Nevada Commission on Tourism Announces Tourism Development Award Recipients
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Nov. 13, 2006
CONTACT: Chris Chrystal
Bethany Drysdale
Nevada Commission on Tourism
cchrystal@travelnevada.com — 775-687-4322
Visit us at www.travelnevada.com
CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) is honoring 41 Nevada businesses with Tourism Development Awards for expanding or starting new facilities or services to draw visitors to the state, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt announced today.
“Tourism Development Awards are designed to give Nevada businesses well-deserved recognition for investing in our No. 1 industry, tourism,” Hunt said. “They have spent their time and money developing and expanding services, launching new events and improving facilities that all contribute to making a visitor feel welcome in our great state.”
Each recipient will be honored at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism, Dec. 12, at the Silver Legacy hotel-casino in downtown Reno and will receive a plaque and certificate signed by Gov. Kenny Guinn; Hunt, NCOT chair; and Bruce Bommarito, NCOT director.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of Nevada’s economy, and it is so successful because individuals take pride in their state and their businesses and want to present the best product, the best service, possible,” Bommarito said. “More than 50 million people visit our state each year, traveling from all over the world to experience our exciting nightlife, rustic ‘Wild West’ frontier and fascinating history. We thank everyone who helps improve these experiences and thereby strengthen our economy.”
Among the award recipients are the American Rally Sports Group in Laughlin for starting the Laughlin International Rally and Motorsports Festival; the Austin Historical Society for opening a new museum in Austin; Pony Express Stables in Genoa for opening a new Carson Valley attraction that offers horse-drawn sleigh rides, wagon rides and carriage rides; the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City for completing a 300-seat performance hall in the old St. Theresa’s Church; and Lake Mead RV Village in Boulder City for constructing new upscale RV sites that will provide 10,000 more visitor nights for guests to enjoy Lake Mead.
Award recipients are listed in three categories: Las Vegas, Reno and rural Nevada. Las Vegas and Reno winners are from those cities, respectively, unless otherwise specified.
- A Special Memory Wedding Chapel — renovated the chapel lobby and garden area and launched a new marketing campaign that created more jobs in the marketing department.
- American Rally Sports Group, Laughlin — implemented Laughlin International Rally & Motorsports Festival to be held in November 2006.
- Callville Bay Marina — increased marina safety and services by reconfiguring the marina to provide safe and easy access to services, replacing and expanding main walkway bridge to include illumination and more room for visitors, repaving roads, expanding grocery and delivery programs and adding more porter positions.
- Edgewater Hotel & Casino, Laughlin — expanded Kokopelli’s Lounge, which hosts top-name performers, from 150 seats to 400.
- Golden Nugget, Laughlin — raised the ceiling over gaming pit and replaced three existing restaurants with Landry’s Corporation restaurants:
Harlow’s 24-hour café, Joe’s Crab Shack and Saltgrass Steakhouse. - Harrah’s Laughlin, Laughlin — completed a major property renovation including adding a new business center, cabanas on the beach and a new Tiki Hut, renovating a restaurant and central tower rooms and expanding the poker room.
- Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority — brought the USA Men’s Basketball training to
Las Vegas for two weeks and an exhibition game against Puerto Rico. - Laughlin Bay Marina, Laughlin — opened in March 2006 as the only private marina along the
Colorado River and offers boat slip rentals, boat launch, gift shop, restaurant, meeting facilities and catering services. - Laughlin River Tours, Laughlin — added new “Lady Liberty” boat with cabin tables and cushioned seats for 45 passengers and now offers 1.5-hour tours near Hoover Dam and shuttle services for groups from riverfront casinos.
- London Jet Boat Tours, Laughlin — added new 38-passenger custom jet boat and now offers visitors a scenic tour of the
Colorado River through Topock Gorge. - Ramada Express Hotel Casino, Laughlin — remodeled the pool and added poolside cabanas.
- River Palms Resort Casino, Laughlin — converted bingo room to new River Sands Theatre, a 300-seat venue hosting “Superstars Live in Concert.”
