Red Hawk Casino Celebrates Successful Opening

PLACERVILLE, CA--(Marketwire - December 18, 2008) - Red Hawk Casino welcomed approximately 25,000 guests as it officially opened its doors to the public on Wednesday, December 17. In addition to exciting gaming action and fine dining, guests were treated to live musical performances by Jim Belushi and The Sacred Hearts band and the violin triplets Alizma, as well as a myriad of other entertainers including acrobats, fire jugglers and magicians. Red Hawk Casino also announced exciting plans for its Grand Opening Gala which is scheduled Thursday, January 22 at 6 p.m.

Prior to the official opening, Tribal Members and invited guests, including state and local officials, were treated to an elaborate Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony which included a dramatic fly-over by a red-tailed hawk and pyrotechnics. Tribal Council Members posed for photos and simultaneously cut a 30 foot-long ribbon spanning the casino's main entry under its Porte Cochere.

"From the captivating Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and the build up of anticipation until the doors opened, to the exciting game play and live entertainment enjoyed throughout the evening, opening day was truly spectacular," said Peter Fordham, General Manager of Red Hawk Casino. "We couldn't be more pleased with the outcome."

Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed fine dining at Henry's Steakhouse, Red Hawk's signature restaurant. Guests chose from a selection of prime, natural and Wagyu steaks, local seafood, lamb and poultry, with 90 wines by the glass and more than 450 labels by the bottle. Other popular restaurants on opening night were Waterfall Buffet and Koto Grille, in which patrons were treated to spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. On the casino's main level, guests sampled the fresh Nigiri sushi, sashimi and hand-rolled maki at Wai Sushi and Seafood, and the eclectic blend of Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese dishes at Pearl Asian Cuisine. Two Rivers Café was filled with guests who needed a quick snack or a cup of Starbucks® coffee.

Guests who obtained their Red Hawk Rewards Club Cards, clamored to the slots in an effort to win a 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 convertible, valued at approximately $100,000 or a 2009 Harley-Davidson® Screamin' Eagle® 110 valued at approximately $30,000.

Guests were also very excited to learn that slot play using their Red Hawk Rewards Club Card could earn them entries into a drawing for $1 million at the Red Hawk Casino Grand Opening Gala, which will take place on Thursday, January 22. The Grand Opening Gala will feature celebrity appearances with a red carpet entry, a special celebrity musical performance by The Bacon Brothers, and a $100,000 Celebrity Blackjack Tournament.

For more information on Red Hawk Casino, please visit www.redhawkcasino.com or call 1-888-5REDHWK (888-573-3495).

About Red Hawk Casino

Red Hawk Casino is owned by the Shingle Springs Tribal Gaming Authority, an instrumentality of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. It is located near Placerville, Calif., off the Red Hawk Parkway exit of Highway 50, just 20 minutes east of Sacramento. Red Hawk Casino is managed by Lakes Entertainment, Inc. and blends a full complement of gaming excitement with the natural beauty of Northern California. Red Hawk Casino features approximately 2,000 slot machines, 75 table games, six restaurants, four bars, and lighted, covered parking. Please play responsibly. You must be 21 years of age to gamble. More information can be found at www.redhawkcasino.com.

Contact Information: Media Contacts: David Gutierrez Dresner Corporate Services (312) 780-7204 dgutierrez@dresnerco.com Joshua Taustein Dresner Corporate Services (312) 780-7219 jtaustein@dresnerco.com Sara DeNio Dresner Corporate Services (312) 780-7223 sdenio@dresnerco.com