$20,000 Guaranteed This Weekend, Free Jackets, More

Over $20,000 To Be Given Away this Weekend - Guaranteed! We don't get to make this kind of claim very often . . . So we are taking advantage of today's blog posting to SHOUT IT OUT!

• On Friday night we start with our progressive drawings at 5, 7 and 9 PM with a guaranteed winner of $12,000! Yep, one lucky INN Club member will get $12,000 and this one will go out half in cash and half in free play. Tell you what, give me $6,000 in cash to put my pocket and $6,000 more to run through any of the slots at the Carson Valley Inn . . . Heck, I'll come down and wait for the drawings and I'll do my best to get as many tickets accumulated as possible (Guest Services has all the details on how it works)!
• On Saturday night, we again have drawings at 5, 7 and 9 PM with $5,000 in cash guaranteed to be given away along with some more free play. Same entries that get you into the Friday drawings also get you in for Saturday.
• On Sunday, we reach the part where we must give away our Pro PK'EM progressive jackpot.
  
  We ended the year at a little under $5000 so we rounded up to $5000 and it has to go on Sunday's Super Bowl game. As we've explained before, the premise is very simple: there is a $5 parlay card and you can play as many of these cards as you wish. There are 15 proposition bets on the card, all based on Sunday's game. The first of the "props" will be settled on the coin flip, the last will be settled when we know what type of score is the last of the game. In between are 13 other "props" and whoever picks the most wins the jackpot (any ties split).  Enter at the CVI or Bodines . . . ya can't win if 'ya don't play!  

Super Weekend at the Inn: As if all the guaranteed money we mentioned above wasn't enough to make this a Super Weekend at the CVI there's more!

• Outside: Looks like the weather's going to be mostly sunny and in the 50s for our Saturday afternoon tailgate party in TJ's Corral from 1 to 4 PM. We'll have burgers and chili bowls for sale plus beer, soda and, if it's really cold, hot chocolate . Add in live music by The Blues Monsters (it's free!), shenanigans and stories with former NFL players and some drawing prizes and you have quite a nice party! Can't believe we're saying this in January, but don't forget your sunscreen!
• Inside: On Sunday, we'll fill out the squares pool in the poker room (the crew down there can tell you how it all works) . . . then up in the casino we'll give away some NFL hats and shirts during the afternoon (somehow without interfering with the game or the commercials), $2 draft beer will be available, bar snacks will be ready for delivery right to your seat and we'll be taking bets on the game right up to kickoff and again at halftime.  

Jackets & Jackpots in February:  Our Friday and Saturday night drawings take on a little different twist in February and we'll tell you more about that in next week's blog.  The Jackets part of our February promotions kick in on February 1 which is a good enough reason to tell you about it now. We're also hoping that by talking about jackets, we might entice some winter weather which produces moisture and, maybe even some snow . . . and maybe even the need for a jacket! Anyway, there are two ways to win a CVI Logo Jacket during February and there are multiple colors in both men's and women's styles.  INN Club members receive a jacket by earning 200 points on any Monday in February (you keep the points) and also with every slot jackpot of $1,200 or more any day in February.

Poker Room Adds More New Twists: We don't know what's gotten into the crew in the poker room but they've come up with even more new stuff for February on top of the ongoing special games, tournaments, and promotions. The February Friday Night Hot Seat Drawings are every 45 minutes from 6 to 9 PM. Each winner gets $25 in cash and a chance to spin the promotions wheel for cash, free points, restaurant certificates and more. On Saturdays from 1 to 6 PM, the high hand each hour also gets to spin the wheel. Monday nights in February starting on the 9th, drawings for $40 will be held at 6, 7 and 8 PM. Players will accumulate drawing tickets all the previous week for any hand of a full house or higher in live play. Any unclaimed $40 prizes on any Monday carry over to the following Monday. This one is kind of like a Monday Night Football squares pool but without the football game or squares grid! There's also a free $2,000 Poker Tournament coming up, but more on that next week.

Valentine's Day Dining at the INN: Now is the time that restaurants start posting their specials for Valentine's Day. Some places get quite elaborate, others keep it simple. We have a pretty straightforward approach here at the Carson Valley Inn: both Katie's and CV Steak offer all of the regular menu items at the regular prices on Valentine's Day plus, we have two fantastic specials in each restaurant. If you are the one making the dinner plans: CV Steak always fills completely on Valentine's Day so we suggest you make your reservations as soon as possible by calling 775-783-6650.

