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Game Show Congress is a meeting of industry professionals, former contestants and fans of television game shows. It was first held in 2002.
The first Game Show Congress was held in Boulder, Colorado, as an extension of the University of Colorado Program Council Trivia Bowl. It was organized as a non-profit initiative by Paul Bailey. [1] [2] Featured guests included Steve Beverly, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire winners Ed Toutant and Lori Bailey, and multi-show winner Leszek Pawlowicz.
The second Congress moved to Las Vegas and was held in conjunction with an open quiz bowl tournament. Featured speakers included former Starcade host Mark Richards, all-time Who Wants to Be a Millionaire winner Kevin Olmstead, a presentation from NTN Buzztime, a presentation about the World's Largest Trivia Contest staged each year by 90FM in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and the first appearance of The Game Show Round, a game with elements of over 30 different game shows from around the world.
Moving to Burbank, California in 2004, the third Congress moved to a multi-day format and added additional competition formats such as Paul Paquet's SmartyPants tournament and The Game Show Home Game Tournament. There was also an official Jeopardy! test and tryout. This session also marked the first time the Ralph Edwards Career Community Service Award and the Bill Cullen Career Achievement Award were presented. Gary Edwards, his son accepted the Edwards award on Ralph's behalf, while the Cullen award went posthumously to Bill Cullen (with his widow Anne accepting on his behalf). Guest speakers honoring Edwards and Cullen included Bob Barker, Dick Clark, Jack Narz, Tom Kennedy, Jayne Meadows and Betty White. Don Pardo and Kitty Carlisle also gave taped tributes. [3]
The fourth Congress in 2005 was heavily devoted to remembering the longtime show Concentration and featured panel discussions with producer Norman Blumenthal and undefeated champion Ruth Horowitz. Monty Hall was presented with the Edwards Award recognizing his long career as both a game show host, producer and philanthropist. In contrast, the Cullen Award was presented to brothers Jack Narz and Tom Kennedy. Guest speakers included comedian Shelley Berman, actress-comedian Pat Carroll, announcer John Harlan, modern era emcees Todd Newton and Guillermo Huesca, producer Stu Billett, and talent coordinator Jean Brown. Betty White, Carol Merrill and Michael Davies gave taped tributes. [4] Jeopardy! was also recognized in five of the Congress' categories. [5]
Music was added to the mix for the 2006 fifth Congress as the world's only game show cover band, the Ceramic Dalmatians, made their first live performance. J. Keith van Straaten hosted and Jim Newman directed an edition of "What's My Line, Live" with panelists Betsy Palmer, Frank Nicotero, Sarah Purcell and Stuart Shostak. At the same time, the mystery guest was Shirley Jones. There was an official test and tryout for the show "1 vs 100". A panel discussion "Working as a Game Show Host and Game Show Announcer" was led by Laura Chambers ("Weakest Link", "Greed") with Sarah Purcell, Larry Anderson, Burton Richardson, Jack Narz, Johnny Gilbert. Anderson and Richardson also teamed up as host and announcer for a charity fundraiser game called "Buzzer Battle" which benefited the AIDS Research Alliance. Bob Harris, who would later become a regular visitor of the congress, [6] read from his book Prisoner of Trebekestan. Tic Tac Dough host Wink Martindale, producer Ron Greenberg and Thom McKee participated in a panel on the show, and there was an industry panel discussion moderated by TV host & producer Roger Rose, featuring participants Bob Boden (VP Programming, Fox Reality Channel), Stu Billet (Executive Producer, "The People's Court"), Harry Friedman (Executive Producer, "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!"), Michael Brockman (former VP Programming CBS, ABC, and Goodson-Todman Productions), and Scott St. John (Executive Producer, "Deal or No Deal"). Longtime Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall was presented with the Cullen Award and William Morris executive Vice President Mark Itkin was presented with the Edwards Award. Guest speakers included Rose Marie, Betsy Palmer, Fred Silverman, Johnny Gilbert, Tom Kennedy, Kathy Garver, Harry Friedman, and Al Howard. [7]
The sixth Congress in 2007 was split into two sessions, one in New York City and the other in Hollywood, California. The New York session was primarily devoted to playing games and served as the North American Host of the International Quizzing Association's 2007 championship. The Los Angeles session featured a tribute to those game show icons who had passed in the previous year (Kitty Carlisle, Tom Poston and Charles Nelson Reilly), speeches by Thom McKee and Charlie O'Donnell to honor Ralph Edwards Award winner Wink Martindale plus speeches by Betty White and Sande Stewart to honor Bill Cullen Award winner Bob Stewart. White was also the winner of the newly created Arlene Francis Award, which honored lifetime achievement as a game show panelist. [8] The Ceramic Dalmatians again performed during the event. Notable attendees included Don Pardo, June Lockhart, and Betsy Palmer.
