Free Concerts, Football Kicks Off, Meet Randy Houser

Free CVI Birthday Concert this Saturday:  A free TJ’s Corral concert by the Davisson Brothers Band highlights our 32^nd Birthday Celebration this Saturday from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and the whole community is invited! We’ll be serving free popcorn and free ice cream from 6 to 7:30 and quenching your thirst with $2 water and sodas and $5 draft beer. Meanwhile in the casino, free cake and champagne will be served from 2 to 3 p.m., free birthday t-shirts will be distributed randomly during the day (while supplies last), INN Club members will earn 4X points all day and we’ll  have drawings for up to $5,000  at 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m.  Continuing the flashback we started last week regarding 1984, the year the CVI opened:  The NCAA announced the expansion of their basketball tournament to 64 teams setting the stage for March Madness to grow to a legitimate three-week sports holiday. The LA Raiders (remember those days!) beat up on the Washington Redskins 38-9 in Super Bowl XVIII and Apple Computer unveiled its revolutionary Macintosh personal computer (remember those TV commercials). Among the “celebrities” born in 1984: Katy Perry, LeBron James, Khloe Kardasian, Scarlett Johansson and Prince Harry! Ronald Reagan was president and he carried 49 of the 50 states to get re-elected! The Supreme Court ruled that taping television shows at home on a VCR (In your 20s? Google it) did not violate copyright law. Grammys for 1984 included "Beat It" by Michael Jackson for Record of the Year, “Thriller” by Michael Jackson for Album of the Year and Sting’s "Every Breath You Take" for Song of the Year.

Minden Park Free Concerts are a Fun Time

Unauthorized Concert Friday Night: The Douglas County Parks & Rec Department's 2016 GE Family Concert Series concludes in Minden Park (two blocks from our front door) with "Foreigner Unauthorized" this Friday starting at 6:00 p.m.  As a major supporting sponsor of this series, we invite you to stop by the CVI for dinner or a drink before or after this free tribute to Foreigner - a chance to relive their many hits that shaped Rock music in the 70's, 80's & 90's!  

Randy Houser Wraps the 2016 TJ’s Concert Season Sept. 8:

We’re getting Fired Up for the Randy Houser Concert in TJ’s Corral on Thursday, September 8 – the last TJ’s concert in our 2016 season. Tickets start at $59 and are available on our website, at the hotel desk, or by calling 775-783-6606. Want to chat with Randy up close at a private Meet & Greet before the concert on September 8? Be sure to follow our Facebook page for a special contest this week!  

We Need a Few More Golfers

Need A Few More Eggs for this Scramble: Our Annual Mixed Scramble Golf Outing the weekend after Labor Day is almost here and we could use a few more participants. This event “works” only when we have a total number of players divisible by 4. When this math doesn’t work we have to run around and recruit a few of our staff members (What? Play golf instead of work?) So if you or any of your golfing friends are interested, check out all the details and then give Greg a call it 775-783-6615.

Flying Far For Football Frolic in Sydney

It’s Week Two and I’ve already logged 20,000 Miles! The 2016 college football season "kicks off" this Friday at 7 p.m. (ESPN) when the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and the California Golden Bears tangle in the 2016 College Football Sydney Cup at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia.  The two teams will travel a total of over 25,000 miles getting to and from this season opener. With Hawaii playing the following weekend against Michigan in Ann Arbor when the rest of the NCAA schedule kicks in, the Rainbow Warriors will have logged over 20,000 miles before playing its first home game! Our Sports Book locations at the CVI, Sharkey's Casino, and Bodines Casino are all taking action on this Fridays NCAA game and all the college games for the full season kickoff on Labor Day weekend. This would be a good week to play your hunch on who will win the NCAA Football Championship . . . .the odds start changing after the first and second week of play.  Also on the board this week: Major League Baseball, Horseracing, Pre-Season NFL Football and Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Race.  

Blood Drive at CVI Labor Day Friday

Heroes Remembered Blood Drive at CVI September 2: We’re not going to try to be “cute” on this one. When someone needs blood due to an accident, surgery or illness it’s not a laughing matter, it’s a matter of life or death. So, as we do a few times each year, we are partnering with United Blood Services for their Heroes Remembered Blood Drive which will take place in their large Bloodmobile buses parked in our West parking lot under the big marquee sign on Friday, September 2 from noon to 6 p.m. If you can help by donating a pint, please click on this link or call United Blood Services at 800-696-4484. Thanks!

Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge:  John Palmore is on stage tonight, Just Us entertains Thursday thru Saturday, Justin Lee lands for one night on Sunday and Jonathon “JB” Barton plays Monday through Wednesday.  Just Us blends together the sounds of the Motor City and Oakland, CA to develop "Sweet, Grown & Sexy" sounds - music from the 60’s to the present.  Aladdin handles lead vocal and percussions. He is joined by Les Carter on vocals and drums, Phil Weaver on vocals and guitar and Fred Williams on bass. Justin Lee captivated the large crowd Cabaret lounge after the Eli Young band concert last Sunday with his country music covers and originals. Click here for the recently updated lineup of free entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge.

