The 2008 Miss America Live! event returns to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for a week of preliminary competitions, culminating in a totally revamped live telecast on TLC, Saturday, January 26 at 8 p.m. ET.  The announcement was made in a joint release by Planet Hollywood, the Miss America Organization and TLC.


"We think it is only fitting that 52 of the most beautiful girls on the planet should be here at Planet Hollywood," said Michael Mecca, president and CEO of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.  "We are delighted to have the Miss America Live! event returning to our property and we look forward to wowing the contestants with the property's complete transformation."


The Miss America Organization is equally pleased with the arrangement.  "We are thrilled to be returning to Planet Hollywood for this year's telecast," said Art McMaster, president and CEO of the Miss America Organization.  "We are building on new traditions here in Las Vegas and we are so pleased that Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino has chosen to be a part of Miss America's continuing history here in the entertainment capital of the world."


The Miss America Organization's new television partner, TLC, is also excited at the prospect of broadcasting from Planet Hollywood.  "The Miss America event will be the must-see conclusion of our surprising new reality series and we're delighted to broadcast it live from such an amazing property," said Brant Pinvidic, senior vice president of programming for TLC.  "Planet Hollywood has one of the Las Vegas Strip's most beautiful resorts and working with their welcoming and supportive management team will make 2008 Miss America Live! a spectacular production."


The 52 Miss America contestants will sweep into town in January to begin preliminary competitions in swimsuit, talent and evening wear.  The three nights of preliminaries will take place on January 22nd, 23rd, and 24th at Planet Hollywood's Theatre for the Performing Arts.  Tickets to the preliminaries, as well as the Miss America Live! finals will be available to the public at www.ticketmaster.com starting December 8.


Miss America has called Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino home since moving to Las Vegas from Atlantic City in 2006.  Lauren Nelson, of Oklahoma, is the current Miss America.


Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino