Mohegan Sun Arena will be playing host to an exciting division 1 college basketball doubleheader this winter when the University of Rhode Island takes on Oklahoma State, followed by Central Connecticut State University battling Holy Cross.  The action takes place live on Saturday, January 2nd at 2:00pm beginning with the URI vs. Oklahoma State game followed by the CCSU vs. Holy Cross game at 5:00pm.

Tickets are $75.00, $40.00, $30.00, $15.00 and $10.00 and are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. 

Last season, URI and Oklahoma State faced off in the All-College Classic in Oklahoma City, with the Cowboys edging by the Rams, 86-82.

Rhode Island finished with a 23-12 record a season ago, advancing to the second round of the NIT.  Keith Cothran and Atlantic 10 Sixth “Man of the Year” Delroy James return to spark the Runnin’ Rams’ high-powered offense in 2009-10.

Oklahoma State – picked to finish sixth in the Big 12 Conference – is led by former Massachusetts head coach Travis Ford. The Cowboys compiled a 23-12 record a season ago, advancing to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

The CCSU Blue Devils enter the 2009-10 season on the heels of a 13-17 record a year ago, but they return with all but one starter from that squad.  Junior Ken Horton, an All-Conference pick a year ago as a sophomore, leads the returners that also includes captains senior Joe Seymore and junior Shemik Thompson.  Sophomore Robby Ptacek was the third leading scorer for Central as a freshman a year ago.  Along with Horton and Thompson, Ptacek averaged more than 10.0 points per game. 

Holy Cross is coming off a 2008-2009 season in which it posted an overall record of 18-14 and finished second in the Patriot League with an 11-3 mark in conference games. The Crusaders return with four starters off of that squad, including junior forward Andrew Keister and sophomore guard R.J. Evans. Keister earned first team All-Patriot League honors last season after averaging 8.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while shooting a league-best 58.8 percent (104 of 177) from the floor. Evans, the 2009 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, led the team by averaging 13.4 points per game last year, in addition to pulling down 5.2 rebounds per contest.

Mohegan Sun Arena is ranked the 4th best venue by Billboard Magazine and was the 2008 recipient of a Country Music Award for “Casino of The Year.” For more information on concerts and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

UNCASVILLE, CT (October 14, 2009) – Mohegan Sun is set to host a special party for one of horse racing’s most prestigious events, the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Championships slated for Saturday, November 7th.  The 2009 Breeders’ Cup party will be held in the spacious and elegant Uncas Ballroom, doors will open at 10:00am.

All eight of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championship races from Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park will be showcased on the seven big screens in the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun.  The main and final race, the Breeders’ Cup Classic with $5 million up for grabs will begin at 6:45pm.  The Breeders’ Cup returns for a second straight year to Santa Anita.  As the richest prize-money event in sports, totaling over 25 million, the Breeders’ Cup features the best of the best in thoroughbred horses from North America and Europe.

Mohegan Sun is thrilled to be welcoming Dave Johnson and co-host Bill Finley from Sirius XM’s popular “Down the Stretch” radio show for a live all-day broadcast from the Ballroom.  Also joining the festivities will be 9-time Breeders’ Cup Champ and Hall of Fame Jockey, Chris McCarron.  Dave, Bill, and Chris will all be on-hand in the Race Book on Friday, November 6th for a meet and greet and to sign autographs.

All guests who make a $25.00 wager will receive an official Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt and with any $50.00 wager will also receive a pass to the Breeders’ Cup Buffet. Guests who choose to take advantage of advance wagering on Friday, November 6th for the Saturday, November 7th Breeders’ Cup races will receive an official Breeders’ Cup cap with a $25.00 wager.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early for Mohegan Sun’s Breeders’ Cup Party in the Uncas Ballroom as space is limited and available on a “first-come, first served” basis.  Seating will be limited to the first 1,000 customers.  Additional standing room will be available but will be limited.  Must be 21 or older to participate.

Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the United States.  Situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country.  More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com.

The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) will bring the world’s best bull riders and bulls to the East Coast for the Mohegan Sun Invitational presented by Cooper Tires, the 31st and final stop in the 2009 season.  The top 40 bull riders will participate in three days of non-stop competition as they all vie for the final Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) event title of the 2009 regular season.  Mohegan Sun Arena will host the event with the action getting underway on Friday, October 16th at 8:00pm and continuing on Saturday, October 17th at 7:50pm and Sunday, October 18th at 12:00pm.  Each rider is competing for their chance to qualify for the 2009 PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas where a $1,000,000 bonus will be awarded to the 2009 PBR World Champion. 

