mini kiss to rock fair grounds on mardi gras

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Mulvihill, Communications and Pari-Mutuel Marketing Manager, 504.948.1233, james.mulvihill@fgno.com

NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, January 24, 2013) - After a full Carnival season of rocking and rolling all night and partying every day, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots is inviting revelers to wrap up their Mardi Gras with a concert by Mini Kiss, the Kiss tribute band comprised of "little people," between races on Fat Tuesday, February 12. The diminutive foursome will perform all of Kiss's greatest hits - including "Rock and Roll All Nite," "Detroit Rock City," "Calling Dr. Love" and "Shout It Out Loud" - from a trackside stage near the winner's circle starting at 4 p.m. General admission for live racing and Mini Kiss will be $5 and advance tickets are available online at FGNO.com/tickets.

Mini Kiss has performed around the world, although they are perhaps best known for starring in a popular Dr Pepper commercial, along with Gene Simmons and other current members of Kiss, which debuted during Super Bowl XLIV (won by the New Orleans Saints) in 2010. Mini Kiss performs in full Kiss regalia, including, of course, the distinctive face-paint specific to each original Kiss member.

Children 12 and under will be admitted free. For dining and box seat reservations, call (504) 943-2200. To book a party for groups of 25 or more, contact the Group Sales department at (504) 948-1285.

Fans can win a table for six in the Clubhouse dining room on Mardi Gras by sharing the Mini Kiss photo on the Fair Grounds Facebook page at Facebook.com/FairGroundsRaceCourseandSlots. The prize package includes a $250 food and beverage credit for the day, as well as a personal meet and greet and photo opportunity with Mini Kiss.

Fair Grounds has brought out large crowds during live horse racing in recent years with new events like Starlight Racing, a series of nighttime programs complemented by bands, DJs and a lively social scene; the Street Fare Derby, the first large-scale gathering of food trucks in New Orleans; and exotic animal racing, which most recently packed the Grandstand with curious fans eager to see zebras and ostriches compete. On March 30, Fair Grounds will stage its largest special event, the first-ever Infield Festival on Louisiana Derby Day with a concert by Cowboy Mouth and an unprecedented number of local food trucks and pop-up vendors.

More About Mini Kiss
For more on Mini Kiss, visit the band's website at http://www.minikiss.com/.

To view a Mini Kiss promotional video, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G78cdNAozeE.

To see the Dr Pepper commercial featuring Mini Kiss, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibbfvx_K58o.   

To listen to a National Public Radio segment about Mini Kiss and life in a "little people" cover band, click on http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5342555.

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the nation's third-oldest racetrack, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 10 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 141^st Thoroughbred Racing Season runs through March 31, 2013, highlighted by the milestone 100^th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby for Kentucky Derby hopefuls on March 30, 2013. More information can be found online at http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/.