USG, ARHS gamble with Casino Night, win big

Gambling was the talk of the town this past weekend for more than 300 students.

"Casino Night," a HUB late night program sponsored by the Undergraduate Student Government and Association of Residence Hall Students, entertained students from 9 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday in the HUB Fishbowl.

Brian Youngblood, president-elect of ARHS, initially came up with the idea of a Las Vegas theme night. The event turned out to be much larger than anticipated, Youngblood said, and he wished more tables would have been available.

The turnout was also a shock to Jason Sidener, ARHS activities chairperson.

"I was expecting three or four hundred people throughout the night, but not in the first hour . . . the lobby was full before we opened the doors," he said.

Each person that walked through the door received $1,000 of play money. They could then cash their bills into chips and start their gambling. Several tables, complete with dealers, were set up for blackjack, roulette and poker.

Prizes were available and everyone left with something. A silent auction took place throughout the evening as gamblers placed bids on the items they wished to obtain. At the end of the night the person with the highest bid went home with the prize. Some of the prizes available were a TV, VCR and stereo. Everyone left the casino with at least a consolation water bottle.

Keri Mazzante (junior-sociology) and Kelly Smith (freshman-communication disorders) helped organize the Vegas success. USG and ARHS worked together to plan the evening, designed as an alternative to drinking, Smith said. The nonalcoholic event did provide grape-juice cocktails and sparkling tonic water.

A professional magician provided the entertainment for the evening. Anthony Masi, who had his own Broadway magic show, took volunteers throughout the night to help him with his tricks.

Most students who attended the Vegas night said they were looking for some different entertainment. Laura Feno (sophomore-international business management) and Daryl Wenner (senior-geography) said they attended a gambling event at another university last week and they wanted to compare "Casino Night" to it. They said they thought it would be something fun and interesting to do.

It was the first time USG ever tried a Vegas-themed activity, and the result was an overwhelming success, the organizers said.

Publicity consisted mainly of fliers on campus, Sidener said, and most of the donations for the night came from downtown State College businesses.