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Casino Owner Donates Audubon Tickets to NORD

JCC Holding Company (Amex: JAZ - news), the owner of New Orleans' land-based casino Harrah's New Orleans, has given the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) 24,000 tickets to the Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas and the Entergy IMAX Theatre, according to Fred Burford, president and chief executive officer of JCC Holding Company.

The announcement at the Zoo's Swamp Exhibit was attended by Burford, members of the New Orleans City Council, officials of the Audubon Institute, Nancy Broadhurst, the Executive Director of Friends of NORD, NORD officials and NORD campers.

``Our agreement with the Audubon Institute is part of more than $20 million in annual direct payments we are making to the City of New Orleans,'' said Burford. ``The NORD ticket donation is just another example of how JCC Holding Company and Harrah's New Orleans is making a positive impact on our community.''

The tickets are made available through a purchase agreement between JCC Holding Company and the Audubon Institute. The objective of the agreement is to make access to the various Audubon facilities available to as many people as possible. The tickets for NORD will provide each NORD camper and NORD chaperones with a chance to visit the Zoo, the Aquarium and the Entergy IMAX Theatre during the 2000 summer session.

``NORD has enjoyed a successful relationship with the Audubon Institute for several years and we are now very pleased to add JCC Holding Company to that partnership this summer. We recognize the impact that the JCC donation has on the 8,000 kids that will enroll in NORD's summer camp program,'' said Ann E. Macdonald, deputy director of NORD. ``Many of our kids will visit the Zoo, the Aquarium, or the Entergy IMAX Theatre for the first time because of the relationship between NORD and the Audubon Institute and the generosity of JCC Holding Company. On behalf of the City of New Orleans and the children we serve, we thank Audubon and JCC Holding Company and Harrah's New Orleans for providing a wonderful enhancement to our summer day camp experience.''

New Orleans Recreation Department will co-ordinate ticket distribution to campers, making reservations through Audubon's Information Central at 586-4629.

``We're pleased to bring our mission of 'celebrating life through nature' to more kids than ever this summer,'' said Ron Forman, President and CEO of Audubon Institute. ``This is a partnership that benefits everyone, but it's especially beneficial for the NORD campers.''

Jazz Casino Company, LLC, a subsidiary of JCC Holding Company, has the exclusive license to own and operate the only land-based casino in Orleans Parish. Harrah's New Orleans Management Company, a subsidiary of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET - news), has the management contract for the casino. The casino employs approximately 3,000 people with an annual payroll and benefits of approximately $80 million. The 100,000 square foot casino is located at Canal Street at the Mississippi River in downtown New Orleans, and is adjacent to the French Quarter, the Aquarium of the Americas and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

Audubon Institute is the New Orleans based not-for-profit organization which operates the Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, the Louisiana Nature Center, the Entergy IMAX Theatre, the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, the Audubon Institute Center for Research of Endangered Species, Audubon Park, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Wilderness Park, and the Audubon Living Science Museum, set to open in 2003.

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