KANSAS CITY, MO—Supporters of the first annual AGA Awards Dinner Honoring America’s Gaming Greats, held Oct. 2, 2001, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, raised more than $175,000 to benefit the National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG). Money raised for the NCRG works to fund scientific research and enhance public awareness of pathological and youth gambling.
The gala, sponsored by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Global Gaming Expo (G2E), honored U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and entertainer Paul Anka for their contributions to the gaming industry. Park Place Entertainment Corporation was the first honoree to enter the "Million-Dollar Club," which was established for companies contributing $1 million or more to the NCRG. Boyd Gaming Corporation was also recognized for its outstanding financial support of the NCRG, including providing the initial funding to make the NCRG a reality and pledging $875,000 over a 10-year period. More than 70 companies and numerous individuals supported the dinner, with more than 650 in attendance.
"This fund-raising event was an overwhelming success. We are grateful to everyone who participated – from the attendees to the generous donors who made the dinner possible," said Maj. Gen. Paul Harvey (Ret.), chairman of the NCRG board. "The funds raised will finance research that will ultimately help people and families affected by disordered gambling and help to eliminate underage gambling."
Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., was a major contributor to the event, and provided generous in-kind donations in addition to hosting the event. Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada, a longtime supporter of the NCRG, also was a major underwriter of the dinner.
Cathy Ray and Ken Hamilton of KTNV – Channel 13 in Las Vegas joined Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA, as masters of ceremonies for the event. Entertainment at the dinner was provided by Las Vegas dance troupe the Salseritos, as well as top acts the Scintas, who performer at the Rio, and Clint Holmes of Harrah’s Las Vegas.
Gala coordinators were Southern Wine & Spirits’ Rino Armeni; Sandy Peltyn of Martin and Peltyn, Inc.; and Don Snyder of Boyd Gaming. Punam Mathur of MGM MIRAGEÔ was the production coordinator, and the AGA Board of Directors served as the host committee.
The NCRG was established in 1996 to address the need for a greater understanding of pathological gambling and related disorders. In five years, the NCRG has transformed the gambling research field by supporting only the highest quality investigations of problem and underage gambling selected through an independent, rigorous peer review process. In 2000, the NCRG awarded a $2.6 million contract to Harvard Medical School’s Division on Addictions to establish the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders to carry out the research initiatives first established by the NCRG.
