“Legends in Concert,” the longest-running tribute show that features live recreations of yesterday’s and today’s superstars, is coming to Foxwoods Resort Casino for a holiday and New Year’s extravaganza, running from November 27 through January 3. Tickets are $25 and are on sale now.

Tickets may be purchased online at foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods Box Office at 800-200-2882, by calling Ticketmaster, or in person at the Foxwoods Box Office.

Together with the Hard Rock Café, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Legends in Concert are helping to spread the holiday cheer, one toy at a time, thanks to a charitable partnership with Toys for Tots. Guests who bring a new, unwrapped toy valued at $15 or higher to the Fox Theater Box Office December 1 through 4, between the hours of 10am and 8pm, will receive a complimentary ticket to the Legends in Concert Show that same evening. In addition, each supporter will receive a free appetizer at the Hard Rock Café with the presentation of ticket stubs.

Some of the most renowned tribute acts in show business, representing legends Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minnelli, the Temptations, and Elvis Presley, will hit the stage, backed by a world-class band and the Legends singers and dancers. Along with their most popular hits, each entertainer will add a seasonal song to their repertoire, making the production a holiday affair to remember. The December 31 performance, beginning at 10:30 p.m., will be a special New Year’s Eve celebration show.

“Legends in Concert” performers include Suzanne Goulet (Liza Minnelli), who debuted in “Legends” at Bally’s Grand in 1994; “Legacy” of the Temptations, which unites veteran members of the unforgettable group with talented performers from around the world; De’zhon (Sammy Davis Jr.), who has toured internationally with Sammy Davis Jr. and Rat Pack shows; and Kevin Mills (Elvis Presley), who was crowned World Champion at the fourth annual Elvis Impersonator Contest in Memphis and Grand Champion at the Visions of the King Elvis Festival in Ontario, Canada.

Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods feature world-class entertainment venues — including the MGM Grand Theater and the Fox Theater — that host a vast array of first-rate performers. Other upcoming events include: Jerry Seinfeld (November 20 and 21); John Fogerty (November 27); Legends in Concert Holiday Show (November 27-January 3); Wynonna (November 29); Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Rocks! Extravaganza (December 4); Lionel Richie (December 5); Bill Engvall (December 12); David Archuleta (December 17); Lisa Lampanelli (December 18); “Hairspray” (December 29-January 3); Artie Lange (January 23); Larisa Dolina (January 23 and 24); and B.B. King and Buddy Guy (February 14).

An extra $50,000 cash for holiday shopping might sound too good to be true, but thanks to Foxwoods Resort Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods, it will be a reality for some lucky guests. On November 27 — Black Friday — two guests will each win a whopping $50,000, while 20 others will walk away with $5,000, all courtesy of the $200,000 Holiday Shopping Cash Celebration.

Beginning at 6 a.m. on November 27, all Dream Card holders can enter at any Foxwoods or MGM Grand at Foxwoods kiosk, or simply by playing any slot machine, table game, poker, keno, or bingo. One $5,000 winner will be selected every 30 minutes from noon to 9:30 p.m.; and at 10 p.m., two lucky Dream Card holders will each win $50,000! All winners will have 30 minutes to claim their prize.

To sign up for a Dream Card, visit www.Foxwoods.com or any Dream Rewards location at Foxwoods Resort Casino or MGM Grand at Foxwoods.

For all the shopaholics out there, some of the area’s finest stores and boutiques are at their fingertips.  Retail shops include something for the jewelry fanatic with Judith Ripka, which offers classic jewelry with a modern twist, timeless pieces from Chopard, quality accessories from Bvlgari, diamond frosting from Pave, 14K gold jewelry from Expressions and classic Rolex watches from Foxwoods Watch Company.  Foxwoods also offers quality apparel, accessories gifts and more.  MGM Grand at Foxwoods continues the selection,   with many exciting shops to choose from including Pandora Jewelry, Mac Appeal, offering the latest in technology, and Panache, offering contemporary fashion with the hottest names, amongst a slew of others to choose from.

On the tournament front, Foxwoods continues to rake in big events, including: Mega IV Satellites (November 22-December 16); Black Friday Mini-Mega (November 27); Mega Stack Challenge XIV (December 15-20); New Year’s Day Holiday Special (January 1, 2010); Mega XV Satellites (January 17-February 3); Martin Luther King Holiday Special (January 18); Mega Stack Challenge XV (February 4-7); Foxwoods Poker Classic Acts (February 7-March 25); and the President’s Day Holiday Special (February 15).

This year, the Foxwoods World Poker Finals (FWPF) once again attracted some of the foremost poker stars in the world, and in the end, a Texas Poker Pro took home the win.  Cornel, from League City, Texas won the 2009 Foxwoods World Poker Finals and a cool $910,058 including a $25,500 entry into the WPT Championship.  The thirty eight year old Texan, by way of Romania, has been playing poker professionally for ten years and has now captured his second WPT Bracelet after winning the 2009 LAPC. 

Taking second place was Soheil Shamseddin, hailing from Houston, Texas, by way of Iran.  Soheil was quite the entertainer at the Final Table with frequent excursions into the audience and multiple  humorous outbursts.  The fifty-three year old father of two has been playing poker professionally for two years.  Soheil’s 2nd place finish was worth $463,332.  Third place was awarded to Matt Stout, the youngest member of the Final Table at twenty four.  Matt put his college curriculum on hold to play poker professionally during the past four years.  Matt grew up in Bayone, New Jersey, but now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada; he netted $265,710.

First to fall was Lee Markholt from University Place, Washington.  The ex bull rider turned poker professional finished 6^th winning $166,069.  Placing 5^th was Curt Kohlberg, a two-time winner of the FWPF main event, first win in 1997 when the main event was $3,100 7-Card Stud; and then again  in November, 2000, when the entry to the main event was $5,100.  This year Curt, from Weston, Massachusetts, won $199,283.  Eric Froehlich from Springfield, Virginia, took 4^th earning $232,496.  The twenty five year old holder of two WSOP Bracelets has been playing poker professionally for five years although sparingly in the past year. 

This year’s  highly successful tournament had a total of 353 entries and a Prize Pool of $3,321,377.  True poker fans could play their way up to a winning entry through satellite events: Act 1, 2 and 3.  Two of the Final Table players, Eric Froehlich and the winner, Cornel Andrew Cimpan, won their seats through satellites.  Act 1, with  a $65 buy in, started late August and went through November 3^rd.  Tournaments were held daily from 10 a.m. until midnight.  Act 2, with a  $250 buy in, also started in late August and went through November 3rd.  Act 3, with a $1,100 buy in, had staggered dates throughout September, October and November leading up to the Championship Finals.

Foxwoods is a charter member of the World Poker Tour and is home to America’s only WPT-branded poker room.

Anyone with even the slightest clue about pop culture throughout the 1990’s could likely sing a few lines of Foxwoods Resort Casino’s catchy “Wonder of it All” theme song – if not recite the entire jingle from start to finish. Now, in an effort to connect with a new audience – as well as reconnect with longtime fans – North America’s largest resort casino has launched a marketing and promotional campaign geared at finding a new voice for the once ubiquitous song.  

Foxwoods is implementing a comprehensive promotional campaign that employs an integrated mix of new and traditional mediums to reach its target audiences, and utilizing a variety of marketing and advertising channels to inform consumers. By leveraging social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube); viral and grassroots marketing; a dedicated online presence; and outdoor, print, radio and web advertising, the resort casino has its sights set on not only aspiring musicians and untapped talent but, rather, the “MTV Generation” as a whole – a demographic that might not be as familiar with the brand’s rich and storied history as are those of an older demographic.

In its search for new talent, Foxwoods is giving musicians the opportunity to upload their take on the famous theme song to www.bethewonder.com, where the public will be invited to vote for their favorite versions. And although musicians throughout the country are invited participate, Foxwoods is focusing its marketing efforts in major New England markets, including Hartford, Boston, Providence, Worcester and Portland, Maine. In conjunction with its media partner, The Phoenix Media Group, Foxwoods will further bolster awareness of this campaign through extensive promotion in affiliated radio, print and online outlets, including The Phoenix newspapers, Stuff magazine, WFNX-FM and www.thephoenix.com.

A panel of Foxwoods executives will then review the top 50 online vote recipients and choose 10 musicians to perform before a panel of celebrity judges on February 27. In addition to becoming the new voice of North America’s largest resort casino, the winner will receive a year-long promotional contract and a $25,000 grand prize package, including top-of-the-line music equipment, a Foxwoods VIP Package, studio time, an advertising schedule and more.

