Jetsettersblog

About 22 million visitors a year head for Kansas City and now they have a new reason to go – a new $41 million, state-of-the art Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway.

“Casinos are the number three activity, behind shopping and eating, as lure for the area,” says the Kansas City Business Journal.

The casino is expected to help attract conventioneers. Rick Hughes, CEO of the city’s Convention & Visitors Association, says the new casino highlights the variety of attractions surrounding the Kansas Speedway.

“It will just heighten the interest of people because there’s just one more thing to do out there,” said Hughes, adding that he expects the casino to have a regional impact.

The casino is expected to draw about 4 million guests annually, with an estimated $220 million annual economic benefit, counting factors such as increased general tourism.

“I think it’s going to be the envy of everyone in the business,” said Lesa France Kennedy, CEO of Kansas Speedway. They are a partner in the project with Penn National Gaming Inc.

Officials said they hoped the casino would become the premier gaming venue in the area, outshining its competitors just across the Missouri state line.

“This sets a new high bar,” said Penn chairman and CEO Peter Carlino.

SHERIDAN, Wyo.- Spring is on its way and the perfect time to plan a grown up getaway to the mountains. Nestled in the Big Horn Mountains, Sheridan, Wyoming invites you to come and play.

Outdoor adventurers will want to check out the Big Horn Trail System, recently ranked #7 Snowmobile Trail by SnoWest. “The majestic Big Horn Mountains set the scene and offer a winter wonderland of trails and vast open meadows,” according to SnoWest.

“Here, visitors will find an abundance of opportunities for invigorating outdoor recreation including snowmobiling, alpine and cross country skiing and snowboarding in an ideal mountain setting.” Best Western Sheridan and Holiday Inn offer rental and bring-your-own snowmobiling packages.

Lovebirds will find plenty of ways to fill their days and nights. A stroll to galleries like Bozeman Trail Gallery and Sagebrush Community Art Center, which is located in a historic train depot, may spark new artistic interests. March 23-25, the Big Horn Builders Association Annual Home and Garden Show will share the sights and smells of spring in bloom. At night the WYO Theater will inspire smiles with this spring’s musical-comedy: “The Great American Trailer Park Musical.”

Big name hotels offer couples special packages and amenities.

Whether looking for an exciting escape or a romantic retreat Sheridan will ensure a memorable getaway this Spring.
www.sheridanwyoming.org

The Great American Steamboat Company will operate three Civil War voyages during the inaugural season of the American Queen. The eight- and 10-night theme cruises will include visits to battlefields and on-board entertainment including actors, impersonators, lecturers, balladeers and reenactments.

Fares start at $2,295 per guest, double occupancy, which includes a pre- or post-cruise hotel stay, bottled water and soft drinks, wine and beer at dinner and complimentary shore adventures in each port of call.

The Aug. 10 to 20 voyage sails from New Orleans and visits Vicksburg and Helena, Miss.; Chattanooga, Memphis and Savannah (for Shiloh National Military Park), Tenn.; Paducah, Ky.; and Decatur, Ala.

The Aug. 20 to 30 voyage between Chattanooga and Vicksburg visits Decatur and Florence, Ala.; Savannah for Shiloh National Military Park; Paducah; and Ashport Landing and Memphis, Tenn.

The Aug. 30 to Sept. 7 voyage between Vicksburg and Louisville, Ky., visits Helena, Ark.; Memphis; and Henderson, and Louisville, Ky.

The Aug. 10 voyage, presented by American Experience and Artful Travelers, will feature Ric Burns, who co-produced the PBS series “The Civil War” in 1990, and Mark Samels, executive producer of “American Experience” on PBS.

The Aug. 20 cruise will feature historian A. Wilson Greene, manager with the National Park Service and founding member of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites; James I. “Bud” Robertson Jr., executive director of the U.S. Civil War Centennial Commission; Barry Meadows, who portrays Gen. Ulysses S. Grant; and Al Stone, who portrays Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The Aug. 30 cruise will feature the Hon. Frank J. Williams, founding chairman of the Lincoln Forum and retired chief justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island, and Harold Holzer, vice chairman of the Lincoln Forum and co-chairman of the U.S. Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

The Denver Art Museum is delighted to announce that it is the only venue in the United States for the internationally acclaimed exhibition Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective. It will be on show at the museum from March 25 to July 8 2012.

This retrospective of the designer’s 40 years of creativity features a stunning selection of 200 haute couture outfits along with numerous photographs, drawings and films. These illustrate the development of Saint Laurent’s style and the historical foundations of his work.

Organised thematically, the presentation blends design and art to explore the full arc of Saint Laurent’s career from his first days at Dior in 1958 through to the splendour of his final runway collection in 2002.

