Pizza and Beer, Coffins & Cheer plus Much More

Pizza and Beer, Coffins and Cheer – It's All in the Family!

And by family we mean the Carson Valley Inn and our two sister casinos Sharkey's Casino and Bodines Casino. And here's how it all ties together: 

Bodines' stone-fired made-to-order pizza and a cold beer!

• Pizza and Beer: this one falls squarely on Bodines Casino - the perfect place to celebrate Pizza and Beer Day this Sunday or any day! Bodines' 19 different bottled beers and half-dozen beers on tap provide a generous choice of accompaniments for your made-to-order pizza cooked in Bodines stone-fired pizza oven, specially built to maintain a stone surface temperature of 450° and an internal temperature of nearly 600°. Each pizza is hand tossed, loaded with the ingredients you request, rotated during the cooking process and served piping hot!
• Coffins: it's over to Sharkey's Casino for this one as the Silver Dollar Bar is the perfect place to quench your thirst after the 2nd Annual Slaughterhouse Lane Coffin Races this Saturday

  

  All this a stone's throw from Sharkey's Saturday

  right across the street in Heritage Park. This event is quite unusual with  teams of four pushers propelling a rider in their "handmade" coffin. For some reason there are four pages of rules and those not meeting the rules or not having fun are subject to receiving some type of undefined "special recognition." It's no wonder some participants also tune-up at Sharkey's Silver Dollar Bar before the race!
• Cheer:  we're back to the Carson Valley Inn for this one and the "cheer" has to do with a Christmas theme to an event we've presented before during a non-holiday season – Late Nite Catechism. Here for one sold-out night in 2014, we’re clearing the decks for two nights in early December for their special approach to Holy Nite Comedy!! Watch next week for the details!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and no one event in the Carson Valley recognizes it more visually, audibly or financially than Bunko for Breast Cancer this Saturday night in our Valley Ballroom. We’ve mentioned this event the last few weeks and we give you this one last reminder in the hopes you will participate or at least stop by and show your support. With sports characters as the theme, you're likely to see anything . . . And please remember all proceeds stay locally and support the Carson Tahoe Cancer Resource Center!

A Few Tidbits:

• TG Sheppard Next Month: A reminder that TG Sheppard returns for a special acoustic concert in the Valley Ballroom on Saturday night, November 12. Tickets are $25 and are available at the hotel desk or by calling 775-783-6606. A special 2-night hotel package is also available that includes tickets for TG’s Concert. All the details are at this link.
• Why So Many Handbags, Ladies?  Turns out there is actually a National Handbag Day. It’s next Monday and if you have space in your closet for yet another handbag, don’t miss out on our Ladies Night promotion on Wednesdays ‘cause this month you have an opportunity to win a Coach Handbag and Wallet. 

Sports and Race Book:

• This week you can bet Major League Baseball Playoffs, Horseracing, NFL and NCAA Football, the WNBA Finals and Saturday’s Bank of America 500 NASCAR race.  Also on the board: updated futures bets on who will win the World Series, the 2016 Season NCAA Football Championship and the February, 2017 Super Bowl.
• The PRO PK’EM Parlay Progressive is now at $3102 – pick all 15 NFL games straight up on the $5 card and it’s yours!
• Chatter around the Sportsbook: it's fun to talk to Mike and Jim at the sports book on Tuesday mornings after all the odds for the week have been posted. We asked them each what their pics were for this week.
• Jim didn’t even want to talk football, he likes the Giants tonight with Bumgarner pitching.
• Mike’s philosophy is always take the underdog when there’s a big point spread and neither team has proven to be very good so far this year. His picks this week: take Texas and the points versus Oklahoma in their storied Red River Rivalry and take Purdue and the points in their battle with Illinois for the Perdue Cannon.
• Which NFL games are garnering the most chatter by our CVI fans this week? The Cards vs. Niners because who would’ve thought they would both be 1-3 at this point, the Falcons (3-1) vs. the Broncos (4-0) and the Chargers vs. the Raiders because of the obvious local appeal, the tie to Coach Tice and the upward trend for the Raiders.

Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge:  Jonathon “JB” Barton entertains tonight,  Justin Lee and his band are in Thursday through Saturday, we show NFL Football on the Big Screen in the Cabaret on Sunday and Monday nights and George Pickard performs next Tuesday and Wednesday.  With his self-titled EP release in 2015, Justin Lee burst onto the country music scene. The up-and-coming musician has gone from playing in a cover band with his buddies to performing on the same stage as acts like The Band Perry, Parmalee and Jake Owen. Justin has performed at ShipKicker in Long Beach and Night in the Country, Nevada’s largest country music festival. Click here for the upcoming lineup of free entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge.

