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 eight short years iconic casino entertainment industry legends Wayne Newton, Jerry Lewis, Penn & Teller, Brenda Lee, The Isley Brothers, Rita Rudner, Lee Greenwood, John Meglen, HC Rowe, Mark Prows, Victor Drai, The Righteous Brothers, Tony Orlando, Tom Cantone, The Commodores, Martha Reeves 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 has historically been held in conjunction with the Global Gaming Exposition that brings the world’s largest gathering of casino executives and professionals. However, in keeping with the 2020 CDC recommended social distancing restrictions the 8th Annual Casino entertainment Awards presented its first livestream virtual celebration that can be viewed right here on the CEA website, FB Page, and the CEA YouTube Channel.
Since its inception, the awards program has been produced by Traci Peel, of Tralen Enterprises Nashville: and Clinton Ford Billups of CFB Productions Las Vegas; however, Mr. Billups has announced that he will be retiring from the CEA’s at the conclusion of 2020. Clinton Ford Billups is a personal manager. We wish him all the success in the future as he focuses more on his roster of select artists and their careers. The Casino Entertainment Awards family cannot thank Clinton enough for all of his contributions throughout his association with the show.