The 2009 event featured a Contestant Workshop by Bev Pomerantz and a presentation on the history of game shows by Tom Kennedy on November 14. An awards reception was held on November 15 honoring Allen Ludden for the Bill Cullen Career Achievement award with Betty White accepting in his memory, and honoring Geoff Edwards with the Ralph Edwards Career Community Service Award. [9] In addition, Johnny Gilbert received the first Legendary Announcer award. [10] Speakers included Bob Stewart, Tom Kennedy, and David Michaels; in addition, Regis Philbin gave a taped tribute.
2011 featured GSC events in association with the Trivia Championships of North America on July 8–12 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA [11] A panel discussion featured Ken Jennings, Bob Harris, and Ed Toutant discussing the recent Human vs Computer matches on the television game show Jeopardy!
The Game Show Congress presented the second Trivia Championships of North America in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino August 10–12, 2012. [12]
The Game Show Congress presented the third Trivia Championships of North America in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Tropicana Hotel, Resort and Casino August 9–11, 2013. [13]
The Game Show Congress supported the fourth Trivia Championships of North America in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Tropicana Hotel, Resort and Casino August 8–10, 2014. [14]
The Game Show Congress supported the fifth Trivia Championships of North America in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Tropicana Hotel, Resort and Casino August 7–9, 2015. [15]
The Game Show Congress supported the sixth Trivia Championships of North America in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Tropicana Hotel, Resort and Casino August 12–14, 2016. [16]
The Game Show Congress supported the seventh Trivia Championships of North America in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Tropicana Hotel, Resort and Casino August 4–6, 2017. [17]
The Game Show Congress supported the eighth Trivia Championships of North America in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Tropicana Hotel, Resort and Casino August 3–5, 2018.
The Game Show Congress supported Trivia Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Tropicana Hotel, Resort and Casino August 8–11, 2019. [18]
This award is given to the industry figure as a recognition of lifetime achievement in the area of game shows.
This award is given to the industry figure who has contributed both to the game show community as well as the world at large.
This award is given to a panelist in honor of his or her lifetime achievement as a game show panelist.
This award is given to an announcer in honor of his or her lifetime achievement supporting the game show genre.
The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a hotel, casino, and timeshare resort in Winchester, Nevada. Located near the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, it is owned by Westgate Resorts. It opened in 1969 as the International Hotel, and was known for many years as the Las Vegas Hilton, then briefly as the LVH – Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. From 1981 to 1990, it was the largest hotel in the world.
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about 4.2 mi (6.8 km) long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, but is often referred to simply as "Las Vegas".
The Tropicana Las Vegas was a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It operated from 1957 to 2024. In its final years, the property included a 44,570 sq ft (4,141 m2) casino and 1,467 rooms. The complex occupied 35 acres (14 ha) at the southeast corner of the Tropicana - Las Vegas Boulevard intersection.
The Hacienda was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, that operated from 1956 to 1996. It was opened by Warren Bayley, who owned other Hacienda properties in California as well. Bayley opened the hotel portion in June 1956, although the opening of the casino was delayed as the Nevada Gaming Control Board objected to his choice of casino manager, Jake Kozloff. The casino portion eventually opened on October 17, 1956. The $6 million property had 266 rooms and the largest pool on the Las Vegas Strip. Like its sister properties in California, the resort included a neon sign that depicted a cowboy riding a palomino horse.
Tropicana Atlantic City, often referred to as The Trop, is a resort, casino hotel located on the beach and Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment, and is the third largest hotel in New Jersey, with just under 2,400 guest rooms and the 200,000-square-foot shopping and entertainment complex, The Quarter. It has over 30 restaurants, 30 shops, 20 bars and lounges, 4 pools, the Tropicana Showroom, multiple spas, and an IMAX Theatre. In 2016, Tropicana completed over $200 million in renovations and additions, including a Multimedia Light and Sound Show, the addition of AtlantiCare LifeCenter Fitness, Garces restaurants, renovations to over 900 hotel rooms, and casino floor but Tropicana will continue investing. The Tropicana is the largest resort and casino on the boardwalk, with 2,364 rooms, 3,000 slot machines, 30 restaurants, and 30 shops, along with two 2,500-space parking garages, totaling over 5,000 parking spaces. In 2021-2023 Tropicana is said to complete renovations through these years, the renovations will include renovations to all 604 West Tower rooms, modernized elevators and escalators, pool enhancements, gaming space enhancements, and more undisclosed renovation projects.
The Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard intersection is a major intersection on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States, and is noteworthy for several reasons. It was the first intersection in Las Vegas completely closed to street level pedestrian traffic and its four corners are home to three major resorts: Excalibur Hotel and Casino, New York-New York Hotel and Casino and MGM Grand Las Vegas—the latter has 5,044 rooms and was once the largest hotel in the world. The fourth corner was home to Tropicana, which Tropicana Avenue is named after; it closed on April 2, 2024, and was demolished by implosion on October 9 to make way for a new Bally’s Las Vegas and a new baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics after they relocate to Las Vegas. The resorts at the four corners had a total of 12,536 hotel rooms as of 2016.