• In the Casino



Get Your Free Long Sleeve
CVI T-Shirt Monday

• Ladies’ Night Tonight: The fun runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with free Pumpkin Picture Frame gifts to the first 150 ladies, Gift Baskets by Shelly Camp as hot seat prizes, games, drink specials, FREE Bingo and chances to win drawing entries for the October 26 drawing for a free Coach Handbag and Wallet.  
• Bingo Thursday: Come in and play Bingo on the odd hour, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and win $50 - $100 instantly!  Simply be in the casino playing slots or table games using your INN Club card and watch for our staff bringing around Free Bingo Cards. 
• Friday Drawings: Weekly drawings in our October Progressive Giveaways Promotion are at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. with plenty of cash and free play and the chance to win the $5,000 progressive jackpot. Use your INN Club card while you play!
• 4X Points Saturday: Every Saturday in October earn 4X Points all day.
• Free T-Shirt Mondays: We're giving away Free Long Sleeve CVI T-Shirts every Monday through October 24th!  To qualify, simply earn 75 points the same day and the free T-Shirt is yours . . . plus you keep the points! The gray shirts were last Monday . . . watch for a different color each Monday.
• Senior Mondays: Seniors 55 and over are invited to our Senior Mondays during October from 8 AM to 11 AM in the Cabaret Lounge. We have free coffee and cookies, free bingo games and a chance to win free play and cash! Someone under 55 asked us last week "If I have senior moments on Monday’s does that count?" The answer to that one is simple: Wait a minute . . . What was the question again?
• Blackjack Tournament Tuesday: Our monthly blackjack tournament has a $25 buy-in and all the entry fees and re-buys – usually over $1000 – are paid out in prize money to the top three finishers. Sign up start at 5 PM in the pit area and anyone in our table games department can tell you how it works.
• Our Penny Progressive was a few dollars short of $22,000 on Tuesday Night. Unlike the many statewide progressives, this jackpot can only be won on one of the Triple Red Hot 7's slots at the CVI, Sharkey’s or Bodines.
• Poker Room: Our Poker Room offers a Monday Night Football squares grid plus Featured Games, Tournaments and Special Promotions with something going on every day of the week.  Click here for all that’s happening in our poker room
• Here’s a Handy Page with all our October Casino Promotions!
• In Our Restaurants
• Wednesday is Italian Day/Night in Katie’s – three specials at $6.99 each! Check all the Katie’s Daily Specials at this link.
• The 18-Piece Sushi Platter Special is served in CV Steak on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
• Our Friday special in CV Steak is Braised Lamb Shank with Barley Risotto for $28.  Saturday night’s special is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. All three specials are served with fresh vegetable, choice of rice or potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked), tableside tossed salad and warm demi-loaf of bread.
• Click the restaurant name for more info, specials and links to menus for Katie’s, CV Steak and Jobs Perk at the CVI . . . or our nearby sister property restaurants, the Jackpot Café at Sharkey's Casino and the Bodines Restaurant at Bodines Casino. 

Planning a Stay at the CVI? You will always get the best rate by booking directly with the Carson Valley Inn either online or by calling our Reservation Department directly at 775-783-6629 or 800-321-6983.

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or 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!

TG Sheppard Returns, New Casino Promotions, Another Beer Day, More

His Last Acoustic Performance at the CVI Sold Out!

TG Sheppard Returning in November!  Combined with 21 number one hits, and being ranked among the top 100 country artists of all time, TG Sheppard’s unstoppable passion for music has made him one of the most popular live performers on tour today. T.G.'s first commercial album in over 13 years "Legendary Friends & Country Duets" was released a year ago - a duet CD with some of music's biggest icons including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Kelly Lang, Ricky Skaggs, The Oak Ridge Boys, Englebert Humperdink, Lorrie Morgan, Crystal Gayle, Delbert McClinton, The Whites, Mickey Gilley, Steve Cropper, Jimmy Fortune, and Wayne Jackson and the Memphis Horns. TG will bring an acoustical evening full of chart topping hits like "Last Cheaters Waltz","I Loved 'Em Everyone","Do You Wanna Go To Heaven", "Party Time" and many more to the intimate setting of the Valley Ballroom on Saturday night, November 12. Tickets are $25 and are available starting at 9 a.m. today at the hotel desk or by calling 775-783-6606. A special 2-night package is also available that includes tickets for TG’s Concert. All the details are at this link.

Which Would Your Choose: A New Harley or $10,000

October Rolls In Saturday – But First, A Harley?  Two quick suggestions: First, don’t miss out on the Grand Prize Drawings this Friday at 6 PM and 8 PM our September Cash/Harley giveaway promotion. It’s all about the Golden Tickets and the chance to win generous amounts of cash, free play and even a brand-new Harley or $10,000! Second, Saturday brings October and new casino promotions for you to enjoy so be sure to look through the In the Casino section below as there just might be something there that catches your interest.

