Magic duo and Rio headliners Penn & Teller were named Casino Entertainers of the Year on Wednesday night at the Global Gaming Expo's third-annual Casino Entertainment Awards.
I presented their award after they won against country singer-songwriter Shania Twain and Motown soundalikes Human Nature.
Little River Band was named Casino Musical Artist of the Year and Ron White won Casino Comedian of the Year at the awards at Vinyl in the Hard Rock Hotel as part of the week's G2E conference and tradeshow for the casino industry.
Here's a YouTube video of the awards courtesy of Richard Corey:
Charo presented Jerry Lewis with the Casino Entertainment Legend Award. The iconic comedian first performed in Las Vegas showrooms in the early 1950s.
Singer and guitarist Charo was a last-minute stand-in for Wayne Newton, who suffered a medical emergency and was rushed to a doctor for treatment.
H.C. Rowe, executive director of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, also received a Casino Entertainment Legend Award, which recognizes lifetime achievement in the casino entertainment industry.
The
Showroom at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y., was named
Casino Showroom of the Year. AVA Amphitheater at Casino del Sol in
Tucson won Casino Amphitheater of the Year.
Presented by G2E and the American Gaming Association, the Casino Entertainment Awards are the only awards exclusively honoring outstanding artists, executives and venues in the casino entertainment industry.
G2E is the world's premier event for the casino gaming industry.