Harrah's New Orleans Names GM

NEW ORLEANS – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:HET) today announced that Jim Hoskins will be named senior vice president and general manager of Harrah's New Orleans Casino, effective upon receipt of required regulatory approvals.

Hoskins was previously senior vice president and general manager of Grand Casino Gulfport. He succeeds Dan Nita, who was recently named senior vice president and general manager of Caesars Atlantic City.

"Harrah's New Orleans is a vitally important property to us, and we want one of our most skilled operators at its helm," said Anthony Sanfilippo, president of Harrah's Central Division. "Jim's business acumen, operating experience and familiarity with New Orleans and the Gulf Coast make him the ideal person for this crucial task. I'm confident Harrah's New Orleans has a bright future ahead under his leadership."

A native of the Gulf Coast region, Hoskins was named general manager of Grand Casino Gulfport earlier this year. From 2003 to 2005 he was senior vice president and chief financial officer of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, serving on the resort's executive committee during a period of major expansion and renovation that helped re-establish Caesars Palace as one of the elite properties on the Las Vegas Strip.

Prior to joining Caesars Palace, Hoskins held a number of executive positions at Grand Casino Gulfport and the Beau Rivage in Biloxi. He studied quantitative business analysis at Louisiana State University and accounting at the University of South Alabama, and is licensed as a certified public accountant.

An active participant in community and charitable initiatives, Hoskins recently served as a leader of United Way fundraising efforts in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. He also served on the board of directors for the area's Boys & Girls Club, which honored him as Volunteer of the Year in 2003.

Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment through its operating subsidiaries. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada 68 years ago, Harrah's has grown through development of new properties, expansions and acquisitions. Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership.