The Inaugural Casino Entertainment Awards debuted in 2013 at the downtown historic Plaza Showroom coinciding with the Global Gaming Expo being held annually in Las Vegas, NV. Las Vegas Headliner, Louis Anderson presided over the first year’s award program as the Master of Ceremonies.
10 Awards were presented honoring outstanding Casino Entertainment Artists, Executives and Venues nationwide. The event quickly caught the attention of top casino executives and was moved to the 2013 Award-winning Showroom of the Year, VINYL at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Rondell Sheridan hosted the 2014 event with Lifetime Achievement Awards added to the accolades handed out. 2015 saw Tommy Davidson take the helm. In 2016, Ralph Harris orchestrated the direction of the evening and in 2017 Paul Rodriguez thoughtfully lead what was more like a church service than an award’s show just 3 days after the now infamous mass shooting that took place on the Las Vegas strip.
2018 continued with it’s first female MC, Miss Kelly Clinton who masterfully brought the house down with her unique talent and humor. A new award was introduced which brought the total number of awards presented to eleven.
In six short years iconic casino entertainment industry legends Wayne Newton, Jerry Lewis, Penn & Teller, Brenda Lee, The Isley Brothers, Rita Rudner, Mark Prows, Victor Drai, The Righteous Brothers, Tony Orlando, Tom Cantone, The Commodores, Seth Shomes and Richard Sturm have all been honored to name a few.
The two-hour entertainment extravaganza has featured memorable musical performances from up and coming entertainers to top name veterans alike. The evening features a hosted Celebrity Red Carpet along with a pre-show reception. The event continues to be held in conjunction with the Global Gaming Expo that brings the world’s largest gathering of casino executives and professionals.
The awards program is produced by Traci Peel, of Tralen Enterprises Nashville: and Clinton Ford Billups of CFB Productions Las Vegas.