19 Bottled Beers at Bodines, Over a Dozen at CVI &
Sharkey's, plenty of draft choices, what's that add up to? 

Not Another Beer Day!! Not to be confused with International Beer Day (August 5) or National Beer Day (April 7), today is National Drink Beer Day. Turns out that according to one survey, beer is America’s #1 social drink of choice (can you guess what came in second?), Americans love domestic beer over imported beer by a 2-to-1 margin and some states are more prone than others to have beer as the top drink to enjoy with friends at a bar or other social venue. We started counting up how many different bottled beers and draft beers we have between our two bars at the Carson Valley Inn, the Silver Dollar Bar at Sharkey’s Casino and the Casino Bar and the Sports Bar at Bodines Casino and . . . . well the total was close to one of the numbers in this song!

Bunko for Breast Cancer is coming up Saturday, October 8 and we hope you’re planning to attend this jubilant event with eclectically costumed wanna-be-sports-stars in our Valley ballroom. More information is available on the Bunko for Breast Cancer Web Page or the Bunko for Breast Cancer Facebook Page.  However you choose to get the information, please do get involved in some form or another – All proceeds support the Carson Tahoe Cancer Resource Center!

Sports and Race Book:

• This week you can bet Major League Baseball, Horseracing, NFL and NCAA Football, the semi-finals of the WNBA Playoffs and Sunday’s Citizen Solder 400 NASCAR race.  Also on the board: updated futures bets on who will win the World Series, the 2016 Season NCAA Football Championship and the February, 2017 Super Bowl.
• The PRO PK’EM Parlay Progressive is now at $2986 – pick all 15 NFL games straight up on the $5 card and it’s yours!
• Chatter around the Sportsbook: Lots of talk, speculation and action on three big college conference games this weekend between undefeated teams. Friday night, Stanford (3-0) battles Washington (4-0), midday Saturday Wisconsin travels to Michigan (both 4-0) and Saturday evening Louisville takes on Clemson (both 4-0).  On the NFL front, the Raiders (2-1) continued to draw more interest (and more bets!) for their Sunday morning game against the undefeated Ravens. You can watch and bet these games plus many more here at the CVI. 

The Nighthawks This Weekend in Cabaret Lounge

Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge:  John Palmore entertains tonight,  The Nighthawks are in Thursday through Saturday, we show NFL Football on the Big Screen in the Cabaret on Sunday and Monday nights and Jonathon “JB” Barton performs next Tuesday and Wednesday.  A popular local (Gardnerville/Wellington) country and rock band, The Nighthawks specialize in popular dance tunes from the 60's and 70's. The group performs a wide variety of styles covering artists from Alan Jackson to ZZ Top, including great classic country tunes and expert performances of classic rock songs. The Nighthawks are Mike Clark (bass), Leon Leet (guitar), Mark Harris (guitar) John Mcknight (drums) and, when the guys are nice to her, Wendy Adkisson on vocals. Click here for the upcoming lineup of free entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge.

This Week at the CVI

• In the Casino
• Ladies’ Night Tonight: The fun runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. with free lighted mirror gifts to the first 150 ladies, World Market Baskets as hot seat prizes, games, drink specials, FREE Bingo and the big drawing for a free Day Spa Package at Pure Glow.
• Bingo Thursday: Come in and play Bingo on the odd hour, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and win $50 - $100 instantly!  Simply be in the casino playing slots or table games using your INN Club card and watch for our staff bringing around Free Bingo Cards. 
• Friday Drawings: Grand prize drawings in our September Harley Promotion are at 6 and 8 p.m. with plenty of cash, free play at the chance to win a brand-new Harley or $10,000. Use your INN Club card while you play!
• 4X Points Saturday: this Saturday and every Saturday in October earn 4X Points all day.
• Ladies Poker Tournament Sunday: Our monthly Ladies-Only Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament is late Sunday afternoon with sign ups starting at 4 p.m. There’s a $40 buy-in, no re-buys and lots of fun extras.
• Free T-Shirt Mondays: We're giving away Free Long Sleeve CVI T-Shirts every Monday through October 24th!  To qualify, simply earn 75 points the same day and the free T-Shirt is yours . . . plus you keep the points!
• Senior Mondays: Seniors 55 and over are invited to our Senior Mondays during October from 8 AM to 11 AM in the Cabaret Lounge. We’ll have free coffee and cookies, free bingo games and a chance to win free play and cash!
• Our Penny Progressive had topped $19,000 on Tuesday Night – only can be won on one of the Triple Red Hot 7's slots at the CVI, Sharkey’s or Bodines.
• Poker Room: Our Poker Room offers a Monday Night Football squares grid plus Featured Games, Tournaments and Special Promotions with something going on every day of the week – plus an Omaha 4-8 ½ kill Hi-Lo game is back on Mondays (sure sounds like Peyton Manning calling an audible!)  Click here for all that’s happening in our poker room
• Here’s a Handy Page with all our September Casino Promotions!
• In Our Restaurants
• Wednesday is Italian Day/Night in Katie’s – three specials for just $6.99 each! Check all the Katie’s Daily Specials at this link.
• The 18-Piece Sushi Platter Special is served in CV Steak on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
• Our Friday special in CV Steak is Roasted Stuffed Quail for $28.  Saturday night’s special is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. All three specials are served with fresh vegetable, choice of rice or potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked), tableside tossed salad and warm demi-loaf of bread.
• Click the restaurant name for more info, specials and links to menus for Katie’s, CV Steak and Jobs Perk at the CVI . . . or our nearby sister property restaurants, the Jackpot Café at Sharkey's Casino and the Bodines Restaurant at Bodines Casino.