“The Wonder of it All,” originally sung by John Pizzarelli, was used in a Foxwoods Resort Casino commercial that premiered in April 1999. The song became synonymous with the property and helped establish Foxwoods as one of the premier resort casinos in North America. The jingle impacted pop culture in such a profound way that it was featured in Sports Illustrated and parodied on “Saturday Night Live.”

This isn’t the first time Foxwoods has taken a non-traditional approach to marketing the award-winning property.  Just last month, North America’s largest resort casino paved its way into the consumer technology space with the launch of a Foxwoods-branded mobile application. This first-ever resort casino branded application in the casino gaming category boasts a ‘game play’ feature, allowing users to try their hand at Foxwoods-themed games using ‘play money.’ The game simulates all the sights and sounds of an actual casino, creating a virtual environment that will immerse consumers in the Foxwoods experience. The Foxwoods-branded iPhone application also offers users access into a virtual “velvet rope club” in the form of a dedicated concierge service, marking the first time a service like this is available on the iPhone. The property-branded iPhone application, much like this latest promotional campaign, is just another way for consumers to interact with the Foxwoods brand in a fun, modern and engaging way.

Foxwoods Resort Casino salutes the United States military and announces a special holiday gift for all active duty and retired New England military families! The casino is donating thousands of tickets to Cirque Dreams Holidaze Spectacular, and the incredibly popular Broadway production Hairspray.  In addition, one thousand tickets are being donated as a part of this promotion by the world-famous celebrity impersonation production: Legends in Concert. 

“Foxwoods Resort Casino recognizes the incredible contribution of the United States military on a local and national level and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to express our appreciation,” said Robert Victoria, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing.  “Foxwoods continually seeks ways to support the community and we hope this holiday gift will brighten the season for the families supporting our country and fighting for our freedoms.”

In partnership with the Naval Submarine Base in Groton’s Information Ticket and Tours Office (ITT), an element of the base Morale Welfare and Recreation program, the free show tickets are available through ITT to all members, veterans and families of the Armed Forces.  Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis, and eligible recipients will be allowed up to four tickets per show.  ITT is located in Building 164 at the base, and additional information concerning this opportunity may be addressed by contacting Ms. Norma Walters at ITT, telephone 860-694-3238. 

“Family and giving are a big part of the holiday season, and I cannot thank Foxwoods enough for the gratitude and appreciation they’re showing our Armed Forces families.  It’s this type of community spirit that makes New England such a great place to live and work,” said Captain Mark W. Denno, Commanding Officer of the Naval Submarine Base.  “Whether yesterday, today, or tomorrow, the challenges faced by loved ones left behind as a service member is deployed remain constant, and I know that the Sailors and families at the Submarine Base, as well as the many members, veterans, and families of our Armed Forces throughout New England, will enjoy this generous opportunity!”

Show dates and times include:

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE  – 7 pm show on November 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.

HAIRSPRAY – 8 pm show on December 29, 30 and January 2, 3.

LEGENDS IN CONCERT – Friday and Sunday night shows during the entire production run; starting November 27 through December 30, 2009.

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE is an original new musical extravaganza filled with spectacle, imagination and whimsical dreams.  An international cast of acrobats, aerialists, singers, dancers and musicians fill this Cirque Dream on stage, in the air and while dangling from a 24 foot tall magical tree.  Add to that the pomp, cirque-umstance and amazement of gingerbread men flipping through the air, toy soldiers skillfully marching on thin wires, snowmen daringly balancing, icemen sculpting powerfully, penguins spinning, puppets caroling and reindeer soaring high above a landscape of holiday wonderment.

HAIRSPRAY is Broadway’s fantastically fun musical, winner of eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and the inspiration for the enormously successful motion picture.  And now, guests of Foxwoods will be swept away to 1960s Baltimore in this smash hit musical, piled bouffant-high with laughter and romance – and enough deliriously tuneful songs to fill a nonstop platter party. It’s HAIRSPRAY, live on stage in living color!

LEGENDS IN CONCERT – the famed tribute show has a spectacular holiday celebration, with specially-produced musical arrangements, sparkling costumes and a multimedia presentation.  Special guests will drop in to join the most renowned tribute acts in show business representing the likes of Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, The Temptations, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Elvis Presley.  Backed by a world-class band and the Legends singers and dancers, each entertainer will add a seasonal song to their repertoire, along with the artists’ most popular hits.