Boomtown Casino and Hotel in Reno to Hold Lobster Buffet Contest

Some of America’s top competitive eaters will square off at Boomtown Casino and Hotel Reno’s Lobster-Eating Challenge on April 9, 2005.

Designed to highlight Boomtown’s famous all-you-can-eat Whole Maine Lobster, Steak and Seafood Buffet, the challenge is expected to attract eating greats including Rich ‘The Locust’ LeFevre, a Nevada resident who is the watermelon eating champion and the #3-ranked eater in the world, and his wife, Carlene, posole-eating champion and the world’s #7-ranked eater.

Rich, known as a distance eater, holds records including ten pounds of chili consumed in ten minutes. Experts believe his years on the buffet circuit will come in handy as he battles some of America’s top gastronomes. However, the lobster is expected to create difficulties for some eaters who may become distracted by the delicious flavor.

“This is an historic event that will be a watershed for the crustacean-eating discipline,” explains International Federation of Competitive Eating Chair George Shea.

The celebrity contest, held at 1:30 p.m., will include local dignitaries. Free public entry into the celebrity contest is available at the event, based on availability. Following the celebrity event, a “professional” contest will offer $3,500 in prize money, with $2,000 going to first place, $1,000 to second place, and $500 to third place. Both events take place in the Silver Screen BuffetSM on Boomtown’s west casino floor. The professional contest winner also receives a trip to Old Orchard Beach, Maine to compete in the August 13 Lobster! Lobster! World Lobster-Eating Championship.

“Boomtown is known for our all-you-can-eat Whole Maine Lobster, Steak and Seafood Buffet, which features whole Maine lobster, shrimp, tender carved-to-order meats and more every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening,” said Boomtown Senior Director of Marketing Patrick Bassney.

The nearly 400-seat Silver Screen Buffet also offers a full salad bar and a dessert station overflowing with decadent cakes, ice cream and bananas Foster, as well as a Saturday and Sunday champagne brunch and weekday buffet lunches and dinners, all with special child and senior pricing.

Boomtown Casino and Hotel is located just seven miles west of Reno on Interstate 80 at Boomtown exit #4. Boomtown offers nearly 42,000 square feet of gaming excitement with the latest in slots and video poker, #1-rated Blackjack, as well as Craps, Pai Gow, 3-5-7 Poker, keno, poker, a complete sports book, a Family Fun CenterSM and five delectable dining choices - Cassidy’sSM, the Silver Screen Buffet, Sundance CantinaSM, Drovers Inn RestaurantSM and Starbucks. For traveler convenience, Boomtown also offers 318 deluxe rooms and suites, indoor swimming pool, room service, bell service, free valet parking, 10,500 square feet of convention space, 203-space RV Park, 24-hour mini-mart gas station and a 20-acre trucker’s complex. For more information, call 1-800-648-3790 or log onto www.boomtownreno.com.

About Pinnacle Entertainment Pinnacle Entertainment owns and operates casinos in Nevada, Mississippi, Louisiana, Indiana and Argentina, and receives lease income from two card club casinos, both in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The company is also building a major casino resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and has been selected for two casino and related development projects in St. Louis, Missouri, pending approval of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and the Missouri Gaming Commission, respectively. For further information on Pinnacle Entertainment, please visit www.pnkinc.com.

This is an IFOCE event and the IFOCE will handle all registration. All those over the age of 21 are allowed to compete.