Primm Valley Casino Resorts is a group of three hotel-casinos in Primm, Nevada, along Interstate 15 at the California state line. They are owned and operated by Affinity Gaming. It is named after the Primm family, benefactors of the hotel and casino properties by Ernest and Gary Primm.
Oyo Hotel & Casino is a casino hotel near the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States. It is owned by Highgate and Oyo Hotels & Homes, and its casino is operated by Paragon Gaming. It is located east of the Strip and next to the former site of the Tropicana resort. The hotel has 696 rooms with a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) casino.
The Laughlin River Lodge is a hotel and casino on the banks of the Colorado River in Laughlin, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Richard Craig Estey. The property includes a 41,000 sq ft (3,800 m2) casino and 1,000 hotel rooms in a 25-story tower. The resort has 653 slot machines and a bingo parlor.
Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino is a casino hotel in Stateline, Nevada. It is one of four major casino hotels in Stateline. Horizon Lake Tahoe closed on April 1, 2014, to begin a $60 million renovation and rebranding as Hard Rock Lake Tahoe, which held its grand opening on January 28, 2015. It has 539 hotel rooms and 22,750 square feet (2,114 m2) of gaming space, with 431 slot machines, 33 table games and a William Hill race and sports book.
Tropicana Entertainment Inc. was a publicly traded gaming company that owned and operated casinos and resorts in Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Missouri, New Jersey. and Aruba. Tropicana properties collectively had approximately 5,500 rooms, 8,000 slot positions and 270 table games. The company was based in Spring Valley, Nevada, and was majority-owned by Icahn Enterprises. The company was acquired in 2018 by Eldorado Resorts and Gaming and Leisure Properties for $1.85 billion.
The Tropicana Laughlin is a casino hotel in Laughlin, Nevada. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment. The hotel has 1,498 guest rooms and suites, located in the 12-story Casino Tower and the 24-story Promenade Tower. The casino has 1,050 slot machines and 21 table games. It includes the restaurants: The Steakhouse, Passaggio Italian Gardens, Carnegie's Café, Taqueria Del Rio, Poolside Café, Dips & Dogs and Victory Plaza.
The LV Strip is one of the designated Nevada Gaming Control Boards reporting areas. It consists of the Las Vegas Strip casinos and many of the surrounding casinos. The Strip earns roughly 50% of the gaming revenue from all sources for the state of Nevada.
The 1950s was a time of considerable change for Las Vegas. By the 1950s, there were 44,600 living in the Las Vegas Valley. Over 8 million people were visiting Las Vegas annually in 1954, pumping $200 million into casinos, which consolidated its image as "wild, full of late-night, exotic entertainment". The population grew dramatically from 8,422 during World War II to over 45,000. From 1952 to 1957, through money and institutional lending provided by the Teamsters Union and some Mormon bankers, they built the Sahara, the Sands, the New Frontier, the Royal Nevada, the Showboat, the Riviera, the Fremont, Binion's Horseshoe, and finally the Tropicana. Gambling was no longer the only attraction by the 1950s; the biggest stars of films and music like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Andy Williams, Liberace, Bing Crosby, Carol Channing, and others performed in intimate settings and brought a whole new brigade of Hollywood film stars and others in the entertainment business to the city. In 1957, the first topless show "Minsky's Follies" was started here.
Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in casino properties, based in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. It was formed in November 2013 as a corporate spin-off from Penn National Gaming. The company owns 60 casino properties, all of which are leased to other companies.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Caesars Entertainment, Inc., formerly Eldorado Resorts, Inc., is an American hotel and casino entertainment company founded and based in Reno, Nevada, that operates more than 50 properties. Eldorado Resorts acquired Caesars Entertainment Corporation and changed its own name to Caesars Entertainment on July 20, 2020.
Fiesta Henderson was a hotel and casino located on 35 acres (14 ha) of land at 777 West Lake Mead Parkway in Henderson, Nevada. Gem Gaming announced the project in 1995, as The Reserve, with an opening planned for July 4, 1996. Construction began later in 1995, and the project was topped off in May 1996, with an opening scheduled for October 1. Steve Rebeil and Dominic Magliarditi, both of Gem Gaming, were the project developers. Later in 1996, Ameristar Casinos planned to purchase Gem Gaming, and construction slowed to allow for an expanded redesign of the project, which was then expected to open between March and April 1997.
The Aladdin was a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. Toy manufacturer Edwin S. Lowe originally opened the 450-room Tallyho Hotel on the property in 1962. The Tallyho was the only major hotel in Nevada to not include a casino; it closed at the end of the year and was sold to Kings Crown Inns of America, a hotel chain which reopened the property a month later as the King's Crown Tallyho. The company added a casino and showroom but plans to open the casino were halted when the Nevada Gaming Control Board declined to issue a gambling license because of concerns about the resort being inadequately financed.
