As Southern Nevada prepares to host the 2005 Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the world's largest gaming industry convention, UNLV's Center for Gaming Research will unveil a unique collection of artifacts chronicling the colorful history of our community that has never before been seen by the public.
This Friday, September 9, at 10:30 a.m., at UNLV's Lied Library, Clark County Commissioner Myrna Williams will join university officials to announce "Gaming Heritage Day" in honor of the university's librarians, historians, and scholars, who work to preserve and document this rich history. At the same time, UNLV Libraries will offer an exclusive sneak preview of the new exhibit, "A Centennial Celebration of Gaming in Las Vegas: Documenting Yesterday for the Benefit of Tomorrow."
This unique exhibit, created for G2E, includes many priceless and never-before-seen items from UNLV Libraries' collections, including personal letters from Jacqueline Kennedy and Billy Graham to Desert Inn mogul Wilbur Clark; burnt casino chips and room keys that survived the infamous El Rancho fire; souvenir menus created for Elvis Presley's historic concerts at the Las Vegas Hilton; and much more.
Those in attendance at this special unveiling will have the rare opportunity to see up-close these priceless pieces of our community's history. Though these pieces will be experienced at G2E only through photographic reproduction, the historic artifacts will be seen later this fall in public exhibition.
The Center for Gaming Research at UNLV, part of the university Libraries, has long been a vital resource for gaming scholarship and the examination of gaming history in Southern Nevada. The diligent work of UNLV Special Collections has preserved and documented that history and culture since 1957, amassing one of the most unique university collections in the world.
WHEN: Friday, September 9, 2005 - 10:30 AM
WHERE: UNLV Lied Library, 3 rd floor, Special Collections
OPPORTUNITY: Outstanding visuals - see and handle artifacts from the 100-year history of gaming in Southern Nevada. Interview officials and library historians about this unique collection.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Media parking will be available in the Lied Library parking lot. Enter campus from Swenson & Harmon. Contact the Public Affairs office for additional information.
