and goblins invade North Lake Tahoe as towns and villages pull out all the stops for
scary and merry events.

Tahoe City is getting spooky this Friday, October 16 with the Rocky  Horror Dance Party & Costume Contest on the Marina Green at the  Boatworks Mall, starting at 9 p.m., with movie showing, dancing and costume contest. Tahoe City’s Harvest Festival is in full swing and  features the Rideout Community Center Pumpkin Patch Saturday, October  17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with bounce house, dessert walk, hay and pony  rides, silly games and pumpkin patch. Tahoe City merchants are  staying open late so children can trick-or-treat down “main street”  Saturday, October 31, 4-6 p.m.

Incline Village kicks off all things scary with the 2nd Annual  Monster Dash Saturday, October 17, 11 a.m., with a 5K fun run that
starts in the Upper Village Center. Halloween costumes are encouraged  for all runners, walkers and spectators. The 30th Annual Pumpkin  Patch returns to the Incline Village Elementary School that same day,  Saturday, October 17, with clowns, bake sale, bounce house and pony  rides. The Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Casino & Spa in Incline  Village hosts their first-ever Pumpkin Carving Contest Saturday,  October 24, 4-6 p.m., for ages 6 to 12 years, with prizes awarded to  the best jack o’ lantern creators.

The first-ever Historic Haunted Tour of Truckee is Wednesday, October  21, when guests enjoy a guided walking tour to learn about the Old  West, shootouts and the city’s haunted history. The tour is for  adults only and starts with a glass of wine, live music and a silent  auction of wonderful treats. Childcare is provided by the KidZone  Museum in Truckee with “Professor Higginbody’s Halloween Night Out.”  Cost is $10 per child for parents attending the tour and includes  gooey pizza and oozy science activities for children 2 years and  older. Guided tour tickets are $25/per person.

Spending the witching hours at the Village at Squaw Valley, where  travelers can guess the weight of The Giant Pumpkin anytime from  Saturday, October 24 through Saturday, October 31, 10 a.m. to 10  p.m., with prizes for the closest guess. There’s also a Great Pumpkin  Scavenger Hunt during that same week, and trick-or-treating with  merchants on Halloween. Both the Auld Dubliner and Le Chamois host  Halloween Costume Bashes Saturday, October 31 featuring DJs spinning  the tunes.

The Tahoe Maritime Museum on the West Shore gets into the Halloween  spirit Thursday, October 29 with Family Night Out, starting at 5  p.m., with children’s activities and family-friendly movie. Guests of  all sizes are encouraged to wear costumes.

It’s adults only at the Devil’s Night Costume Party with AC/DShe at  the Crystal Bay Casino in Crystal Bay Friday, October 30, 10 p.m.  Tickets are $23/per person. The rock band Tainted Love gets partiers  grooving the following evening, Halloween, at 9 p.m. with the  Creepers Ball Costume Part. Tickets are $25/per person.

Chef Emeril Lagasse and The Palazzo have announced Lagasse’s Stadium, a new place to dine, watch sports and play, opening this fall at The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino. The new state-of-the-art venue will feature 100 high definition screens providing access to nearly every major college and professional sporting event including must-see bowl games, track races, tournaments and championship match-ups. The menu will feature Lagasse’s play on game-day favorites; a few of Emeril’s “New Orleans” style dishes and re-inventions of American classics.

For the 12th straight year the region’s finest competitive eaters will converge at New York-New York Hotel & Casino for the highly anticipated Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Championship. The contest will be held Thursday, May 7 at 3 p.m. on the Brooklyn Bridge at New York-New York. A special employee contest as well as “Heroes” competition for charity are scheduled for 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The main event is an official qualifying round of the Nathan’s Famous worldwide hot dog eating circuit. The winner will earn the right to represent the United States in the 93rd Annual Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest Saturday, July 4 in Coney Island, N.Y. Interested competitors must be 18 years of age or older and must pre-register by visiting www.nathansfamous.com.

