Las Vegas Weekly

May 27, 2009 · 9:27 AM

Miss America Organization sets dates for 2010 pageant at Planet Hollywood

By Robin Leach

Miss America 2009 Katie Stam and Jselo Sostrein in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Photo: Miss America Organization

There will be 53 contestants -- one more than in past years -- when the 2010 Miss America Pageant returns for the fifth consecutive year to Planet Hollywood for a week of preliminary competitions, culminating in a live, two-hour primetime TLC telecast Jan. 30.

Miss America Organization President and CEO Art McMaster made the announcement in Puerto Rico as he welcomed back the Miss Puerto Rico Scholarship Program to the Miss America Pageant after a nearly 50-year absence!

“We are thrilled to be returning to Planet Hollywood again for our fifth consecutive year,” Art said. “The 2009 pageant exceeded our expectations, and we are continuing to build on new traditions in Las Vegas.”

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Host Mario Lopez and 2009 Miss America Katie Stam.

With the addition of Miss Puerto Rico competing this year, there will be 53 Miss America contestants sweeping into town in January to begin preliminary competitions in interview, lifestyle & fitness, talent and evening wear.

“We are so excited to have the most talented, smart and beautiful girls in the nation returning here to their home at Planet Hollywood,” said Bill Feather, president of Planet Hollywood Worldwide Resorts. “The last four years have been wonderful experiences for not only Planet Hollywood, but for the city of Las Vegas, and the Miss America Pageant returning to our property gives us the opportunity to showcase our magnificent resort once again.”

“The 2009 Miss America Pageant on TLC was a great success, taking the ratings crown as the most-watched program on cable,” said Brent Zacky, vice president of development for TLC. “We look forward to working with the Miss America Organization and Planet Hollywood to make the 2010 broadcast event even bigger.”

The three nights of preliminaries will take place Jan. 26-28 at Planet Hollywood’s Theatre for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the preliminaries, as well as the Miss America Pageant finals, will go on sale on Ticketmaster in December. Miss America has called Planet Hollywood home since moving to Las Vegas from Atlantic City in 2006. Katie Stam of Seymour, Ind., is the reigning Miss America.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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