Event Reminders:

• Ski Weekend: Our special ski weekend package for arrival on Friday, February 6 includes two nights in the hotel, a day of skiing each at Kirkwood and Heavenly, dining credits for CV Steak or Katie's, and a warm CVI Logo sweatshirt for après ski lounging! Click here for more.
• Ducks Unlimited Carson Valley Chapter Dinner: This annual fundraiser will fill our Valley Ballroom on Saturday, February 14. Tickets and more information are available from Scott Shattock at 760-221-3431.
• Republican Lincoln/Reagan Dinner: This long-standing tradition at the CVI is Sunday, February 15 and the go-to person for all the details is Linda Ruisi at 775-392-1038.
• Clay Shooting in February: Still a few openings for our 2015 Clay Shooting Weekend February 19 – 21. All the information is on our web site.
• Eagles & Agriculture: February 20 – 22 and  we suggest you register soon as some events are already full. Get all the information by clicking here or call the Chamber at 775-782-8144. 

As Always, Interesting, Helpful and Even Useful Tidbits and News

• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret: George Pickard tonight, Just Us Thursday – Saturday nights, the Super Bowl Sunday afternoon and evening and Steve Lord Monday through Wednesday nights.
• Braised Buffalo Short Ribs This Friday in CV Steak: One and a half pounds of American Bison short ribs braised and slow-cooked, finished with natural pan sauce. Served with tableside-tossed salad, vegetable and your choice of potato - au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked potato . . . all for $$29.00.
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: Get the 4^th collectible mug tonight and also enjoy hot seat drawings (four Wine Country Gift Baskets), ladies-only drink specials, a ladies-only slot tournament and more.
• Deflategate: That one's been kicked up one side and down the other this week so we aren't going there!

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit "0" when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department.  We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning! 

You CAN Get Here From There, Super Tailgate Party, Horse of the Year, More

Congratulations to local residents Steve and Carolyn Coburn and their partner Perry Martin on California Chrome winning the Eclipse Award for 2014 Horse of the Year and also being voted 3-year-old champion. "Chrome" won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and is the first Kentucky Derby winner to be voted Horse of the Year since Charismatic in 1999. Be sure to congratulate Steve next time you see him here at the CVI!! Speaking of horses, Mike Pegram's filly Global Hottie won the second race at Santa Anita on Sunday under jockey Victor Espinoza.

Cousin Vinny from New York: Seems like almost everyone has a cousin Vinny from New York. Perhaps his or her name isn't Vinny, but it's similar. And maybe he or she lives in "Jersey" instead of New York. You get the picture. This just may be the summer that you finally convince this east coast cousin to visit. And if he/she does, you'll definitely want the entourage to stay here at the Carson Valley Inn rather than at your home . . . ya know what I mean!!? Why this year? Because Jet Blue is starting nonstop service between Reno and New York in May. This plus some of the other new service recently added by the Reno-Tahoe International Airport could be a big help in getting our far-flung relatives and friends to finally come for a visit. RNO's webpage has an interactive map that allows you to see all the routes between the various cities around the country and Reno. Hey, check it out (imagine east coast accent)!

Tumble Weed, Jackass, Silver Spur, The Noose . . . Quick, without peeking below, guess if these terms are 1) characters or locations in a series of Spaghetti Westerns being shown by the Carson Valley Historical Society, 2) slang heard in our Poker Room for certain hands or situations, 3)  drink names, or 4) monikers for special areas of Sharkey's after it is remodeled?  We won't ask you which one you picked, and we have no idea if 1), 2) or 4) are partially or completely true, but these are definitely names for four of the many special martinis available in CV Steak. Check out the full list!

Tailgating, Drinking a Beer, Using Your Cell Phone, Loud Music . . . sound like a list of "don'ts" while driving? Well, it is - but all of these are allowed and encouraged in TJ's Corral on Saturday, January 31 from 1 to 4 p.m. at our Super Weekend Tailgate Party! We'll have cheeseburgers, hamburgers and chili bowls for sale plus beer plus soda, waters and hot chocolate, too. You can crank it up with FREE live music by The Blues Monsters and use your cell phone all you want and take selfies with former NFL players to post online. We'll also be passing out drawing tickets for merchandise prizes and the chance to win up to $2,500 post-party in the casino!

