Southern Gaming Summit to host women's luncheon

BILOXI, Mississppi -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- The 19th annual Southern Gaming Summit will be holding its first ever Global Gaming Women Luncheon, a networking and professional development event for women executives in gaming.

The pre-show luncheon, which is co-sponsored by the American Gaming Association (AGA), will be held Tuesday, May 8, at the Grand Biloxi Steakhouse, Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel & Spa, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It will be highlighted by a roundtable discussion featuring the following group of distinguished leaders from all corners of the gaming industry:

Chief Phyliss Anderson, Mississippi Band of Choctaws
Jan Jones, Senior Vice President of Communications and Government Relations, Caesars Entertainment
LuAnn Pappas, Regional Vice President - Marketing, Caesars Entertainment Corporation
Lois Rice, Executive Director, Colorado Gaming Association
Karen Sock, General Manager, Margaritaville Casino, Biloxi
"We are proud to be hosting the Summit's first ever Global Gaming Women luncheon in association with the AGA, which has done so much to connect women from across the industry and advance their careers," said Larry Gregory, Executive Director, Mississippi Casino Operators Association. "We expect this luncheon to build on the positive momentum that was established at the Global Gaming Women's Reception at G2E last October. Attendance is already running very strong for this event, as is sponsorship interest."

The luncheon is open to all Southern Gaming Summit attendees on a first-come, first-served basis for an extra fee of $35. Space is limited, so interested parties are encouraged to visit the event website www.sgsummit.com and register as soon as possible. Luncheon sponsors presently include Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Hollywood Casino.

The luncheon is one of many new twists at Southern Gaming Summit this year, including an expanded conference program, built around the theme of "Work Smart." The Summit will feature 18 breakout sessions, up 50% from prior years, adding operations-oriented titles and topics such as "The Efficient Casino: 50 Ways to Meet Your Numbers," project development, slot and table game math, as well as hotel yield management, to an established agenda of executive-level conference topics. The Summit's companion show, Bingo World Conference & Expo Bingo, will offer 10 breakout sessions, plus its popular customer service and Bingo U workshops. All Southern Gaming Summit & Bingo World conference attendees will have access to the full program.

Two high-profile keynote addresses highlight the program, from Keith Smith, president and CEO of Boyd Gaming, and James Murren, Chairman and CEO, MGM Resorts International, to be delivered on May 9th and 10th respectively.

There will also be plenty of other networking opportunities available throughout the event, with an opening day golf tournament on Tuesday, May 8, at Bridges Golf Club, Hollywood Casino, Mississippi's only Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course; and a welcome reception that same night at Hard Rock Live, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. A 20th Anniversary of Gaming Celebration will be held as a finale to the first day of conference and show activities on Wednesday, May 9, at the IP Casino Resort's pool deck. Full details on every aspect of the show, including how to register, are available at www.sgsummit.com.