Harrah's Entertainment and MTV Games: The Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band(R) Competition Sees Unprecedented Excitement and Overwhelming Customer Demand

Harrah's Entertainment and MTV Games: The Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band(R) Competition Sees Unprecedented Excitement and Overwhelming Customer Demand

LAS VEGAS, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- With a little over a month until the regional competitions begin for Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.'s and MTV Games' Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band Competition, the http://www.harrahs.com/rockband web site has been flooded with aspiring rockers. Launched at the beginning of March, hundreds of bands from across the country and Canada have already hopped onto the world's first official and permanent, fully-equipped Rock Band entertainment stages at eighteen Total Rewards properties* to compete during special Rock Band Nights.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090317/NY84187 )

In Northern California and Northern Nevada, the desire to compete reached a fevered pitch as Rock Band gamers phoned, blogged, and e-mailed about their desire for a shot at rock immortality. They were heard loud and clear, and Harrah's Lake Tahoe has now joined the other seventeen nationwide properties in this ultimate battle of the bands.

Rock Band fans have also taken to Twitter to tweet about the minute-to-minute drama and fun surrounding the local competitions. By using the hashtag "#TotalRock" with every tweet and posted picture, fans and the participating bands can contribute and stay up-to-date on the latest discussions and breaking news about the Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band Competition.

As the local Rock Band competitions wind their way towards the regional competitions starting in mid-April, there is still time for bands to become a part of music history by scoring a once-in-a-lifetime slot as the opening act for the legendary B-52's at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on May 9th. Total Rewards cardholders, 21 years and older, can enter the Total Rock, Total Rewards Rock Band Competition by getting a band together, registering online or on-site at the casino, selecting a song from the list provided on the web site, choosing an instrument, and taking the stage. To sign up for a free Total Rewards card, customers can visit any Harrah's Entertainment casino and sign-up.

The winning band from each of the local Total Rewards locations will rock their way a little closer to Rock Band stardom at celebrity-judged regional competitions in Las Vegas (April 16), Chicago Area (April 24), New Orleans (April 30), and Atlantic City (May 7). The four winning bands, one from each regional competition, will then have a chance to enter to compete for the championship title in Atlantic City on May 8th. The ultimate winning band will open for the legendary B-52's at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on May 9th and will be awarded $10,000 in prize money, while the second through fourth place winners will also win cash prizes, making this the richest Rock Band competition in history.

For the most up-to-date information and official rules on the competition, please visit http://www.harrahs.com/rockband.

The eighteen participating Total Rewards casinos* and the remaining local competition dates and times include: Eastern Region:

Bally's Atlantic City - Thursdays 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m., Mountain Bar: March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16; Property Final: April 23

Harrah's Atlantic City - Wednesdays 8:00 p.m. (Registration from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.) Eden Lounge: March 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15; Property Final: April 22

Showboat Atlantic City - Fridays 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m., House of Blues Lounge: March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17; Property Final: April 24

Harrah's Chester (Philadelphia) - Fridays 7:30 - 10:30 p.m., EndZone: March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24 Property Final: May 1

Southern Region:

Harrah's New Orleans - Fridays 7 - 10 p.m., Masquerade: March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17; Property Final: April 24

Horseshoe Bossier City (Shreveport) - Mondays 7:00 - 10:30 p.m. (Registration: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.), Crossroads Bar: March 16, 23, 30; Property Final: April 6

Harrah's Tunica (Memphis) - Saturdays 9:00 p.m. (Registration: 6 - 9pm), Replays: March 21, 28; Property Final: April 4

Harrah's Metropolis (Nashville) - Fridays, 8:00 - 11:00 p.m., Rivercrest & River Room: March 20, April 3, 10; Property Final: April 17

Horseshoe Southern Indiana (Louisville) - Thursdays 7:30pm, The Pavilion: March 26 (9:30pm), April 2, 9; Property Final: April 16

Central Region:

Harrah's Joliet (Chicago) - Fridays 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (Registration begins at 6:30 p.m.), Stage 151: March 20, 27; Property Final: April 3

Harrah's St. Louis - Fridays, VooDoo Lounge, 9 p.m. - 12 a.m.: March 20, April 10, 17

Harrah's North Kansas City - Tuesdays 7:00 - 10:00 p.m., Toby Keith's: March 17, 24, 31, April 7

Horseshoe Hammond (Chicago) - Fridays 9:00 p.m., The Venue: March 20, 27, April 3, 10; Property Final: April 17

Harrah's Council Bluffs (Omaha) - Fridays 7:00 - 9:00 p.m., The Whiskey Roadhouse: March 20, 27, April 3; Property Final: April 10

Caesars Windsor (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Detroit, MI) - Wednesdays, Cosmos Lounge, 7 - 10 p.m.: March 18, 25, April 1; Property Final: April 8

Western Region:

Harrah's Rincon (San Diego) - Fridays 8 - 10 p.m., The Oasis Lounge: March 20, 27 (open Rock Band nights); Property Competition: April 3

Harrah's Las Vegas - Tuesday - Wednesday, 9:30 p.m., Carnival Court: April 14, 15

Harrah's Lake Tahoe - Fridays 8:00 - 11:00 p.m., Harrah's Center Stage: March 27, April 3, 10, 17

(* Subject to regulatory approval)

About Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.:

Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions, and now owns or manages casinos on four continents. The Company's properties operate primarily under the Harrah's(R), Caesars(R) and Horseshoe(R) brand names; Harrah's also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos and the World Series of Poker(R). Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence, and technology leadership. For more information, please visit www.harrahs.com.

About MTV Games:

MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

About MTV Networks:

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090317/NY84187
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN 9
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.; MTV Games

CONTACT: Harrah's Entertainment: Jacqueline Peterson, +1-702-494-4829,
japeterson@harrahs.com, or Sam Glazer, +1-212-593-6403,
glazers@plannedtvarts.com; MTV Games: Mariana Agathoklis, +1-212-846-5755,
Mariana.Agathoklis@mtvstaff.com

Web Site: http://www.harrahs.com/

-------
Profile: intent