“It’s true that a few big names will be on hand to compete in this event, but I know first hand that Nevada residents are equipped with the horse sense and capacity to achieve great things,” said Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating. “There’s a strong likelihood we’ll witness a huge upset in Las Vegas.”

Two-time defending champion Joey Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif., is scheduled to return to Coney Island as he goes for his third consecutive title. In 2008, he devoured 59 Nathan’s Famous hot dogs and buns in the 12-minute contest but needed an additional 50 seconds in overtime to defeat long-time nemesis and former champion Takeru Kobayashi. In 2007, Chestnut won the July 4 contest, ending Kobayashi’s six-year reign, as he downed a world record 66 hot dogs and buns. Prior to Chestnut’s victory, from 2000 to 2006 the event was won by either Kobayashi or another Japanese competitor.

The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held each year on July 4 since 1916. In addition to Las Vegas, regional qualifying competitions are taking place in 14 U.S. cities including San Francisco, Boston, Tampa, Biloxi, Miss. and Norfolk, Va. The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest is sanctioned by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) and Major League Eating, the governing bodies of stomach-centric sport worldwide.

The Las Vegas Hilton will host its annual “Hoop Central” March 19-22. Basketball fans will be able to watch all the exciting Hoop Madness in the Hilton ballrooms on giant screens. There will be plenty of room (900 seats) and “Hoop Central” will offer food and drink specials, satellite betting stations, and a smoke-free environment. Admission is free! The SuperBook will also be offering a special during the first round of the tournament. With every $25 parlay card wager, fans can receive a free “Madness” shirt (while supplies last, limit of 2 per person). Shirt offer is only available in the SuperBook

Celebrate The Luck O’ The Irish This St. Patrick’s Day
At Hawaiian Tropic Zone Inside Miracle Mile Shops
On March 17, Hawaiian Tropic Zone invites lads, ladies and leprechauns to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with sinfully delicious drink specials, enticing giveaways and a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Ring Girl search.

In honor of the day of the Irish, visitors can choose from a variety of liquid libations including green beer, $5 Guinness drafts, $5 Irish Car Bombs and $5 shots of Jameson Irish whiskey. In addition, Hawaiian Tropic Zone features the Lucky Leprechaun shot for $3, an irresistible three-layer blend of Bailey’s Irish Cream Mint, Irish whiskey and cream de menthe.

Beginning at 11 p.m., Hawaiian Tropic Zone hosts a MMA Ring Girl search for the Xplosion V: Coach’s Best MMA fight scheduled to be held at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Friday, March 20. Contenders will take to the catwalk and strut their stuff with official ring cards for the chance to become an official MMA Ring Girl for a day. The top five contestants will be determined by the crowd of onlookers and the final three will be chosen by Hawaiian Tropic Zone’s guest judges. The three winners will be featured ring girls for the Xplosion V: Coach’s Best MMA fight with first place receiving an additional $500 in prize money.

To register, women must sign up at the door by 11 p.m. on the night of the event. Those participating in the MMA Ring Girl search are encouraged to come dressed to impress in their sexiest outfit or bikini.

Additionally, Hawaiian Tropic Zone will give away three sets of tickets to the Xplosion V: Coach’s Best MMA fight to the first three patrons at the door with the most holiday spirit. 3Wishes.com, known for sexy lingerie and costumes, will offer gift bags to the first 100 ladies geared up in green as DJ Koko takes over the turn tables with an electrifying hip-hop and top 40 mash up.

Mac King kicked off his annual book drive in support of National Reading Month on Wednesday, March 11 with Magic and Storytime in the Square at Town Square Las Vegas. New books are being collected now throughout April 24 at all four Las Vegas Borders locations to benefit Child Haven’s Through the Eyes of a Child Foundation. All patrons will receive a two-for-one offer to The Mac King Comedy Magic Show with their book donation.