Event Reminders:

• BLM Thursday Night:  Reminder that the Bureau of Land Management is holding a meeting in our Valley Ballroom Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. to solicit comments for their Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Click here for more information and stop by to hear hundreds of government acronyms! 
• Savor the Flavor Saturday: A few more tickets are available for this fun evening of wine, micro brews and food . . . call Jeri at 775-771-6432.
• Ski the Weekend After Super Bowl: Our  special ski weekend package for arrival on Friday, February 6 includes two nights in the hotel, a day of skiing each at Kirkwood and Heavenly, dining credits for CV Steak or Katie's, and a warm CVI Logo sweatshirt for après ski lounging! Click here for more.
• Clay Shooting in February: Our 2015 Clay Shooting Weekend  February 19 – 21 includes a Thursday reception, Friday sporting clays at Walker River Resort, Saturday sporting clays at Carson Valley Clays, and a Saturday Awards Dinner.
• Don't Get Your Wings Clipped: The Eagles and Agriculture event on February 20 – 22 is filling fast. We checked with the Chamber yesterday and they told us there is still room on the Ranch & Eagle Tour for both Saturday and Sunday and for the Falconers’ Dinner Friday night (here at the CVI), but just about all of the smaller tours and photo workshop are full. Get all the information by clicking here or call the Chamber at 775-782-8144. 

As Always, Interesting, Helpful and Even Useful Tidbits and News

• Pro PK'em - $5,000 Guaranteed Payout on Super Bowl: No winner again last week so we rounded the pot to $5,000 and, as promised, it must be given away on Super Sunday. Play as many $5 parlay cards as you want and whoever gets the most of the 15 propositions correct wins the $5,000 (ties split)! Check at the Sportsbook at the CVI or Bodines Casino for the details.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret: Dale Poune tonight, Vegas Road Show Thursday – Saturday night, George Pickard Sunday through Wednesday nights.
• Grilled Duck Breast Friday in CV Steak: Maple Leaf Farms 9 oz. duck breast marinated with fresh herbs, grilled to medium rare-medium doneness with natural duck jus. Served with tableside-tossed salad, vegetable and your choice of potato - au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked potato . . . all for $28.00.
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: Tonight and next Wednesday we are giving away a collectible mug to the first 150 ladies who sign up. We also have ladies-only drink specials, a ladies-only slot tournament, hot seat prizes and more.
• Winter Weekend Winner: Congratulations to Yvette M. who won a deluxe room for two for Friday and Saturday nights, February 4 and 5 plus $100 in Dining Credit for use during her stay in any of our restaurants. Thanks to all who entered and watch for more giveaways in future blog postings.

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit "0" when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department.  We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!

Hoppertunity Wins, Snow Dance Needed, BLM Wants Your Opinion, Savor the Flavor, More

Hoppertunity Wins San Pasqual Stakes!   Mike's horse Hoppertunity, ridden by Martin Garcia, gave Hall of Fame trainer and Mike's good friend Bob Baffert his fifth crown in last Saturday's $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita. Bob is one of the three finalists for the Trainer of the Year at this Saturday's Eclipse Awards ceremonies at Gulfstream Park in Florida. You may remember that Hoppertunity was scratched from the Kentucky Derby just days before the race last May with a small hoof crack. The colt has now won half of his eight career starts with two seconds.

Anyone Know a Good Snow Dance?  Actually, it really doesn't have to be "good" or even entertaining – just effective! The nearby Sierra skiing is good now, but the slopes will need a refreshed white coating in the next couple of weeks . . . Thus the request for a snow dance! And of course we have an ulterior motive: We have a specially priced ski weekend package for arrival on Friday, February 6! There's two nights in the hotel, two days of skiing (one each at Kirkwood and Heavenly), dining credits for CV Steak or Katie's, and a warm CVI Logo sweatshirt for après ski lounging! How does it all work? What is the cost? Click here and check it out!

A Hawk and an Eagle Decide to Race - Who Wins?  Different birds fly and dive at different speeds. You'll learn about all about it - and much more - at the annual Eagles and Agriculture event on February 20 – 22 with most of the indoor events right here at the Carson Valley Inn. There are also ranch tours, owl prowls, photography seminars, and, if everything goes like it usually does, plenty of opportunity to see and photograph the eagles and other raptors that visit the Carson Valley every February during the calving season. Get all the information from the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce by clicking here or calling them at 775-782-8144. And please don't wait too long . . . The most popular Eagles and Agriculture events usually sell out in advance.

