Pinnacle Entertainment Announces Management Team Promotions and Appointments for Missouri Operations

LAS VEGAS and ST. LOUIS, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: PNK) today announced recent management promotions and appointments at Lumiere Place and River City, the Company's two casino entertainment facilities in Missouri.  Effective immediately, Todd George, currently Vice President and General Manager at River City, has been promoted to Senior Vice President and will assume the role of General Manager of Lumiere Place.  Pinnacle also recruited Neil Walkoff to serve as Senior Vice President and General Manager of River City.  Both George and Walkoff will co-head Pinnacle's newly-established St. Louis Shared Services initiative.   Designed to achieve in-market synergies and higher operating margins, St. Louis Shared Services will provide services to both Lumiere Place and River City and is comprised of the marketing, player hosting, accounting and finance, human resources and facility operations departments.  In addition, current Pinnacle Corporate Treasurer, Chris Plant, has been named Vice President of Accounting and Finance at St. Louis Shared Services.  The management appointments and promotions are subject to regulatory approval.

Lumiere Place is located in the heart of the City of St. Louis and features two hotels, including the award-winning Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, a variety of restaurants and a casino with 2,080 slots and 68 table games.  River City, located in the south St. Louis County community of Lemay, features its own unique array of restaurants and a casino with 2,100 slots and 55 table games.  In total, Pinnacle's St. Louis operations employ more than 2,450 team members.

Anthony Sanfilippo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle Entertainment, commented, "Todd, Neil and Chris bring a strong combination of operating, financial and leadership experience to their new roles.  These appointments, along with the establishment of St. Louis Shared Services, reflect our continued focus on operational excellence.  Our ability to leverage Pinnacle's significant presence and quality-leading assets in Missouri should help lead to further market share growth and improved operating margins, while delivering best-in-market experiences in Missouri."

Todd George joined Pinnacle Entertainment in 2000, serving in the accounting department of the Company's Belterra Casino Resort until 2003.  From 2003 to 2006, he was General Manager of Boomtown Bossier City and in 2006 he moved to St. Louis to oversee the Lumiere Place opening as Vice President and General Manager.  In October 2009, he was named Vice President and General Manager at River City where he led the team that opened the property in March 2010.  Prior to joining Pinnacle Entertainment, George served in the finance department at the Turning Stone Casino in New York from 1995 to 2000.

Neil Walkoff joins Pinnacle from the Seneca Niagara Hotel & Casino in New York where he served as General Manager and had oversight of the facility's operations, including approximately 4,000 slot machines, 100 table games, seven dining facilities and 600 hotel rooms.  In addition, he served as the property leader of the Horseshoe Southern Indiana Resort from 2007 to early 2010 where he had responsibility for the property's conversion from a Caesars-branded property to the Horseshoe Casino & Hotel.  Walkoff also previously served as Assistant General Manager of Harrah's Entertainment's Maryland Heights Casino & Hotel from 1999 to 2002.

Chris Plant joined the Company in 1993 and has held several corporate-level positions, including Corporate Treasurer and Corporate Accounting Controller.  He began his career in public accounting with KPMG Peat Marwick in 1987 and earned his Certified Public Accountant license.

About Pinnacle Entertainment

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates casinos in Louisiana, Missouri, Indiana, and Nevada.  In March 2010, Pinnacle opened its newest casino, River City, in south St. Louis County, Missouri.  Pinnacle is also developing a casino in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

All statements included in this press release, other than historical information or statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's ability to improve operating margins, grow revenues and increase market share, are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that could significantly affect future results. Accordingly, Pinnacle cautions that the forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those as may be detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). For more information on the potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results and business, review the Company's filings with the SEC, including, but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K.

Belterra, Boomtown, Lumiere Place, and River City are registered trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.  All rights reserved.

SOURCE Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.