Pinnacle Entertainment Announces Management Promotions

LAS VEGAS, May 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. , a leading developer, owner and operator of casino gaming resorts, today announced a series of executive promotions.

Arthur Schleifer has been promoted to Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer from his previous position as the Company's Vice President of Real Estate Development. In this newly created position, he will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Company's marketing, including brand management, relationship marketing, guest services, the call center, events and promotions. Mr. Schleifer joined Pinnacle in 2007 from Harrah's Entertainment, where he most recently served as Director of New Business Development. Before joining Harrah's in 2001, he served in various roles with Excite@Home, including responsibilities for merchandising and marketing within the commerce channel. Prior to that, he served as Home Shopping Network's Vice President of Merchandise Marketing. He began his career in management with R.H. Macy's and Circuit City. Mr. Schleifer holds a bachelor's degree in history from Tufts University and a master's degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

Lewis Fanger has been promoted to Vice President of Investor Relations from his previous role as Director of Investor Relations. Prior to joining Pinnacle in 2003, Mr. Fanger worked for several years as an investment banker at both Credit Suisse First Boston and Lehman Brothers. He also worked as an equity research associate in the gaming group at Bear, Stearns & Co. A native of Las Vegas, Mr. Fanger earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and a master's degree in business administration, both from Stanford University.

Lynn Handler has been named Vice President and Corporate Counsel, where she will help oversee corporate and property-level contracts, litigation, intellectual property, labor, regulatory and other legal issues. Ms. Handler, who joined Pinnacle's legal department in 2004 as Associate General Counsel, had previously served in the legal department at Resorts International, Inc. from 2002 to 2004 as well as from 1995 to 2000. From 2000 to 2002, she practiced law in the Casino Law department at Cooper Levinson April Niedelman & Wagenheim, P.A., in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Ms. Handler holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from Adelphi University and a Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, and has taught hospitality law for the Atlantic City Hotel & Motel Association.

Keith Henson, who had served as Vice President of Relationship Marketing since 2006, has been named Vice President of Casino Operations. Mr. Henson, who will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Company's casino operations, joined Pinnacle in 1997 as a table games dealer at the Company's Boomtown Reno property. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Mr. Henson progressed through various positions prior to being named Senior Director of Marketing and Slot Operations at Boomtown Reno. He also opened the Company's L'Auberge du Lac casino resort as Senior Director of Human Resources.

Ed Mulholland, who joined Pinnacle in 2007 as Associate General Counsel, has been named Vice President and Corporate Counsel. Mr. Mulholland will help manage the legal issues for Pinnacle's growing number of gaming properties, including contracts, litigation, employment issues, labor, regulatory and other issues. He joined Pinnacle after serving as Vice President and Associate Corporate Counsel for the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Las Vegas since 2000. Prior to that, he served for nine years as an associate attorney with Schreck Morris in Las Vegas, where he specialized in various aspects of commercial litigation. Mr. Mulholland received his bachelor's degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

Win Person has been promoted to Vice President of Food & Beverage from his previous position of Senior Director of Epicurean Operations. Mr. Person will oversee all restaurants, lounges and other food and beverage operations at each of Pinnacle's properties, and will help develop those facilities for Pinnacle's current and future projects. He joined Pinnacle in 2007 from Pure Management Group, where he served as Vice President of Restaurant Development. Prior to that, Mr. Person was Vice President of Food and Beverage at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Previously, he held a range of positions with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts properties in the U.S. and Mexico. Mr. Person is a graduate of the Hotel Management School of Lausanne and Professional Chef School in Montreux, Switzerland.

Alex Stolyar has been named Vice President of Corporate Development. Mr. Stolyar joined Pinnacle in 2003 as a Finance Associate, has served as Director of Development since 2004, and worked closely on Lumiere Place and River City in St. Louis, Sugarcane Bay in Lake Charles, Louisiana and Riviere in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Prior to joining Pinnacle, he had worked as a technology consultant, both with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and independently. Mr. Stolyar earned a master's degree in business administration from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree in business administration from The Ohio State University.

"We're pleased to recognize these executives from several departments and disciplines throughout the Company," said Daniel R. Lee, Pinnacle's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We're particularly pleased to have promoted each of these executives from within Pinnacle, and will continue to develop talent at the property and corporate levels to strengthen our management in the future."

About Pinnacle Entertainment

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates casinos in Nevada, Louisiana, Indiana, Missouri, Argentina and The Bahamas and has significant insurance claims related to a hurricane-damaged hotel and casino complex previously operated in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Company opened Lumiere Place, a $507 million casino hotel in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, in December 2007. Pinnacle also has a second casino development project under construction in the St. Louis area, which opening is dependent upon final approval by the Missouri Gaming Commission. Pinnacle is currently developing a second casino resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to be called Sugarcane Bay; is developing a casino resort in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to be called Riviere; and has submitted a proposal for a casino resort in Kansas City, Kansas, subject to various approvals. Additionally, Pinnacle owns a casino site at the heart of the famed Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on which it plans to build a major new casino resort.

For further information At the Company -- (702) 784-7777: Dan Lee, Chairman & CEO Wade Hundley, President Steve Capp, CFO Chris Plant or Lewis Fanger, Investor Relations