Gurgitators to Tackle Nine-Pound Burger For $9,000 in Las Vegas

History will be made on January 22nd, 2005 when competitive eating’s finest gurgitators converge at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV for one of sports' greatest challenges: devouring the monstrous nine-pound Barrick Burger.

Fittingly, there will be $9,000 in prize money on the line, broken down as follows:

$3,250 (first place) $1,500 (second place) $1,250 (third place) $1,000 (fourth place) $800 (fifth place) $700 (sixth place) $500 (seventh place)

There will also be a preliminary contest featuring amateurs with no competitive eating experience. This contest will include $1,000 in prize money, making the entire event one of the most lucrative stops on the IFOCE calendar.

Interest in this event was extraordinary and the line-up is already set -- there are no more seats open.

The pride of Las Vegas will rest on the shoulders of Rich ‘The Locust’ LeFevre, a local resident and the #3 ranked eater in the entire world. Experts believe that LeFevre’s years on the buffet circuit and pedigree as a distance specialist will come in handy as he battles some of the nation’s top gastronomes.

LeFevre’s most ominous opponent, however, will likely be the Barrick Burger itself. “The Barrick Burger is perhaps the most challenging food in the history of competitive eating,” said Richard Shea, President of the International Federation of Competitive Eating. “This is our Mount Everest.”

Admired in earlier times, the eating of food in nine-pound increments was seen as a socially barbaric practice from the first two World Wars until the turn of the century. Realizing that these sentiments were misguided, society now celebrates such a feat- a rebirth that will culminate on Jan. 22nd.

The Plaza Hotel and Casino, a spectacular Las Vegas destination, will provide lodging for all eaters.

The Plaza Hotel & Casino (www.plazahotelcasino.com) was purchased, along with the Vegas Club, Western and Gold Spike Hotel & Casinos, by Barrick Gaming (www.barrickgamingcorp.com) in March 2004 as the first step in the company’s vision to redevelop much of downtown Las Vegas. The Plaza, Barrick’s flagship property, offers an array of classic and innovative table games and slot machines, downtown’s premiere gourmet restaurant; the glass-domed Center Stage, dynamic entertainment and sporting events and an array of amenities. Guests may call (702) 386-2110 or (800) 634-6575 for more information and/or hotel reservations.

The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE), the governing body of all stomach-centric sports, conducts more than 70 events annually, including the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, NY. The competitive eating community, which numbers more than 3,000 veteran and rookie athletes, travels the nation in search of top titles and the glory that they provide.