Planning a Stay at the CVI? You will always get the best rate by booking directly with the Carson Valley Inn either online or by calling our Reservation Department directly at 775-783-6629 or 800-321-6983.

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or 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!

College Basketball, Lacy J. Dalton, St. Patrick's Day Fun, Easter Dining, More

Lacy Bringing Three More Artists

Join us in the Valley Ballroom on Friday, April 8 when Lacy J. Dalton, one of the most distinctive female country singers of the '80s, invites everyone to help support Nevada's wild horses at a special charity event sponsored by her Let'em Run Foundation. Dale Poune, comedian Huck Finn and the singing group All Hat and No Cattle will be joining Lacy for a full evening of entertainment. Soak it all in for $20 . . .  get your tickets at the CVI hotel desk or call 775-783-6606. And be sure to check this page on our website for the 2016 concert lineup so far in TJ’s Corral.

College Basketball News and Links

• The American Gaming Association is estimating Americans will wager $9.2 billion on March Madness this year and complete more than 70 million brackets which will likely surpass the number of ballots voters cast for any single presidential candidate in the November election. Read the entire article here.
• While most people in the country – and certainly most who come to our sports book – are focused on the NCAA Tournament and the associated bracketology, there are many local fans supporting the Nevada Wolfpack as they start play tonight in the College Basketball Invitational. We’re taking action on all these games plus the games in the NIT, the collegeinsider.com tournament and the Vegas 16 tournament.
• Until the start of the first game Thursday, you can also place bets on who will win the NCAA Tournament. Odds range from 5 to 1 all the way to 75 to 1.
• We’ll have a parlay card out today for the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. As usual, pick between 3 and 10 games. Trivia: We will have to exclude 4 of the “Round of 64” games on this card. Do you know which games and why?
• Also on the board (you may have to ask at the Sports Book as the “Board” has been overrun by basketball) are Major League Baseball Exhibition Games, Horseracing, NBA Basketball, NHL Hockey, Sunday’s Auto Club 400 NASCAR Race in Fontana, CA, select MMA/UFC Fights this weekend and the Masters coming up on April 7 – 10.

• Cash and Freeplay giveaway drawings at noon, 2, 4 and 6 p.m. with five winners each time.
• 16-ounce domestic drafts for $2 in the Cabaret .
• Extended live entertainment starting at 2 p.m. with The Blues Monsters and continuing with Melissa Dru and her band from 7 to midnight.
• $6.99 Corned Beef and Cabbage in Katie’s from 11 a.m.to 10 p.m. 

Easter Dining at the Inn: Katie's and CV Steak are serving their regular menu plus specials on Easter Sunday. CV Steak Easter Specials from 4:30 p.m. are a 12 oz. Grilled Veal Chop marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, wine, apple cider and herbs, fire grilled and finished with a wild mushroom cream sauce for $34. The Grilled Salmon “Oscar Style” includes grilled fillet of Atlantic salmon topped with crab, asparagus, béarnaise sauce and port wine glaze for $32. For CV Steak reservations, call 775-783-6650 (The Sunset Menu is not available on Easter Sunday). Katie's is serving two Easter specials from 2 to 9 p.m.: Orange Glazed Baked Ham with sweet mashed potatoes for $12.99 and Roast Leg of Lamb with minted pan gravy and mashed potatoes for $14.99. Click for more on the Easter Specials. Just as we were finishing this section, our Pastry Chef advised us that she and her crew will have Easter Bunny Cakes for sale at the Katie's Bakery Counter starting Saturday . .  we'll snap a picture for next week's blog.

Free Cabaret Lounge Entertainment: George Pickard is here tonight, Melissa Dru entertains Thursday through Saturday nights and Jonny Smokes takes the stage Sunday through Tuesday. Melissa Dru and her band cover a wide mix including classic rock, R&B and a bit of country; everything from Pink Floyd to Patsy Cline. Jonny Smokes enthusiastically delivers a high-tech, one-man exhibition that draws attention, amazement and positive raves every time he appears in our Cabaret Lounge. The Blues Monsters are also performing Thursday afternoon starting at 2 p.m. for St. Patrick's Day.

