NBC TO BROADCAST MISS USA®2008 COMPETITION
LIVE ON APRIL 11TH FROM
PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO
LAS VEGAS
NEW YORK, N.Y., January 30, 2008 - Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization, announced today that the 57th Annual MISS USA® Competition will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will be held at the Theatre for the Performing Arts located at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on April 11, 2008 and broadcast live from 9-11 p.m. ET on NBC and distributed internationally.
"What happens in Vegas won't be staying in Vegas as the Miss USA telecast is viewed in more than 80 countries around the globe on live television," said Shugart. "We have teamed with two great partners for this event; the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, as well as the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
"We are thrilled the Miss Universe Organization chose Las Vegas as the site for this year's event. Las Vegas is a world-class destination known for hosting special events. We welcome the Miss USA contestants to Las Vegas and look forward to working with the entire production, NBC Universal and Donald Trump." said Rossi Ralenkotter, President and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
"We are delighted that the Miss Universe Organization is bringing the MISS USA® 2008 Competition to Las Vegas this year and has selected Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino as their host property," said Robert Earl, co-chairman of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. "We are excited to showcase our beautiful new resort to the contestants, and to the enormous worldwide audience that tune in for the televised event. It is gratifying to once again be able to showcase all the great amenities that the city of Las Vegas has to offer."
Miss USA 2007 Rachel Smith spent her year traveling the nation as an advocate for breast and ovarian cancer awareness, education, research, and legislation. She will crown her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast, before an estimated viewing audience in the U.S. alone of over 7 million. Each contestant from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will be judged in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. The show will conclude with one contestant ultimately being crowned Miss USA® 2008.
Along with executive producer Donald J. Trump, veteran television writer and executive producer Phil Gurin and the Gurin Company will again produce MISS USA® 2008.
The Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Las Vegas is the official Host Hotel of MISS USA® 2008. For information regarding travel packages and special rates, please visit: www.missusa.com.
The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the MISS UNIVERSE®, MISS USA® and MISS TEEN USA® Pageants, is a joint venture between Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, Miss USA is equipped to educate women today.
About the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With approximately 133,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 9.5 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area.
CONTACT:
NBC
Grace Niu,
Grace.Niu@nbcuni.com
(818) 840-3542
Amanda Ruisi
Amanda.Ruisi@nbcuni.com
(212) 664-5478
The Miss Universe Organization
Lark-Marie Antón
lanton@missuniverse.com
(212) 373-4982
Esther Swan
eswan@missuniverse.com
(212) 373-4870
Joyce Lee
jlee@missuniverse.com
(212) 373-4983
Rubenstein Public Relations
Dara Busch
dbusch@rubensteinpr.com
(212) 843-8079
Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
Amy Sadowsky
Asadowsky@planethollywood.com
(702) 785-9155
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Jo Crimmins, R&R Partners
jo.crimmins@rrpartners.com
(702) 318-4255