Highlights include:

The Gender Revolution galleries where visitors will see how Saint Laurent bent (and sometimes broke) the rules of what women were expected to wear impacting on the wardrobe of today’s modern woman

The Yves Saint Laurent and Women section, displaying the clothing of the historic women who wore and supported Saint Laurent, including Princess Grace of Monaco, Catherine Deneuve and Paloma Picasso

The Last Ball section, featuring exquisite evening dresses from the glory days of haute couture complete with a red carpet

The Colours of Yves Saint Laurent gallery, where guests will enjoy vibrant examples from his collections and hundreds of fabric samples

During his 40 years of designing, Saint Laurent (1936-2008) revolutionised the female wardrobe by borrowing the tuxedo, the trouser suit, shorts and the safari jacket from men’s clothing, transferring these symbols of power from one gender to the other. He empowered women with this new form of clothing, turning traditional menswear into haute couture. Saint Laurent reflected women’s changing role in society ahead of any other designer, setting the styles of the day. The show premiered in Paris in 2010 at the Petit Palais, Musee des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on 20 January 2012.

A dozen Denver hotels are offering YSL packages, many of which are now available to book online on the YSL Denver website. Guests who purchase the VIP hotel packages will receive two tickets valid for any date and time along with an audio guide for the exhibition for each room booked. The tickets also allow guests to enter the exhibit at the next available time slot, bypassing any queues.

http://www.visitdenver.com

United Continental Holdings, Inc. announced that it will launch year-round and seasonal service on several new routes to begin in the summer of 2012.

United will begin daily year-round service between Washington/Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Honolulu (HNL) on June 7, 2012, the only nonstop service between the two points.

The flights will operate using Boeing 767-400 aircraft.

It will add new daily service between Denver and Fairbanks, Alaska, June 7 through Aug. 27.

In South Dakota, United Express will offer daily seasonal service between Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport and Rapid City, gateway to the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore and the Badlands National Park, from June 7 through Aug. 27.

In Wyoming, it will add twice weekly flights between its Houston and San Francisco (SFO) hubs and Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Allegiant Travel Company said it will establish a new base of operations at Oakland International Airport (OAK) as of April 26, 2012.

The company will base two 166 seat, MD-80 series jet aircraft at the airport and create jobs for approximately 60 people including: flight attendants, pilots, mechanics and airport service personnel.

In conjunction with the base, Allegiant will begin new, nonstop air service to the Bay Area from seven markets.

The carrier will offer introductory fares as low as $29.99 one-way, including taxes and fees, to the following cities from Oakland International Airport: Billings, Mont.; Bozeman, Mont.; Kalispell, Mont.; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Medford, Ore.; Missoula, Mont.; Redmond, Ore.

“The San Francisco Bay Area is a wonderful addition to our vacation destination offerings,” said Andrew Levy, Allegiant’s president. “Oakland International Airport provides our customers convenient access to all the Bay Area has to offer.

We are happy to partner with an airport that operates in a low-cost, efficient manner which allows us to pass the savings on to our customer.”

The Oakland International Airport is Allegiant’s eighth base of operations. Allegiant currently provides service to three destinations from Oakland International Airport including, Bellingham, Wash., Eugene, Ore. and Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz

CODY, Wyo.- What could be more fun than being a cowboy or cowgirl for a week; how about also learning how to play guitar, practicing yoga, flyfishing in Yellowstone, or photographing and painting wildlife on the same vacation.

Dude ranches have long provided all-inclusive vacations for families and individuals looking to escape to a place wild and western.

Today many ranches offer specialty programs and weeks to help guests combine their passions. The Dude Ranchers Association can help travelers find the best ranch for their vacation- whether it is a traditional working ranch, a relaxing retreat, or mixing adventures. Here are just a few of the options available from DRA member ranches:

• Nature and Wildlife Photography Workshop at Zapata Ranch

• Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop and Festival at Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge

• Cowgirl Yoga at the Red Rock Ranch

• Summer Discovery Package at Lone Mountain Ranch

The DRA has over 100 member ranches specializing in the western U.S. and Canada, all specializing in providing the highest quality ranch vacations.

Learn more at www.duderanch.org

Denver, CO – The eighth annual Denver Restaurant Week (DRW), presented by VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, will be held Feb. 25 to March 9, 2012, with nearly 300 restaurants offering multi-course meals for the “Mile High” fixed-price of $52.80 for two, $26.40 for one, tax and tip not included.

This year, for the first time, diners will be able to have a sneak peek of the menus being offered during DRW from Jan. 17-20 by going to VISIT DENVER’s official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/visitdenver

and clicking “Like”.