Interesting, Helpful and Even Useful Tidbits and News

• Cash Party Saturday: There’s a guarantee of $5,000+ in cash giveaways this Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. in the second Cash Party of our $80,000 All-Cash Love & Luck Giveaway Promotion. We’ll have drawings every 20 minutes, snacks served randomly throughout the day, hot seats, gifts, and a guaranteed $5,000+ in cash giveaways.
• Our Three Card Poker table is now open by noon on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. No need to wait until swing shift on the weekends to play this relatively new (invented in the 1990s) game originally known as Casino Brag.
• Ladies’ Night Tonight: The first 150 ladies who sign up for Ladies’ Night tonight receive the second of four Jennifer Aniston Luxury Fragrance items.  Also tonight: a ladies-only drink special, games and hot seat prizes – this week for Chocolate Shoppe Gifts.
• Quail Friday, Prime Rib Saturday, King Crab Sunday in CV Steak:  Our Friday special is Roasted Stuffed Quail with prosciutto, wild rice pilaf and plumb port glaze for $28. Saturday night’s special in CV Steak is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. All three specials are served with fresh vegetable, choice of rice or potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked), tableside tossed salad and warm demi-loaf of bread.
• Monday’s CVI Polo Shirt is maroon and you can have one just for earning 150 points on the same day. Check at Guest Services for your shirt and remember, you keep those 150 points for comps or Freeplay!
• Because We Feel Like Mentioning It
• Friday is Awkward Moments Day. Like the awkward moment we had last week when our Blog briefly and prematurely alluded to another 2016 Concert in TJ’s Corral. We will have that all cleared up by next week.
• Saturday is Poultry Day.  We suggest you make it a two-day event by starting with our Saturday $5.99 Eggs Benedict Special in Katie’s and then come back for our $5.99 Chandler Chicken Dinner on Sunday!

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or 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!

Nevada Football Coach at CVI, Thanksgiving Dinner for 10 to Go, Community Food Drive, More

Raise Your Hand if you and your family of four have been invited to someone's house for Thanksgiving dinner and told you don't have to bring anything, the complete dinner will be provided, they want you to come early to watch football and not even participate in the preparation. Hmm, not very many hands went up. Now, raise your hand if you're still trying to  figure out what to do about Thanksgiving dinner and you really don't want to go through all the shopping, cleaning, cutting, slicing, cooking etc. but, you'd still like to have a nice home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner served for your family and friends on your dining room table and leftovers the next day! Aha, a lot more hands went up! As you might imagine – because we never would've brought it up if this weren't the case – we have a solution: order one of our Thanksgiving Turkey Dinners To Go for up to 10 people for just $89 and all you have to worry about is inviting a few friends, setting the table, serving the food, and cleaning up afterwards. Sound a lot simpler? You bet it does! How can you get such a deal? Click here and a flyer tells you how!

Tough Game Last Week Coach.  While the Nevada Wolf Pack didn’t make it into the “Win” column last Saturday at Wyoming, the stage is still set for their game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors this Saturday. Two days later – that’s this Monday, October 26 – Wolfpack Coach Brian Polian will be holding his weekly Blitz Lunch in our Valley Ballroom and all Pack fans are invited to attend. If you have been to one of these luncheons you know they’re pretty informal, always informative, and certainly affordable at just $17.  Coach usually brings one of the key players and always brings some “behind the scenes” explanations of the game film he shares with the audience. No reservations are necessary, just show up when we start gathering at 11:30 a.m. Lunch is buffet style and Coach’s presentation immediately follows lunch.

CV Steak Garners Quite a Nice Review! Local resident Michele Armstrong publishes a blog under the title Small Town Living in Nevada and she paid us a visit in CV Steak last week. Follow her story about enjoying our Escargot, 14 oz. Rib Eye Steak, Surf N Turf, Nevada Grill and all the trimmings!

Burger Wars: Vote once each day thru this Thursday (that’s tomorrow!) in the 2015 Burger Wars poll being conducted by carsonvalleytimes.com. The Volcano is our entry from the Jackpot Café in Sharkeys Casino. This is the way to go if you’re looking for the good old-fashioned cowboy spicy hot taste in a burger.  The Gourmet Burger is served in CV Steak and it comes in two versions: The French Disaster and The American Disaster. You can read all about them and cast your vote on this page.

Disney Characters Run Amok in the CVI Valley Ballroom! What is this . . . a sensationalist headline from The Enquirer?  Well, there's some sensationalism and a lot of truth because it pretty well describes what you'll see Saturday night in our Valley Ballroom when the 15^th Annual Bunko for Breast Cancer kicks in right around 6 PM. Carson Tahoe Cancer Resource Center is the beneficiary as over 200 costumed and boisterous enthusiasts play bunco, scream, party and generally push the limits of sanity. The event is graciously organized and enthusiastically run by the many volunteers at the Minden GE plant. It’s still not too late to get involved in the evening’s play  . . . call Sheila at 775 215-1626 or Pamela at 775-215-1001.

Share Your Christmas: Christmas . . .  already?! Don’t act surprised – it’s already happening in many stores. We can’t escape it, so join in by grabbing your phone, tablet or paper calendar and marking Friday, December 11 for the annual KTVN 22nd Annual Share Your Christmas Drive-By Food Drive.

Race and Sports Book:

• This week you can watch and bet Horseracing, Major League Baseball playoff games, NFL and College Football, and Sunday’s NASCAR CAMPINGWORLD.COM 500 At Talladega Speedway.
• The PRO PK’EM jackpot is up to $3,495 on this week’s progressive parlay card. Remember, pick all the games straight up and you win!
• Games our sports book crew is following with interest this weekend (in addition to our “local” teams): Cal vs. UCLA Thursday, Utah vs. USC Saturday, and Patriots vs. Jets and Cowboys vs. Giants on Sunday.

The Blues Monsters

Cabaret Lounge Entertainment – No Cover, No Minimum – Free! George Pickard performs tonight; entertainment takes a night off on Thursday so we can show the 49ers - Seahawks game. The Blues Monsters are in Friday and Saturday nights, NFL Football is on Sunday and Monday Nights and Jonathan "JB" Barton appears next Tuesday and Wednesday. The Blues Monsters are a red-hot rockin' blues band performing a powerfully unique combination of R&B, funk, jazz, and Chicago-style blues – this one is a "don't miss." Whether paying respects to the masters of traditional blues, or rockin' out other tunes, The Blues Monsters get the whole house up and dancing! The Forty Niners and Seahawks are struggling NFL teams and, believe it or not, the winner is guaranteed at least a tie for 2^nd in the NFC West Division.

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

• Mike’s Horses: Good results for Mike at Santa Anita last Sunday! Pretty N Cool won the Matron Stakes with Martin Garcia on board and Victor Espinoza rode Toews On Ice to first place in the Speakeasy Stakes and Five Palms to 2^nd in Race # 8.
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: The first 150 ladies to sign up tonight receive a Free Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet & Magnet and ladies-only drink specials and there are Halloween Wine & Country Gift Baskets for the hot seat prizes tonight. Also just for October: Earn just 50 points during Ladies Night and receive a free ladies shirt plus you keep the points! Tonight’s free shirt is a long sleeve pink t-shirt.
• Game Tips Friday, Prime Rib Saturday, King Crab Sunday in CV Steak:  Our Friday Special this week is Elk Game Tips - sautéed and finished with a brandy apple mushroom risotto for $25.00. Saturday night its Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. All these specials are served with fresh vegetable, choice of rice or potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked), tableside tossed salad and warm demi-loaf of bread.
• Because we feel like mentioning it:
• Today is National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day and we have fresh-made (in our bakery) pumpkin cheesecake for sale – either whole cheesecakes at the Katie's bakery counter or by the slice in Katie’s Restaurant. Today is also Babbling Day – a celebration day for those who communicate with a glib tongue. Just don’t talk while your mouth is full of cheesecake!
• Tomorrow is National Nut Day which can go two ways; a day to honor all of the nutty people in the world or a day to celebrate nutritious and healthy nuts (food) of all kinds.
• Sunday is Mother-In-Law Day. Let us know how many cards you find in Walgreens or Raley's for Mother-In-Law Day! Turns out that Sunday is also World Pasta Day. Perhaps take your mother-in-law out for a pasta dinner? Conveniently, we just happen to feature a Spaghetti and Meatballs special on Sundays in The Jackpot Café at Sharkey’s!

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! 

Tanya Tucker Concert Announced, Davisson Brothers Tickets on Sale, Sharkey's Next Week? and More

Tanya Tucker Coming to TJ's Corral July 3!

Only 13 when her provocative "Delta Dawn" caused a nationwide stir and became a Top 10 country hit, Tanya Tucker has built one of the most successful and compelling careers in music. Considered one of the very few females of the "outlaw" country movement, she holds a Grammy award, two Country Music Association awards, Two Academy of Country Music awards, and three CMT Awards. 23 of her albums have landed in the country Top 40 chart since her 1972 debut, and she has amassed 10 #1 country singles, 33 that have reached the Top 5, and 41 in the Top 10.  Catch her live in TJ's Corral on Friday, July 3!

Davisson Brothers Tickets on Sale:

Loving Mary to open for Davisson Brothers

In other CVI Concert News, Loving Mary will bring their mix of Rock, Country and a touch of Alternative to the TJ's Corral stage on June 12 to open for the The Davisson Brothers. The two groups of young country artists will combine for quite an entertaining start to the Carson Valley Days weekend and tickets are on sale now for just $22.50! Click here for the full lineup of all the concerts scheduled so far for TJ's corral.

Silver Dollar Bar
Taking Shape at Sharkey's

Sharkey's Could Open Next Week!  Talk about a frenzy of last-minute activity and finishing touches . . . well, it's all coming together and, if things keep progressing in a positive manner, Sharkey's Casino should be reopened by the end of next week! We'll be serving a bunch of cold draft beers on tap at the Silver Dollar Bar, have over 200 slots fired up, the Sports Book will be taking bets and our Guest Services folks will be churning out Sharkey's Player Club cards. Within a week after the casino opens, the Jackpot Café restaurant will start serving and, after getting a peek at the menu, we know you're going to be pleased with the variety and value of this additional eatery in the core of Gardnerville.