This Week at the CVI

• In the Casino
• Ladies’ Night Tonight: Free Bingo plus a free Coin Purse to the first 150 ladies to sign up tonight. Our hot seat prizes tonight are Chocolate Shop Gift Baskets and there will also be a ladies-only drink special and raffle. Tonight is also our drawing for a free Coach Wallet and Handbag.
• Bingo Thursday: Come in and play Bingo every hour from 11 a.m. to 7 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: Catch our drawings at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. for a guaranteed giveaway of fifteen thousand dollars every Friday in August between the CVI and Bodines. Use your INN Club card while you play!
• 32^nd Birthday Extras Saturday: there’s quite a bit more to this Saturday . . . be sure to check out the article at the top this week’s blog.
• Bingo Monday: Come in and play Bingo every hour from 11 a.m. to 7 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. 
• Poker Room: Our Poker Room offers Featured Games, Tournaments and Special Promotions with something extra going on every day of the week.  Click here for a complete listing of everything happening in our poker room.
• In Our Restaurants
• Wednesday is Italian Night in Katie’s: three specials just $6.99 each!
• 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.
• Thursday is Kiss and Make Up Day. If you fall into the need to "celebrate" such a "Day," we suggest you follow (or prelude) the kiss with dinner in CV Steak . . . with the Dessert Sampler as the finale!
• 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 Reservations 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 Galore, When Pi = Pie, New Randy Houser Album, More

New Randy Houser Album Out this Friday

For the second week in a row one of the artists scheduled to appear in TJ's Corral this year is releasing a new album. Randy Houser's (Sep. 8 in TJ's) new album "Fired Up" will be available starting this Friday featuring his recent hit "We Went."  

College Basketball Overload

College basketball junkies can enjoy just about nonstop action through March 20 as March Madness runs rampant! The Conference Championships play out through this weekend culminating in Selection Sunday when all the stars line up for the NCAA Tournament then the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), then the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), then the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), then the reality of a long off season! There’s a brief day off on Monday, and the NCAA Tournament starts on Tuesday. For the really anxious fans who just can’t wait for Sunday’s Conference Championship games and the Selection Sunday show, we are trying to help you by having everyone set their clocks ahead one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday! That’s the best we could do!

Naturally you can watch and bet the college basketball action here at the CVI. Also on the board are Major League Baseball Exhibition Games, Horseracing, NBA Basketball, NHL Hockey, Sunday’s Good Sam 500 NASCAR Race at Phoenix International Raceway and the Masters coming up on April 7 – 10.

Hey GQ - Want Me? 

CVI Marketing Coordinator and sure-I'd-leave-CVI-to-be-a-GQ-model “Sellers” (like “Goose” or “Maverick” in Top Gun) shows off the gray polo shirt we’re giving away on Monday, March 14. You can collect a different color CVI Polo Shirt each Monday in March by earning 150 base points the same day. Be sure to use your INN Club card while playing in the casino and check at the Guest Services counter after you hit 150 points on Monday. Remember, you keep those 150 points for comps or Freeplay or for tickets to one of the concerts in TJ's Corral this year!

Free Cabaret Lounge Entertainment

Jonathon “JB” Barton is here tonight, The Voodoo Cowboys entertain Thursday through Saturday and George Pickard takes the stage Sunday through Wednesday. Playing together since 2009, the Voodoo Cowboys have appeared at most major casino venues in Nevada. Not the "cryin' in your beer" type country band, they are the life of the party with their dance-inducing, hard drivin' repertoire of country music and rock 'n' roll. The group has rocked crowds on numerous stages around the world, as well as sharing stages with such rock and country stars as David Nail, Little Texas, Ron Keel, Toby Keith and many more.

Interesting, Helpful and Even Useful Tidbits and News

• HELP!! Oops – we meant that to read Help Wanted!  With the time changing and the busy season approaching fast, more job opportunities are available at the CVI, Sharkey’s and Bodines and we’re hiring now!
• Ladies’ Night Tonight: The first 150 ladies who sign up for Ladies’ Night tonight receive the first of four Jennifer Aniston Luxury Fragrance items – collect all four over the next four Wednesdays including a .33 ounce eau de parfum glass roller ball, 3 ounce body lotion,  3 ounce shower gel and 2.9 ounce eau de parfum in a glass designer bottle. Which one is slated for tonight? Find out starting at 5:30 p.m.!  Also in the mix tonight: a ladies-only drink special, games and hot seat prizes – this week for Bath Baskets.
• This Weekend in the Valley Ballroom:
• Carson Valley Arts Council “Murder at the Tonylou Awards” Dinner Theater: Friday, March 11. Contact Lee Lewis - 775-782-0817.
• Minden Rotary Beast Feast: Saturday, March 12. Contact Brent Holderman, (775) 783-0473.
• Elk Friday, Prime Rib Saturday, King Crab Sunday in CV Steak:  Our Friday special in CV Steak is Elk Game Tips sautéed with mushrooms and Cabernet Demi, served over peppered Pappardelle pasta for $26. 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.

Notable Days This Week

Today is Crabmeat Day. Why not stop by CV Steak tonight and enjoy the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake appetizer served with ground mustard sauce . . . Or, order the Sampler Platter which includes shrimp, crab cake, warm spinach dip and ahi tuna - we serve it in two sizes, for two people or four people!
Thursday is Popcorn Lovers Day. We like popcorn, so we just had to let everyone know about this! Also, if you read the information at the link, you’ll deduce that just about anyone can start their own “Day” for just about any reason. Anyway, enjoy some popcorn!

Monday is International Ask A Question Day which has us wondering why such a day is necessary (hint: has to do with Einstein)? Who started it? How is it usually celebrated? And this one is really nagging, why is there both an International Ask A Question Day and an Ask a Stupid Question Day (this one is in September)?  On the subject, what questions do you have about the Carson Valley Inn? Click here to send us an email and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

Monday is also Pi Day which is "celebrated" every year on March 14 based on a movement started at a west coast "Exploratorium." However, since Pi, carried out to enough places would fill this blog, and since anything connected with an Exploratorium scares us, we just added another letter(e) and think of this day as yet another reason to eat pie! And, as luck would have it, we have plenty of pies for sale at the Katie's Bakery Counter or enjoy them by-the-slice while dining in Katie's.

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!