Horseshoe Casino to Host Playboy Club's 50th Anniversary in Chicagoland

CHICAGO, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Horseshoe Casino, just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago, announced today they will host a once-in-a-lifetime event – the Playboy Club's 50th anniversary celebration at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino on June 10, 2010.  2010 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the original Playboy Club in Chicago. To honor this event, Playboy has invited 50 select venues across the globe to celebrate with them on the same night. Join all of Chicagoland as we turn our $70 million playground, The Venue, into the ultimate Playboy Club for this exclusive event!  Get ready for a legendary experience!  

The June 10 event will be hosted by Q101's Steve Tingle and Chicago location special guests include:

• Bridget Marquardt, former star of "The Girls Next Door"
• Ida Ljungqvist, Playboy's 2009 Playmate of the Year
• Crystal McCahill, Miss May 2009 and Chicago area native
• Sounds by S.K.A.M. artist DJ OB-One

Tickets are available for $25 and $75 (with inclusive beverage package) at The Venue Box Office at 219-473-6060 or at www.chicagohorseshoe.com/playboy50.  VIP Table reservations are available with purchase minimums.

Playboy 50th Anniversary Chicago Bunny Search

In addition to all the sexy action that will take place on June 10, Horseshoe Casino and Playboy are scouting the Chicagoland area for the ultimate Chicago Bunny.  Participating Chicago and Northwest Indiana nightlife destinations will host individual Bunny searches, and one lucky lady from each location will qualify to compete with other local winners on June 10.  The Bunny Search winner, who will be chosen on June 10, will be featured on playboyclub50.com and will have her photos submitted to Hugh Hefner for consideration for Playboy magazine.  Full rules and entry forms are available at www.chicagohorseshoe.com/playboy50.  

The preliminary competitions kick off next week on May 12 at Y-Bar on Ontario St in Chicago.  An initial list of scheduled preliminaries is below, with further announcements forthcoming.  Coverage of the preliminaries can be viewed at www.facebook.com/chicagohorseshoe.

      May 12 – Y-Bar, 224 West Ontario St, Chicago

      May 18 – Martini Park, 151 West Erie St., Chicago

      May 28 – Red Ivy Wrigleyville, 3519 North Clark, Chicago

      June 5 – V-Live, 2047 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

*More partners to come, stay tuned.

The June 10 party at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino is part of Playboy's global, year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Playboy Club and Playboy Bunny.  Playboy is also commemorating the milestone with a uniquely-commissioned art exhibition at The Andy Warhol Museum; newly-designed Playboy merchandise; and unique features in the June issue of the magazine and on Playboy.com and Playboy Radio.

Historical Background

Originally opening to the public on February 29, 1960, in Chicago, the Playboy Clubs quickly became the embodiment of sexy sophistication.  In their more than two decades of operation, the Clubs sold nearly 2.5 million membership keys and became one of the most successful nightclub chains in history.  The Playboy Clubs, together with the hotel, casino and resort facilities, eventually included 40 properties in 25 states and seven countries.

The famous venues, which were home to the iconic Playboy Bunnies, allowed key holders to enjoy performances by some of the era's biggest names in entertainment, including Steve Allen, Ann Margaret, the Count Basie Orchestra, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, George Carlin, Ray Charles, Bill Cosby, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Ginger Rogers, the Smothers Brothers, Mel Torme and Muddy Waters. The Clubs also featured cocktail Bunnies, camera Bunnies, checkroom Bunnies, cabaret Bunnies, gift shop Bunnies, bumper pool Bunnies, customer service Bunnies, and floor Bunnies.  

The original Bunny Costume, worn over the years by more than 25,000 working Playboy Bunnies, was created for female staff at the first Playboy Club in Chicago and started as a modified one-piece swimsuit.  It went on to become the first uniform to be issued a trademark registration by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.  Before they launched their careers, actresses Lauren Hutton, Julie Cobb, Lynne Moody, Sherilyn Fenn, Susan Sullivan, Jackie Zeman, Maria Richwine and Barbara Bosson all worked as Bunnies, as did rock star Deborah Harry.  As one of the world's most recognized uniforms, the Playboy Bunny Costume was redesigned in 2006 by Roberto Cavalli for the Playboy Club Las Vegas Bunnies and Playboy Club Celebrity Dealers, including Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra.

In 2006 the Bunnies returned, and Playboy reopened its famous Club at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, and plans to open two additional multi-faceted entertainment venues in 2010 in both Miami and Cancun.   The privileged Playboy Club key holders of today include some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, including P. Diddy, Kim Kardashian, Usher, Paris Hilton, Dennis Hopper, Dave Navarro, Jamie Presley and Michael Phelps.

ABOUT PLAYBOY ENTERPRISES, INC.

Playboy is one of the most recognized and popular consumer brands in the world. Playboy Enterprises, Inc. is a media and lifestyle company that markets the brand through a wide range of media properties and licensing initiatives. The company publishes Playboy magazine in the United States and abroad and creates content for distribution via television networks, websites, mobile platforms and radio. Through licensing agreements, the Playboy brand appears on a wide range of consumer products in more than 150 countries as well as retail stores and entertainment venues.

ABOUT HORSESHOE CASINO

The all new $500 million Horseshoe Casino, a Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. property, just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago is the premier entertainment and gaming destination in Chicagoland.  Where legendary gaming lives on, Horseshoe boasts more than 350,000 square feet with over 3,000 slot machines, nearly 100 table games, the largest poker room in the Midwest, and more. The Venue at Horseshoe Casino is proud to offer the ultimate concert and entertainment destination. In conjunction with AEG Live and created by the award-winning designers of Sceno Plus, The Venue offers a premier experience in a flexible space that can hold up to 3,300 guests. Dining elegance is not overlooked and guests can choose from a variety of dining options including; Jack Binion's Steak House which overlooks Lake Michigan and recent winner of the 2009 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, around-the-globe variety at the Village Square Buffet, a taste of Chicago at Benny's Pub and Eatery, and scrumptious fare at J.B.s Gourmet Deli. For more information, please visit: www.chicagohorseshoe.com.

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, nearly 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, Caesars and Horseshoe brand names; Harrah's also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos. 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.

Must be 21 or older to gamble. Know when to stop before you start.® Gambling problem? Call 1.800.9.WITH.IT.  ©2010 Harrah's License Company, LLC.

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