Plenty of Sports Book Action This Week:

• The NBA regular season winds up today and the playoffs start on Saturday when 16 teams vie for the 2015 championship. Current favorites are the Cavaliers and Warriors who are both posted as 8-5 odds in our sports book.
• In the NHL, the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs starts tonight and the odds-makers have the Blackhawks (4-1) and the Rangers (5-1) as the favorites.
• Major League Baseball games are also on the board every day and, with over a week of activity to draw upon, the action is starting to pick up, especially with our West Coast teams. Who is favored to win the World Series? The Dodgers at 5-1 followed by the Nationals at 7-1.
• What about the Super Bowl 2015? Try the Seahawks at 5-1 and the Patriots at 6-1.
• About odds: All odds shown above were as of Tuesday afternoon and they can and will change at any time so be sure to check the board at our Race & Sports Book.
• Don't think you have the "skills" to bet sports?  Sometimes luck is just as successful so take advantage of today being Take a Wild Guess Day and, who knows, your SWAG may just best the experts!

Really Big Tent Next to TJ's Corral:  No, the circus is not coming to the Carson Valley Inn this week. Produced under the umbrella of the Nevada Commission on Tourism, and with incredible assistance from the Carson Valley Visitors Authority, the TravelNevada 2015 Rural Roundup brings over 250 people from Nevada's tourism industry to the Carson Valley through midday Friday. There are activities this afternoon in Genoa, this evening at the new Douglas County Community and Senior Center and then all day Thursday plus Friday morning here at the Carson Valley Inn. With the large number of people and functions, we brought in a 3,200+ sq. ft. tent to accommodate some events.

Tournament Winners:

Free Roll Poker Tournament Winners: Joe "13" ($575) and Fizze ($425) captured the top two spots in our Free Roll Tournament last Saturday as four full tables of qualifiers played for a piece of the $2000 in cash prizes which went in increments to the top-ten finishers. The participants also enjoy a deli spread, cake, beverages, souvenir hat and a great time! Please come down any time and enjoy the zany group of customers and employees who make our poker room simply the best in the area . . . whether you're a regular, a newcomer to our area, or just visiting while staying at the CVI.

The April CVI Blackjack Tournament on Tuesday night brought a $1,600+ prize fund consisting of all the fees and re-buys . . . and happy faces on the top three finishers: Richard Leigh ($800 for first), Richard Trott ($500 for second) and Teresa Sexton ($325 for third). Our next monthly Blackjack Tournament is Tuesday, May 12!

New Collegiate Boxing Champs Were Here at CVI: Congrats to University of Nevada-Reno for winning the men's national team title at the National Collegiate Boxing Association national championships in Sunrise, FL last Sunday. Four members of the Nevada Boxing Club won individual titles . . . and three of the four started their 2014/15 training here at the CVI in Exhibition matches in TJ's Corral last September. Kudos to Jarred Santo (132 pounds), JJ Mariano (139 pounds), Johnny Aguilar (156 pounds) and Garrett Felling (185 pounds). We are currently coordinating with the Nevada Boxing Club to bring back the exhibition boxing event in September of 2015 and will certainly let you know in our weekly blog as soon as we finalize the date.

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

• Wednesday Ladies' Night: We're taking tonight off due to 5X points today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. as the finale of our Fifth Anniversary Celebration.
• Grilled Elk Medallions in CV Steak:  Our Friday Game Special this week is Grilled Elk Medallions with a Brandy Cherry Demi; two 3 oz. elk tenderloin medallions grilled and finished with the demi and sundried cherries. Served with tableside-tossed salad, vegetable and your choice of potato - au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked potato . . . all for $30.00.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge: Steve Lord is here tonight, Karaoke with Anthony Janssen will bring plenty of audience performance opportunities on Thursday, The Blues Monsters entertain Friday and Saturday, and Greg Austin takes the stage Sunday through Wednesday.
• We Thought You Should Know: Thursday is Eggs Benedict Day – a perfect time to try a full or half order of Eggs Benedict in Katie's! Thursday is also Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day . . . if you do so; let us know how it went over with your boss!

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!

Thunderbird in Town, Mother's Day Package, Sharkey's Update, WW II Aircraft Returning, More

Look Up in the Sky! This Sunday afternoon the #8 Thunderbird Jet will be overflying the Minden-Tahoe Airport a few times mapping checkpoints and landmarks for the USAF Thunderbirds performance at the Aviation Roundup on Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23. Major Scott "Cheetah" Petz will be in town for a Monday morning logistics planning meeting at the CVI with various agencies and committee chairpersons. We are working closely with the folks at the Minden-Tahoe Airport on this event and will post new information as it is available. 

