Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino executives announced today that the legendary downtown property has signed an agreement with the producers of NBC's Poker After Dark to host the 2009 season of the popular television series.


The first 60 episodes of the nightly hour-long show, now hosted by popular model Leeann Tweeden, will be filmed in the property's newest events center, The Grand, Oct. 26 through Nov. 5.


"The Golden Nugget is thrilled to host the fifth season of NBC's exciting, late-night poker program, Poker After Dark," said Brett Kellerman, chief operating officer for the property. "The Golden Nugget has been home to several big poker productions, as well as hosted many poker tournaments and events, so bringing a top-rated program like Poker After Dark to the property just seemed like a natural fit."


Poker After Dark gives viewers an intimate look inside a poker game usually only reserved for the eyes of professional players. The program will feature the world's top pros, such as Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Erick Lindgren, Jennifer Harman, Gus Hansen and Phil Hellmuth fighting it out for poker supremacy in a mix of 6-handed, winner-take-all freezeouts and high-stakes cash games


When freezeouts are being aired, each night of original programming will feature an intimate look at how a match develops over the course of the week, culminating with a winner on Friday night. Saturday night's show, the director's cut, will recap the week's highlights and feature Tweeden sitting down with that week's winner to obtain insight into their winning strategy. The cash games, which proved extremely popular during Poker After Dark's fourth season, will be expanded and feature the top players in the game putting up healthy portions of their bankrolls and battling for hundreds of thousands of dollars.


Poker After Dark will begin airing its fifth season on NBC Dec. 29 at 2:05 a.m. ET/PT, Mondays through Fridays, and Saturdays at 1:00 a.m., following "Saturday Night Live." Check your local listings.


ABOUT GOLDEN NUGGET LAS VEGAS


Winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award since 1977, the Golden Nugget Las Vegas is the most luxurious resort on the Fremont Street Experience, and consistently receives critical acclaim for exceeding customer expectations. The Golden Nugget offers more than 1,900 deluxe guest rooms and suites; a high-energy casino featuring the most popular slot and video poker machines, table games, race and sports book and poker room; nightly entertainment; world-class restaurants; luxury spa and salon and The Tank, a year-round outdoor swimming pool complete with a live shark aquarium. In September 2005, Landry's Restaurants, Inc. purchased the Golden Nugget hotels and casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev., and embarked on a 14-month, $100 million renovation project, which was completed November 2006.


ABOUT POKER AFTER DARK


"Poker After Dark" is produced in conjunction with Poker Productions, the only television production company owned and operated by top professional poker players. Producers Mori Eskandani and Eric Drache bring 63 years of combined poker experience to their company and both have played a key role in producing some of television's best poker shows, including both seasons of NBC's "Heads Up Championship," two seasons of GSN's "High Stakes Poker," three seasons of Fox Sports Net and NBC's "Poker Superstars" and CBS' "Intercontinental Poker Championship."


Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino