Las Vegas Weekly

November 18, 2009 · 7:06 AM

Photo Gallery: G2E Global Gaming is in full swing with the stars

By Robin Leach

2009 Playboy Playmate of the Year Ida Ljungqvist poses with a Playboy slot machine at the 2009 G2E Global Gaming convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Photo: Brian Jones/Las Vegas News Bureau

Much of the conversation at the G2E Global Gaming convention is gloomy. It centers on the recession and falling economy, the drop-off in revenues and players and casino debt borrowings from the banks. Depressing, bleak and filled with pessimism.

So it took the stars to brighten the day and bring some glamour, pizzazz and dazzle to chase away the blues.

Our Las Vegas News Bureau photographers Darrin Bush and Brian Jones were at the Las Vegas Convention Center when comedienne and Harrah’s headliner Rita Rudner entertained the convention delegates with a keynote address that had them all laughing out loud.

Gorgeous 2009 Playboy Playmate of the Year Ida Ljungqvist was the center of attention at the Bally Technologies exhibit booth when she made the first pull after unveiling the new Playboy slot machine.

Sex and the City star Chris Noth helped opened the meetings with gaming officials. Chris also unveiled the Sex and the City slot machine at the IGT exhibit and took the traditional first pull.

Another highlight was when magician Jackson Rayne unofficially set a Guinness World Record for the fastest escape from a strait jacket with a time of 7.75 seconds during the convention proceedings.

Photo: Darrin Bush/Las Vegas News Bureau

American Gaming Association President and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. makes the opening statement at the G2E conference in the Las Vegas Convention Center on Nov. 17, 2009.

American Gaming Association President and CEO Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr. made the opening address. G2E, the pre-eminent international event for the gaming entertainment industry, continues through tomorrow and features 520 exhibitors, including 92 from 26 countries. It attracts more than 25,000 attendees and has been held in Las Vegas since its inception in 2001.

Our loyal Vegas DeLuxe reader Richard Corey recorded Chris Noth’s appearance and posted his videos on YouTube:

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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