Once they click on the VISIT DENVER “Like” button, diners will see a tab on the page that contains all the menus, starting at 4 p.m. on January 17. Anyone who already Likes VISIT DENVER on Facebook or does so before January 17 will be notified via Facebook when the menus go live.

The traditional www.DenverRestaurantWeek.com  site with menus will go live at noon on Jan. 20, 2012 for everyone else.

People who sign up via Facebook will also have the advantage of receiving notices throughout DRW about new restaurants joining, menu changes and other specials. They will also receive information throughout the year on other Denver restaurant specials, as well as special deals on the arts, museums, attractions and fun city events.

“One of the challenges in past Denver Restaurant Weeks was that we had no way of creating a conversation with all prospective diners during the event,” states Justin Bresler, vice president of marketing for VISIT DENVER, the organization that presents DRW. “By having people sign up through Facebook, we will have a database of people who we can engage with throughout the event. For taking the time to sign up, we are rewarding potential diners by giving them a three day sneak peek look at the menus to help them make early reservations,” Bresler said.

The immensely popular DRW saw more than 360,000 meals served in 2011. Diners viewed more than 8 million page views of menus at the www.DenverRestaurantWeek.com  site.

“The fun of DRW is looking at the menus and trying to decide where to go,” Bresler said. “This year, we’re offering prospective diners three extra days of viewing the menus, simply by going to the VISIT DENVER Facebook page and clicking the ‘Like’ button.

Menus will go live at noon on the 17th and will be exclusive on Facebook until noon on the 20th, when our main DRW site will go live,” he said.

In addition to the regular DRW activity, diners will be encouraged to “Make a Night of It” with one of several hotel deals being offered on the DRW website beginning on Jan. 20, allowing locals and out-of-towners alike to experience more of what the Mile High City has to offer this winter.

DENVER RESTAURANT WEEK GOES SOCIAL, OFFERING “CHECK-INS” AND BADGES TO SPECIAL DINERS

What could be more fun than dining out with multi-course dinners at Denver’s best restaurants for an incredible deal of $52.80 for two? Earning DRW “check-in” badges at the same time!

In 2012, Denver Restaurant Week (DRW) will offer fun badges of honor that diners can display on their Facebook walls, earned by first creating a “Must-Dine” list (live on the website on Jan. 20) and then by checking in throughout the two-week program. Badges will be awarded for various types of activity during DRW, and the most coveted badge of all will be “The 14er”.

This badge will go to people who dine out at participating DRW restaurants on all 14 nights of the event, Feb. 25 to March 9, 2012.

“We have heard of people who dined out on all 14 nights in previous Denver Restaurant Weeks, and we wanted to have a way of recognizing and honoring them,” said Bresler

. “The few, the brave and the obviously hungry foodies who tackle 14 restaurants in a row need to have something to acknowledge their accomplishment, and so we created ‘The 14er,” he said.

To earn the badges, diners will have to check in while dining during DRW, either on the mobile version of the website or on the desktop version after they are done.

The DRW badges that can be earned include:
Eat Drink Denver:

Easy! Just create a Denver Dining List on the Denver Restaurant Website, and this badge will be unleashed.

The First-Timer: This badge is given when the diner checks into their first restaurant during Denver Restaurant Week.

School Night: Everyone deserves a study break! Dining out on a weekday evening will earn this shiny badge.

The Leap Year: This badge can only be unlocked every four years on February 29 (Leap Year), so diners should make reservations early to earn this beauty.

The 14er: The most coveted of all the badges, this one requires dedication, endurance and an insatiable appetite. Eat at a participating DRW restaurant every night during the 14-day event and this badge shall be bestowed upon the diner. (There may also be a few extra prizes thrown in there too, and a moment of glory with a profile on the DRW website following the event.)

About VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
Celebrating more than 100 years of promoting the Mile High City, VISIT DENVER is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. A record 12.7 million visitors stayed overnight in Denver in 2010, generating $3 billion in spending, while supporting nearly 50,000 jobs, making Tourism the second largest industry in Denver. Learn more about Denver on the VISITDENVER website and at TOURISMPAYSDENVER, on Twitter @iknowdenver and the VISIT DENVER Facebook page, or by phone at 800 2 DENVER.

The eighth annual Denver Restaurant Week (DRW), presented by Visit Denver, The Convention & Visitors Bureau, will take place Feb. 25 through March 9, with nearly 300 restaurants offering multi-course meals for the “mile high” fixed-price of $52.80 for two and $26.40 for one, plus tax and tip.

This year, for the first time, diners will have a sneak peek of the DRW menus from Jan. 17 to 20 (starting at 4 p.m. on Jan. 17) by going to Visit Denver’s official Facebook page and clicking “like.” They will then see a tab on the page that contains all the menus. Anyone who already “likes” Visit Denver on Facebook or does so before Jan. 17 will be notified via Facebook when the menus go live.

