Caesars Palace stars inducted into Gaming Hall of Fame

The 25th annual American Gaming Association’s charity gala and induction ceremony was held at Pure in Caesars. Celine and Guy have flown in from Europe for the festivities, and the star chef celebrated after landing Tuesday with fellow chef Thomas Keller at the latter’s restaurant Bouchon in the Venetian. Celine arrived yesterday from Paris, France.

Also being inducted is Frank J. Fahrenkopf, who led the AGA for its first 18 years. Today, its president is Geoff Freeman, who said: “The gaming industry is nothing without its innovators, artists and advocates. We are proud to honor Celine, Guy, Gary and Frank as talents who have helped transform our business into the entertainment juggernaut it is today.”

Loveman said he planned to credit the 70,000-plus Caesars Entertainment employees in its more than 50 casinos in 13 states. He said he also would salute his past and present management team. He added that Caesars has become the “General Electric of the gaming industry” because many of the top executives throughout the casino world have ties to Caesars.

For example, Tim Wilmott is CEO of Penn National Gaming, Anthony Sanfilippo is CEO of Pinnacle Entertainment, Patrick Ramsey is CEO of MultiMedia, John Unwin is CEO of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and Marilyn Winn recently retired as president of Wynn Resorts. All are former Harrah’s-Caesars executives.

“The company has produced talent at a prodigious rate,” Loveman said. “We’ve had a pipeline of gifted people who have come up from this company. All these people came from here and did quite well.”

Loveman also noted that his predecessor, former Chairman and CEO Phil Satre, is chairman of slot machine maker IGT.

A special video greeting was recorded for Celine Dion, that was played at yesterday’s gala to raise funds for the National Center for Responsible Gaming. She began her first Caesars run with “A New Day” in March 2003, and the original three-year engagement was extended for an additional two years due to unprecedented sellouts.

On March 15, 2011, she returned to begin her second three-year residency with “Celine‘s Back.” Husband manager Rene Angelil has indicated several times that he will extend her residency to 2019.

Guy Savoy opened his famed Parisian restaurant at Caesars in May 2006. His restaurant in the French capital, now just steps from the Arc de Triomphe, opened in 1980, and its three Michelin stars are widely recognized as the pinnacle of culinary achievement.

Induction into the Gaming Hall of Fame is the highest honor accorded by the gaming-entertainment industry. Some 70 people have been inducted since its inception in 1989.