Dick Rizzo to receive Lifetime Achievement Award at G2E 2013

LAS VEGAS (PRESS RELEASE) -- The American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions today announced they will honor Richard J. Rizzo, vice chairman of Perini Building Company, Inc., with the 2013 Sarno Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rizzo is being recognized for his unmatched contributions to casino resort construction across the United States. He will be presented with the award during the Casino Design Awards at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2013.

"It is with great honor that we present the 2013 Sarno Lifetime Achievement Award to Dick Rizzo," said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the AGA. "He has played an integral part in the construction of some of the country's most well known casino resorts and has helped to shape the Las Vegas skyline we see today."

As vice chairman of Perini Building Company, Rizzo is responsible for new business development and company growth, with particular emphasis on developing national clients. Rizzo joined Perini in 1977 and was instrumental in steering the company into the hospitality and gaming industry. Today, the company is a leader in its market and has built many of the nation's most recognizable casino resorts.

Rizzo oversaw the development of many of the following casino resorts and attractions in Las Vegas, including: Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino; CityCenter Las Vegas; The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas; Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa & Casino; Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas; Luxor Las Vegas; Palms Casino Resort; and Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.

He has also overseen construction of several casino resorts across the United States, including: MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.; the Mohegan Sun expansion in Montville, Conn.; Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, Calif.; Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.; the Resorts Casino Hotel expansion in Atlantic City, N.J.; Resorts World Casino New York City; the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos in Hollywood and Tampa, Fla.; and the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J.

In addition to the 2013 Sarno Lifetime Achievement Award, Rizzo is the recipient of many accolades, including the 2009 Hospitality Industry Network Industry Achievement Award and the 2002 Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Humanitarian Award. He also was recognized as one of the 10 most respected executives in Nevada in 2004 by Nevada Business Journal and was listed as one of the most influential businessmen in 2003 by In Business Las Vegas.

Rizzo serves on the G2E conference advisory board for casino design; the advisory board for the department of construction management at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and the board of directors for Three Square Food Bank. He attended Lehigh University and holds bachelor's degrees in business administration and civil engineering. He also graduated from Stanford University's Executive Management Program.

Presented annually during Casino Design at G2E, the only conference dedicated to casino architecture, design and decor, and construction, the Sarno Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor afforded to any individual involved in the design and construction of casino resorts. The Sarno Award is named for Jay Sarno, the grandfather of casino design, who envisioned such well-known casino resort properties as Caesars Palace and Circus Circus in the 1960s. The 2013 Sarno Award will be presented by Sarno's son, Freddie Sarno, during a cocktail reception on Monday, Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. in Venetian Ballroom G.