BLM Wants Your Opinion – Here at the CVI: The Bureau of Land Management is asking for comments about its Carson City District Draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The plan addresses areas of critical environmental concern, lands and realty, utility corridors, wind energy, travel management, recreation, fish and wildlife, minerals, wild and scenic rivers, public health and safety, and visual resource management. Three public meetings to review comments are coming up including one here in our Valley Ballroom from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 22. Copies of the documents are available in the Carson City District Office or at this link. How big is the Carson City District?  Try approximately 4.8 million acres (bigger than the size of New Jersey) of public land in 11 counties within two states!

Soroptimist Savor the Flavor: We mentioned this event in last week's blog and a few people asked us what it's all about. Pretty simple . . . It's an evening of fine wines, microbrews and spirits! Enjoy all you want of food samplings from almost a dozen area restaurants and wash it down with a variety of wines and microbrews – it's all included in the $50 ticket price! The 19th Annual Savor the Flavor is here in our Valley Ballroom on Saturday, January 24 and it's produced proudly by Soroptimist International of Carson Valley to raise funds for the many community organizations they support. More information is available by calling Jeri at 775-771-6432.

Winter Weekend for Two Still Up for Grabs: Great response so far to the note we had in last week's blog about this giveaway!! As a reminder, you can win a Deluxe room for two for Friday and Saturday nights, February 4 and 5 plus $100 in Dining Credit for use during your stay in any of our restaurants.  To enter to win this complimentary weekend visit, simply click here and send us an email with your name. We'll choose a winner this coming Tuesday and announce the winner in our blog on Wednesday, January 20. One entry per email address, please.

As Always, Interesting, Helpful and Even Useful Tidbits and News

• Monthly Blackjack Tournament Winners: David Myers captured first place and won $590 in our first monthly blackjack tournament of 2015 last night. The remainder of the pot went $350for second to Teresa Sexton and  $235 for third to Diana Plavala. The next tournament is Tuesday, February 10 and the entry is just $25.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret: Greg Austin tonight, Decades Thursday – Saturday night, NFL Divisional Championship Games daytime Sunday, Dale Poune Sunday through Wednesday nights. Decades presents a vibrant and diverse act from Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" to Katy Perry’s “California Girls."  The energetic young group's harmonies and energized rhythm section truly shine when playing hits from the 1950's to today.
• Roasted Stuffed Quail Friday in CV Steak: with prosciutto, wild rice and plum port glaze, served with tableside-tossed salad, vegetable all for $28.00.
  
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: Tonight and every Wednesday in January we're giving away a different collectible mug to the first 150 ladies who sign up. We also have ladies-only drink specials, a ladies-only slot tournament, hot seat prizes and more.
• Pro PK'em Progressive Jackpot Update: Another week without a winner so the pot goes up to $4684 and we try again with this weekend's two NFL Conference Championship. It's just $5 per parlay card - pick all 15 propositions and you win progressive jackpot.
• Super Weekend Kickoff: We're working on the final details for a Tailgate Party on Saturday, January 31 from 1 to 4 PM in TJ's Corral with entertainment by The Blues Monsters, food and drinks for sale, former NFL players on hand and more . . . watch for details in next week's blog.

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit "0" when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department.  We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!

Win A Winter Weekend at CVI, Antiques Show, New Trails Video, More

Carson Valley Trails: Hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders all have a a variety of trails to enjoy in, around, and overlooking the beautiful Carson Valley. The latest Carson Valley Rider video from the Carson Valley Visitors Authority gives a visual overview . . . and trail maps and more information are available on the Carson Valley Trails Association website. Naturally, the Carson Valley Inn is right in the heart of this system and the perfect "base" for a recreational visit to our area!

It’s Happening in January at the CVI! 

When you hold your event at the CVI we always try to help get the word out in this blog, in our Carson & Valley Voice newspaper mailer and through our Social Media – all at no extra charge. Here are just a couple of upcoming events:

• Antique Show, Sale & Appraisal: This Saturday & Sunday. Contact Marsha Williams at 775-782-4951 for more information. Admission is $2.50 and part of this fee benefits the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra. 
• Soroptimist Savor the Flavor: Saturday, January 24. Contact Jeri Johnson at 775-771-6432 for tickets. 

Win A Winter Weekend for Two at the Carson Valley Inn!

