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Isle Celebrates B.B. King's Birthday

BILOXI, Mississippi – (PRESS RELEASE) -- B.B. King, the undisputed king of the blues music genre, is turning 80 years old this year, and Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. (Nasdaq: Isle) is set to host a birthday party honoring the artist that thousands of King fans can enjoy.

Timothy M. Hinkley, president and COO of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., announced today details of the B.B. King 80th Birthday Benefit at a press conference held at the B.B. King Blues Club in New York's Times Square. Hinkley said that the regional gaming company will host a concert on the evening of Saturday, July 30. The venue, located in King's home state, will be the 8,000-seat Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi.

Isle of Capri Casinos, Mississippi's largest publicly held company, is hosting the country's only official B.B. King birthday celebration with King present, to raise funds for the planned B.B. King Museum, located in Indianola, Miss. The $10 million B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center will be dedicated to honoring the international bluesman, preserve the Delta blues heritage and encourage and inspire young artists and musicians. A groundbreaking ceremony for the museum is scheduled for Friday, June 10.

Executive director for the B.B. King Museum Allan Hammons said, "The B.B. King Museum is a multi-million-dollar project and, while we are on schedule, there's still much to do. We are very grateful for the Isle of Capri's generosity and efforts on our behalf, and we are all looking forward to an unbelievable night on July 30 with the King of the Blues."

The benefit concert will include a silent auction, video presentation with messages from notable celebrity friends of King, as well as performances by Deborah Coleman, Bobby Blue Bland, Smokin' Joe Kubek, Jody Williams and Dickey Betts. The evening will be completed with King playing several of his greatest hits in a show-stopping, once-in-a-lifetime jam, accompanied by all of the artists in attendance.

"By hosting the official B.B. King 80th Birthday Benefit, we intend to honor one of Mississippi's most cherished natives for the many years that he has entertained and inspired us with his unique style and legendary talent. We also want to play a proactive role in raising funds to help establish the B.B. King Museum, which will serve as a benchmark for cultural preservation and arts education in our state. And finally, we have always operated the Isle of Capri to be based on the simple principle of fun; therefore, we want to provide an evening of fun and entertainment for Mr. King's fans," said Isle's Hinkley.

King, who was present at the conference, thanked Isle of Capri for its efforts and support before blowing out candles on his Lucille-shaped birthday cake.

King is also celebrating this milestone year with other significant events, including a European tour this summer, the release of his duets album with Universal Music later this year, and the publishing of a book in September titled "B.B. King's Treasures" with Bullfinch Press.

Tickets for the B.B. King Birthday Benefit can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com and will go on sale July 1.

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