Prizes include trip to real Hollywood

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Updated: January 23, 2012 12:29AM

Hollywood Casino Joliet is giving away thousands in prizes, including two trips to Hollywood, in the Adventures in Hollywood promotion.

On Feb. 26, guests can swipe their Club Hollywood card from noon to 8 p.m. to enter.

At each drawing, the top prize winner will win an all-inclusive trip for two to Hollywood, including airfare, hotel and tickets to an ABC-TV show.

Plus, two additional winners will win gift baskets valued at more than $200.

WLS-FM (94.7)’s Dave Fogel and WLS-AM (890)’s Christina Filiaggi will host the big giveaways.

Guests can earn additional entries into the drawings from 8:30 a.m. Feb. 20 to 8 p.m. Feb. 26 with every 25 points earned on their Club Hollywood cards.

Drawings will take place at 6 and 8 p.m., and winners must be present to win.

Those who are not Club Hollywood members can sign up free and become eligible for the drawings.

Here’s an interesting note: One of the special menu items at the newly opened Hollywood Stadium sports bar is the Beast.

If someone can eat the 2-pound prime cut hamburger with sides in an hour, that diner earns a free meal and an “I Slayed the Beast” T-shirt.

During opening week, three Hollywood Stadium attendees slayed the Beast.

Hollywood Aurora

Poker fans will have an opportunity to meet and greet one of the top women professional players at the Hollywood Casino Aurora on Feb. 20.

Vanessa Rousso will be on the scene from noon to 2 p.m. in the high-limit poker area at Hollywood.

A spokesman said she will meet with guests as well as sign autographs and take photos with guests who visit the casino.

Rousso has earned more than $2 million, to date, in live and online tournaments, according to her biography.

Her big break came when she finished second in the online PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker main event, winning $700,000.

Rousso also has appeared several times on NBC’s “Poker After Dark.”

Horseshoe

There will be a battle of the bands at Horseshoe Casino’s the Venue, with the winner providing the opening act for the Bon Jovi Live 2011 tour scheduled for the United Center in Chicago on March 9.

Bon Jovi, AEG Live and WJMK-FM (104.3) are teaming to find one sensational, unsigned band (or solo artist) to open the Bon Jovi tour stop at the United Center, a spokesman said.

The JACK-FM’s Give It a Shot to Open for Bon Jovi contest will include four rounds of battling bands.

The first two rounds will convene at the Venue from 7 to 11 p.m. Feb. 18 and 19.

General admission at the Venue for this event is $5.

Meanwhile, the Venue has added a number of new acts to its regular schedule, starting with Gary Allan at 7:30 p.m. March 26. Tickets are $45.

Appearing April 23 will be Jackson Browne, who has written and performed some of the most literate and moving songs in popular music, a spokesman said.

Brown also is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2004) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2007). Tickets are $36, $56, $66, $76 and $175.

Anna Vissi will be at the Venue at 9 p.m. May 7. From 1995 to 2009, she received 30 platinum certifications in Greece and has become one of that country’s best-selling female artists.

She has sold more than 9.5 million records worldwide and also had success in the United States. Tickets are $75, $125 and $150.

And don’t forget that on March 18 the one and only Huey Lewis and the News will be in the house.

The award-winning band has sold more than 15 million albums and still is considered one of America’s top drawing live acts. Tickets are $75, $55 and $45.

Gus Rose can be reached by sending e-mail to jvirtusio@southtownstar.com with “Gus Rose” in the subject line.