How would you like to stay at the Carson Valley Inn on the weekend after Super Bowl for free? That's a great time to visit our area for any of the many winter sports available in the nearby Sierra range: Skiing (Heavenly's Nevada side lodges are less than a half hour drive), snowmobiling, snowshoeing or whatever your favorite activity. Or, kickback and enjoy a relaxing weekend get-a-way with great food, entertainment and some casino fun. We'll provide a Deluxe room for two for Friday and Saturday nights, February 6 and 7 plus $100 in Dining Credit for use during your stay in any of our restaurants . . . the winter recreation - or the kicking back and relaxing part - is up to you. To enter to win this complementary weekend visit, simply click here and send us an email with your name. We'll choose a winner on January 20 and announce the winner in our blog on Wednesday, January 21. One entry per email address, please.

Football and More Sports This Weekend at the Inn

With the NFL Divisional Playoffs this Saturday and Sunday, and College Football National Championship on Monday, we'll have three days of exciting football action at the CVI. Throw in a full schedule of NBA basketball games, hundreds of NCAA college games, horse racing around the country (see Tidbits section below), NHL Hockey and the resumption of the PGA Tour with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Maui . . . and you have many opportunities to watch, bet and enjoy sports at the CVI. The Big Screen in Cabaret Lounge will have the "game of the hour" and three dozen more TVs will be carrying sports action in the Cabaret Lounge, Casino Bar, Table Games Area, CV Steak Bar and Poker Room. And if you get hungry while you're watching at the CVI, no need to get up - we'll deliver any of our mouthwatering bar munchies right to your seat while you keep on watching!

Sports Car, Jet Fighter or Video Slot?  Here's the answer to last week's question: it's the new Sphinx video gaming device located near the casino bar. Our slot techs gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how the 3D works and a full tour of the visually stimulating high-definition 3D bonus scenes complete with all the enhancements including rumbling, vibration and sound. We tried to capture it on a video . . . but the 3D just doesn't come out and the vibration made it difficult to steady the camera. This is a truly an incredible multi-sensory experience unlike no other slot device we've seen! The entertainment value is reason enough to give it a try . . . and winnings are a welcome extra!

As Always, Interesting, Helpful and Even Useful Tidbits and News –A Little More Than Usual This Week:

• Monthly Blackjack Tournament: the first in our series of 2015 monthly blackjack tournaments is Tuesday in the table games area of our casino. It's just $25 to get in and all the initial buy-ins and all re-buys go into the prize pool. There's usually $1000-$1500 up for grabs with 50% of the pot going to first place, 30% for second and 20% forthird. The $25 entry fee is worth the entertainment value of the tournament . . . Win, place, or show and you'll have more than your original investment back in your pocket!
• Poker Room Squares Pool: the crew in the poker room always has some little "extra" going on and this Monday it's a Squares Pool for the NCAA football championship game. Players are earning a spot in this pool with every Full House or better during live play this week until the board is full. The payoff? $50 at the end of the first three quarters and $50 on the final score.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret: Paul Covarelli tonight, Stew Stewart Thursday – Saturday night, AFC & NFC Divisional Playoff Games daytime Saturday and Sunday, Greg Austin Sunday through Wednesday nights and the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday evening.
• Grilled Elk Medallions Friday in CV Steak: two 3 oz. elk tenderloin medallions grilled and finished with demi and sundried cherries. As always, served with tableside-tossed salad, vegetable and your choice of potato - au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked potato . . . all for $29.00.
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: Tonight and every Wednesday in January we'll be giving away a collectible mug (different each week) to the first 150 ladies who sign up. We also have ladies-only drink specials, a ladies-only slot tournament, hot seat prizes and more.
• Pro PK'em Progressive Jackpot Update: Another week without a winner so the pot goes up to $4621 and we try again with this weekend's NFL playoff games. It's just $5 per parlay card - pick all 15 propositions and you win the progressive jackpot. Four of the 15 props are First Half scores - so they pay both ways in cases of a tie.
• Are the Horses Racing in Your Home State? Check this list and then stop by our Race and Sports Book to place your bet, watch the races, and perhaps when a few dollars! We are taking action and showing races from the following tracks this weekend: Aqueduct (NY), Fair Grounds (LA), Golden Gate Fields (CA), Gulfstream Park (FL), Laurel Park (MD), Santa Anita Park (CA), and Turfway Park (KY).

Comments?? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit "0" when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department.  We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!