Merle Haggard Concert May 1: Tickets now on sale.

WW II Aircraft Return with 3 Free Rides! Those authentic WW II aircraft preserved and displayed by the Collings Foundation are returning to Minden-Tahoe Airport on June 1 – 3 with plenty of opportunities to tour the aircraft (inside and out) and even take a ride! Included are a P-1 Mustang, B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator and, if all goes as planned, a B-25 Mitchell.  As host hotel for the crews, the Carson Valley Inn will be giving away three free rides, one each at the CVI, Bodines Casino and Sharkey's Casino.  Watch the April issue of the Carson & Valley Voice for more information on the ride giveaways. Meanwhile click here for more about the aircraft, the Wings of Freedom Tour stop in Minden, and how to make reservations for a 30-minute "free to move around the cabin" WW II bomber ride!

Mother's Day Less Than 2 Months Away: Mother's Day is a great weekend to invite mom, daughter or any of your relatives to visit from out of the area and we've got a great way for them to stay with us rather than you cleaning out the spare bedroom and figuring out the where put all that "stuff."  Our Mother's Day package includes accommodations in the hotel for Friday and Saturday nights, May 8 and 9 plus $80 in food credits for use in Katie's or CV Steak. It's just $199 per couple and you can make reservations by calling 775-783-6629 or click here for more information.

A Few More Cowboy Packages: We just got access to a few more tickets so we again have a limited number of  Genoa Cowboy Festival Weekend Special Packages available for May 1 & 2. For $279 plus tax you get a room for two people for Friday and Saturday nights, two front section tickets for the Friday night concert, two front section tickets for the Saturday night concert and a $50 food credit. 

Sharkey's Remodeling Progressing Nicely. We are excited about the progress of the remodeling project at Sharkey's Casino. The casino bar structure has been installed, wall treatments are going up in the casino, tile is being installed in the restrooms and kitchen, electrical work is going on along with many of the other steps that are necessary to completely rebuild the inside.  More visible signs of progress will start in a few weeks with exterior painting and the parking lot surfacing. As for that horizontal Sharkey's sign that was lifted off of the vertical Casino sign earlier this week… It's off being refurbished and you'll see both sides of that sign again on the inside when Sharkey's reopens. Still no projected opening date, but it's "gettin' closer!" Anyone remember what Sharkey's was called before it was called Sharkey's? 

Concert Tickets:

• Merle Haggard Concert May 1: now on sale.
• Gary Allan Concert June 4: Look for tickets to go on sale sometime in early to mid-April. 

CVI Running in Two Polls:

• It's Not How You Finish, Its How You Start: We're talking Appetizers (how you start) and our CV Steak Sampler Platter is one of the finalists in the carsonvalleytimes.com App Wars. Voting continues through 5 p.m. Thursday (that's tomorrow, so hurry!) by clicking on this link. The CV Steak Sampler Platter is the perfect way to sample four of CV Steak's favorite appetizers - Shrimp, crab cake, warm spinach dip and Ahi Tuna. Prepared for either two or four people.
• Best of Nevada: Feeling inclined to give us a favorable nod? We'd appreciate your consideration in the Best Casino, Best Hotel and Best Restaurant (CV Steak) categories in the Nevada Magazine Best of Nevada poll. 

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

• Boxing Update:  If you caught the Boxing Exhibition in TJ's Corral last September, you may remember seeing Nevada boxers Garrett Felling and Jarred Santos in action. Last Saturday, both captured top honors at the College Boxing Regional Championships at the Eldorado Hotel-Casino. Santos won the 132-pound championship bout over Jamal Johnson of Air Force Academy and sophomore Garrett Felling got a win at 185 pounds when his opponent, Chyre Anderson of UNLV, was disqualified in the second round.
• How Many is 9.2 Quintillion? Here's what it looks like in actual numbers: 9,223,372,036,854,775,808. This  is supposedly the number of different possibilities there are in filling out a 64 team bracket . . . sure explains why there is so much office time wasted this week each year as March Madness gets started. We say Bring it On! We'll have all the games on our three dozen plus TVs and we'll be patient as you anguish over whether to bet for or against your alma mater at our Sports and Race Book!
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: The first 150 ladies to sign up tonight receive the third in a series of four March Bakeware products. Also enjoy hot seat drawings for Popcorn Gift Baskets, ladies-only drink specials, a ladies-only slot tournament and more.
• Cabaret Lounge
• Elk Friday in CV Steak:  Our Friday Game Special this week is Grilled Elk Medallions with a Brandy Cherry Demi: two 3-oz. elk tenderloin medallions grilled and finished with demi and sundried cherries and 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.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge: Steve Lord is here tonight, Just Us entertains Thursday - Saturday nights and Johnny Smokes, an incredible one-man-band, takes the stage Sunday through Wednesday nights.
• We Thought You Should Know:  Sunday is Goof Off Day, as if some of us need an excuse!

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!