March 20, 2008

EL CORTEZ HOTEL & CASINO SPONSORS PRE-RACE EVENTS FOR THE RETURN OF THE MINT 400

Legendary Off-Road Race Returns To Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS- After a 20-year hiatus, the Mint 400, an off-road pursuit that treks through 400 miles of Southern Nevada’s desert, returns to Las Vegas on Saturday, March 29. El Cortez Hotel & Casino teams up with this great American desert race by sponsoring its pre-race events and participating in Fremont Street festivities from Wednesday, March 19 to Friday, March 28. El Cortez hosts two pre-race events; the starting position drawing was on March 19 at 7 p.m. and driver registrations on March 27 and March 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at its banquet room. Start and finish points of the Mint 400 are disclosed at midnight prior to race day.

Immediately following Thursday’s driver registration, the Mint 400 Fan Fest street party will kick off on Fremont Street East at 7:30 p.m. with live music and entertainment. The party downtown continues on Friday, March 28. El Cortez will be providing hot dog stands and portable bars for both days’ festivities at Fremont Street and 6th Street. On Wednesday, March 19 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., race enthusiasts can admire Mint 400 cars on display, as well as take part in a sponsor/driver meet and greet and autograph session in the Fremont East Entertainment District.

The original Mint 400 – called the Del Webb Mint 400 Desert Rally – was the creation of Norm Johnson, public relations director for the Mint Hotel, in 1968. The annual race continued until 1988. For additional information about the Mint 400, please visit www.themint400.com.

ABOUT EL CORTEZ HOTEL & CASINO
El Cortez Hotel & Casino, an anchor property in the Fremont East Entertainment District, is located in historic downtown at 600 East Fremont Street. With 300 newly remodeled hotel rooms, El Cortez features full-pay single deck 21, 10x odds on craps, state-of-the-art roulette and over 1,000 slot machines. El Cortez is proudly affiliated with Michael Gaughan’s South Point Sports Book. The Las Vegas Review-Journal voted El Cortez “Best Blackjack in Las Vegas” in 2007 and “Best Keno in Las Vegas” in 2005 and 2006. Dining options at El Cortez include: Kitty’s Café, Roberta’s Steakhouse, Chinese Kitchen Buffet and Express Breakfast Buffet. The property’s other amenities include: Subway, Dreyer’s Ice Cream Shop, Seattle’s Best Coffee, El Cortez Gift Shop and a full-service beauty and barber shop. The property is currently completing $20 million in improvements and renovations; its Cortez Garden Gateway was completed in December 2007. For more information, please call 1-800-634-6703 or 702-385-5200, or visit www.elcortezhotelcasino.com.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kimberly Juday / Lindsey Pridgen
kjuday@kirvindoak.com / lpridgen@kirvindoak.com
Kirvin Doak Communications
(702) 737.3100