LAS VEGAS (August 2, 2006) – The gaming industry’s leading marketers were honored July 20 with The Romero Awards - Recognizing Excellence In Casino Marketing. The awards were presented on the final day of Casino Marketing: The 2006 Conference at Paris Las Vegas.

Named after casino marketing pioneer and author John Romero, the Romero Awards honor those gaming operators who best fulfill the spirit of John’s 45-year crusade for effective, measurable and accountable casino marketing expenditures.

The four casino marketing professionals serving as judges had over 100 years combined experience in their fields. Judges were: Jackie Brett, director of advertising and public relations for Imperial Palace Hotel & Casinos; Amy Fanter, marketing writer and owner of Green Lamp Creative; Don Kennedy, director of sales and marketing for Acoma Business Enterprises; and Jim Seagrave, vice president of advertising at the Stardust Hotel & Casino. They chose from among 65 entries.

Categories of nomination included six types of promotions: direct mail marketing (single or campaign), public relations campaign, casino floor promotion, VIP promotion, e-mail marketing and Web site marketing.

Entries were also divided by casino size, to help ensure a fair playing field. Large casinos were defined as having 1,000 or more gaming positions, while small to mid-size casinos were to have less than 1,000 gaming positions.

All the winners will be featured in the September edition of Casino Journal magazine.

DIRECT MAIL—LARGE CASINO
Diamond Award:
April ‘Green Box’ Wallet — Feather Falls Casino, Oroville, Calif.
Gold Award:
Club Barona Bi-Monthly ‘Newsletter’ DM Campaign — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Silver Award:
• New Year’s Eve X3 — Santa Ana Star Casino, Bernalillo, N.M.
• Missing Player Mailer — Black Oak Casino, Tuolumne, Calif.
Honorable Mentions:
•    No Foolin’ Bonus E-Cash Direct Mail — Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, Coarsegold, Calif.
•    2006 ‘Double Cover’ Global Cash Access Prospecting DM Campaign — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
•    Club Barona New Member Welcome DM Campaign — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.


DIRECT MAIL—SMALL TO MID-SIZE CASINO
Diamond Award:
Find Michael’s Wallet — Ute Mountain Casino, Towaoc, Colo.
Gold Award:
Make My Day — Cliff Castle Casino, Camp Verde, Ariz.
Silver Award:
Summer Dish Giveaway — Cliff Castle Casino, Camp Verde, Ariz.
Honorable Mention:
Super Play Weekend — Lake of the Torches Resort Casino, Lac du Flambeau, Wis.


PUBLIC RELATIONS—LARGE CASINO
Diamond Award:
Balboa Park December Nights: Presented by Barona — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Gold Award:
The Jay Cochrane Wirewalk Challenge — Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Silver Award:
Citylink Transportation System — Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, Worley, Idaho
Honorable Mention:
Banjo Bowl Promotion — Manitoba Lotteries Corporation, Manitoba, Canada


PUBLIC RELATIONS—SMALL TO MID-SIZE CASINO
Diamond Award:
Remember Our Heroes Veterans Day Event — Lucky Eagle Casino, Rochester, Wash.
Silver Award:
Friendly Force — Cliff Castle Casino, Camp Verde, Ariz.
Honorable Mentions:
•    Best Bet — Fort McDowell Casino, Fountain Hills, Ariz.
•    Guest First STARS — Lake of the Torches Resort Casino, Lac du Flambeau, Wis.


CASINO FLOOR PROMOTION—LARGE CASINO
Diamond Award:
Take It Or Leave It — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Gold Award:
Live Like Trump — Trump Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, N.J.
Silver Award:
New Member Double Cover — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Honorable Mentions:
•    B.C. Gold Rush — British Columbia Lottery Corporation, British Columbia, Canada
•    Legacy Lotto Plus — Silver Legacy Resort Casino, Reno, Nev.
•    Jackpot Money Machine — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
•    Mini Mania Mini Cooper Giveaway — Black Oak Casino, Tuolumne, Calif.
•    Straight to the Point Earning Promotion — Boomtown Casino, New Orleans, La.
•    13 Your Lucky Day! — Casinos Austria AG, Austria
•    Craps for Cash — Grand Victoria Casino, Elgin, Ill.
•    $100,000 Lucky Joker Poker — Sycuan Resort & Casino, El Cajon, Calif.
•    Mad for Gas — Santa Ana Star Casino, Bernalillo, N.M.


CASINO FLOOR PROMOTIONS—SMALL TO MID-SIZE CASINO
Diamond Award:
The $250,000 American Dream — Creek Nation Casino, Tulsa, Okla.
Gold Award:
We Love Our Guests — Cliff Castle Casino, Camp Verde, Ariz.
Silver Award:
Blackjack Horse Race — Ute Mountain Casino, Towaoc, Colo.
Wheel of Torches — Lake of the Torches Resort Casino, Lac du Flambeau, Wis.
Honorable Mentions:
•    Livin’ Large — Cliff Castle Casino, Camp Verde, Ariz.
•    Go for the Green & Gold Slot Tournament — Northlands Park, Edmonton, Alberta


VIP MARKETING CAMPAIGN—LARGE CASINO
Diamond Award:
New Year’s Eve 2005 VIP Incentive Drawing — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Gold Award:
$1,000,000 Blackjack Tournament — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Silver Award:
Sweet Dreams VIP Slot Tournament — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Honorable Mentions:
•    Elite Supplemental Mailer — Valley View Casino, Valley Center, Calif.
•    Millionaire’s Club Events — Trump Marina Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, N.J.
•    Branded VIP Promotions — Black Oak Casino, Tuolumne, Calif.
•    December Winners ‘Winning Experience’ — Oneida Casino, Green Bay, Wis.
•    Platinum Tier Introductory Packet — Table Mountain Casino, Friant, Calif.


VIP MARKETING CAMPAIGN—SMALL TO MID-SIZE CASINO
Gold Award:
Jackpot Party — Northlands Park, Edmonton, Alberta


E-MAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGN—LARGE CASINOS
Diamond Award:
Club Barona DM Room Offer E-Mail Reminder Campaign — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.
Gold Award:
Club Barona Casino Promotion E-Mail Reminder Campaign — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino


WEB MARKETING CAMPAIGN—LARGE CASINOS
Gold Award:
Keys to Your Dreams Bonus Entry Game — Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, Lakeside, Calif.


WEB MARKETING CAMPAIGN—SMALL TO MID-SIZE CASINOS
Silver Award:
Ice Fishin’ for Fun — Lake of the Torches Resort & Casino, Lac du Flambeau, Wis.