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Brewery Arts Center, Carson City — completed 300-seat performance hall in former St. Teresa’s Catholic Church - Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau,
Carson City — launched cooperative Web-based promotion, www.sweetnevadadeals.com, with the Carson Valley Visitors Authority. - Carson Valley Visitors Authority, Gardnerville — launched cooperative Web-based promotion, www.sweetnevadadeals.com, with the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau.
- Carson Valley Golf Course, Gardnerville — developed “Family Tees” program to make the course more family friendly for all ages and ability levels.
- Cottonwood Creek Farm, Gardnerville — expanded its horse-boarding facility to become a premier bed and breakfast on 40 acres of rolling terrain.
- D’Vine Wine Tasting,
Carson City — opened a fine-dining restaurant highlighting fine wines. - Marathon de Mayo LLC — launched Nevada Wide Open Marathon de Mayo event that combined art, music and health with several competitive races including the title marathon.
- Virginia City Convention and Tourism Authority, Virginia City — devised a program to promote
Virginia City’s many attractions and lengthen a visitor’s stay by allowing them access to multiple attractions with one “Silver Line Express” ticket.
RURAL NEVADA
- Austin Historical Society, Austin — opened a new museum in
Austin - Black Canyon/Willow Beach River Adventures, Boulder City — expanded product offerings, increased personal watercraft fleet and vehicle fleet and replaced seven outboard engines with the most environmentally friendly engines available; also increased personnel with new raft pilots, narrators, bilingual narrators, bus drivers and marina employees as well as a new director of sales and marketing position resulting in an increased passenger count and increased use of the marina facility.
- Borges Carriage Ride, Genoa — launched 30-minute historical narrated tour of Genoa and now offers rides or special events and weddings.
- Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina, Searchlight — remodeled the Cottonwood Cove Café and hosted 10th annual Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina Ecology Drive and Clean Up Day; also enhanced its Water Safety Education programs.
- Hotel Nevada & Gambling Hall, Ely — purchased the old post office and converted it to a special event meeting facility.
- Hurricam’s Car Show, Fallon — hosted Show & Shine at
Oats Park, which attracts car owners from Northern Nevada and Northern California. - Lake Mead Cruises,
Boulder City — refurbished the galley and re-carpeted the top deck on the “Desert Princess” cruise boat; continued to “chase the water” so the facility remains in deep enough water to operate even while lake level drops. - Lake Mead RV Village, Boulder City — constructing 30 new upscale RV sites that will provide 10,000 visitor nights for guests to enjoy Lake Mead.
- Laughlin Ranch Golf Club,
Bullhead City, Ariz. — opened a complete day spa facility and hosted the Pinnacle Exceptional Long Driver’s Championship. - Lovers Aloft Balloon Races, Lovelock — launched a new hot-air balloon race in conjunction with the February 2006 dedication of Lovelock’s new Lovers Lock Plaza.
- Maria’s Mexican Cuisine, Fallon — remodeled the restaurant in downtown Fallon.
- McCrosky’s “Y” Service, Panaca — tore down the old service station and built new one with 24-hour pumps.
- North Lake Tahoe Express,
Tahoe City, Calif. — will launch daily airport shuttle service between Reno and North Lake Tahoe and Truckee in November 2006. - Peppermill Concert Hall,
West Wendover — opened 1,000-seat venue with state-of-the-art technical audio/visual facilities to host a variety of live entertainment. - Pony Express Stables,
Genoa — opened a new Carson Valley attraction that offers horse-drawn carriage rides, horseback rides, hay rides with barbecue dinners and Christmas caroling rides. -
Spring Mountain Advanced Driving School, Pahrump — increased advertising and made property improvements; hosted the fifth stage of the 2006 Nevada Passage; increased Pahrump tourism by 10 percent. - Town of
Minden — developed “Take a Walk and Discover Minden” brochure. -
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension/Lincoln County, Caliente — organized the Farmers’ Market bringing together buyers and sellers locally and from out of town. - Wells Fun Run Car Show, Wells — celebrated 15th year and is the second largest car show in
Nevada behind Hot August Nights. - Windmill Ridge Resort,
Alamo — opened a new restaurant and camping cabins. - Yummie’s Ice Cream, Fallon — opened ice cream and sandwich shop in downtown Fallon.