The traditional Denver Restaurant Week site with menus will go live at noon on Jan. 20 for everyone else.

People who sign up via Facebook will also receive notices throughout DRW about new restaurants joining, menu changes and other specials, and they will receive information throughout the year on other Denver restaurant specials, as well as special deals on the arts, museums, attractions and city events.

In addition, diners will be encouraged to “Make a Night of It” with one of several hotel deals being offered on the DRW website beginning on Jan. 20.

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota State Parks are encouraging folks to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather by taking part in special events in the parks this winter.

Several events are planned across the state in the upcoming weeks, though officials say the lack of snow may cause them to shift focus slightly from the original plan.

“Our snowshoe outings may very well turn into guided hikes, said Emilie Miller, special events coordinator, “but the point of the events is to just get out and enjoy nature, whatever the weather. Plus, you might have the opportunity to get outside and see a rare occurrence – a South Dakota January without snow.”

Upcoming events in the state parks include:

Snowshoe Stomp, Fort Sisseton Historic State Park near Lake City, Jan. 7, 1 p.m. CT. Stop by the fort to learn a new outdoor skill and enjoy the winter scenery. This event is for all ages and all skill levels. We’ll provide the snowshoes and a teacher to guide you through the basics of snowshoeing. The hike will leave from the North Barracks. Info: 605-448-5474

Snowshoe Walk in the Park, George S. Mickelson Trail, Englewood Trailhead, Jan. 7, 1 p.m. MT. This is the first in a series of walks designed as an introduction to snowshoeing. Snowshoes are provided, but pre-registration is required. Participants must have a Mickelson Trail pass. The walk departs from the Englewood Trailhead. Info/register: 605-584-3896.

Game Lodge Snowshoe Hike, Custer State Park near Custer, Jan. 14, 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. MT. These two guided snowshoe hikes take participants on a trail overlooking Game Lodge Campground. The hike is two miles long and is geared toward the basics of snowshoeing. It is considered an easy hike and for beginners. Snowshoes are provided, but pre-registration is required. Info/register: 605-255-4464.

Geocaching the Snowshoe Way, Newton Hills State Park near Canton, Jan. 14, 2 p.m. CT

Meet park staff at the welcome center to embark on a high-tech treasure hunting game while equipped with GPS devices and snowshoes. The basic idea of geocaching is to find hidden containers and share your experiences with other adventure seekers. GPS devices and snowshoes will be provided but pre-registration is required. Info/register: 605-987-2263.

Snowshoe Walk in the Park, George S. Mickelson Trail, Englewood Trailhead, Jan. 21, 1 p.m. MT. This snowshoe walk is a great way to try something new. No experience needed. Snowshoes are provided, but pre-registration is required. Participants must have a Mickelson Trail pass. Walk departs from the Englewood Trailhead. Info/register: 605-584-3896.

Kool Kids’ Klassic Fishing Derby, Oakwood Lakes State Park near Bruce, Jan. 28, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. CT. Children age 14 and under can participate in this fishing derby. Fee is $2 per child. Free fishing pole, bait, snacks and beverage. Registration takes place at 11 a.m. at the park shop, with fishing from 12-2 p.m. Info: 605-627-5441.

Winter Wonderland Snowshoe Hike, Richmond Lake Recreation Area near Aberdeen, Jan. 28, 1 p.m. CT. Meet at the Richmond Lake Forest Drive warming shelter.

We’ll learn the basics of snowshoeing as we walk through the forested wonderland of the Forest Drive hiking trails and experience nature at its best. Then we’ll head back to the warming shelter for hot chocolate, crafts, and games.

All ages and skill levels are welcome. Snowshoes will be provided.

Info: 605-626-3488.

Ground Hog Day Ski Event, Oakwood Lakes State Park near Bruce, Jan. 29, 12:30 CT.

The day’s events include Sons of Norway Barnelopet Children’s Ski Run, Kick Sled Race, competitive 10K Race, non-competitive 5K Poker Run Tour, and a 1-mile non-competitive Snow Shoe Poker Run. Bring your snowshoes or borrow ours for free. Please call ahead to 605-627-5441 to reserve snowshoes. 12:30 p.m. registration; 1:30 p.m. start. Entry fee: adults $8, youth 14-17 $3, youth 13 and under free. Info: 605-627-5441.

There is no cost to participate in any of the programs, although a park entrance license is required. Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy walking shoes or boots and dress in layers.

For more information on activities in the South Dakota state parks, visit www.gfp.sd.gov  or contact the individual park office.