Tickets are available for as little as $10.00 and increase to $25.00, $40.00 and $75.00 on Friday, October 16th. On Saturday, October 17th and Sunday, October 18th, tickets will be $15.00, $25.00, $50.00 and $100.00.  Tickets are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to Ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet.

The Mohegan Sun Invitational will feature the superstars of professional bull riding including 2008 PBR World Champion Guilherme Marchi (Leme, SP, Brazil); PBR superstars

J.B. Mauney (Mooresville, NC), Kody Lostroh (Longmont, CO), Ryan Dirteater (Hulbert, OK), Zack Brown (Santa Fe, TX), and Ryan McConnel (Colgate, OK.); past World Champions Chris Shivers (Jonesville, LA) – 2000 & 2003 – and Mike Lee (Decatur, TX) – 2004; and PBR fan favorites Matt Bohon (Cole Camp, MO), Wiley Petersen (Fort Hall, ID), Ross Coleman (Molalla, OR), and Luke Snyder (Raymore, MO) who holds the current record for most consecutive BFTS events attended.

The elite event will consist of four rounds of competition with the first three rounds featuring the top 40 bull riders matched against the PBR’s toughest bulls. The scores from the three rides will be combined and the riders with the top 15 scores will advance to the Built Ford Tough Championship Round after intermission on Sunday. In the end, the cowboy with the highest total score on four bulls will be declared the winner of the Mohegan Sun Invitational!

Mohegan Sun Arena is ranked the 4th best venue by Billboard Magazine and was the 2008 recipient of a Country Music Award for “Casino of The Year.” For more information on concerts and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

World-rated light heavyweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina plans to live up to his nickname by knocking out goblins, ghosts, former world champion Lou “Honey Boy” Del Valle and anybody (anything) else that steps into the ring Halloween night at Mohegan Sun Arena.  The event begins at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $75.00, $45.00 and $25.00 and are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. 

Spina (25-1-1, 17 KOs), fighting out of Providence, takes on Del Valle in the 10-round main event. Joey is rated among the top 15 contenders by all four major boxing organizations – WBC #12, WBA #13, WBO #14 and IBF #15. The rugged Italian-American has defeated former world champion Carl Daniels, The Contender star Jesse Brinkley, Anwar Oshana and Manu Ntoh, among the notables.

Del Valle (36-6-1, 22 KOs), a New York southpaw, has never been stopped in 43 pro bouts. He captured the vacant WBA light heavyweight title in 1997 against European champion “Fast” Eddy Smulders by an eighth-round technical knockout. Lou, who fought Bruno Girard to a draw in their 2001 WBA title fight, went the distance with Roy Jones, Jr. (1998 WBC/WBA unification bout), Virgil Hill (1996 WBA title fight) and Girard (2002 WBA title rematch) in three other world championship matches.

“Joey Spina, pound-for-pound, remains one of the hardest-hitting fighters in the world,” promoter Jimmy Burchfield claimed. “He’s very exciting to watch and fans never know when he’s going to put his opponent to sleep with one big shot. Del Valle has a great chin, though, and he’s held his own against future Hall of Famers like Jones and Hill. A solid performance by Joey against a former world champion like Del Valle should put Spina in line for a major fight. It’s going to be a haunting experience, for sure.”

Also scheduled to fight at Fright Night At The Sun is New England and Eastern Boxing Association super bantamweight champion “Machine Gun” Mike Oliver (22-2, 7 KOs), of Hartford, against upset specialist Andre Wilson (11-3-1, 9 KOs) in the 8-round co-feature. A pair of popular, undefeated lightweight prospects are scheduled to be in action, but in 4-round separate bouts, Quincy’s (MA) Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczewski (5-0, 2 KOs) and Philadelphia’s Frank Trader (6-0, 2 KOs). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

“We will be announcing the rest of the card very soon,” Burchfield noted. “CES is excited to be returning to the beautiful Mohegan Sun. We’re encouraging fans to dress up for Halloween and enjoy an evening of boxing, entertainment and some spooky moments. Mohegan Sun is like a second home for Mike Oliver and Ryan K. has a strong fan-base within driving distance.”

Mohegan Sun Arena is ranked the 4th best venue by Billboard Magazine and was the 2008 recipient of a Country Music Award for “Casino of The Year.” For more information on concerts and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Mohegan Sun is excited to announce that Geno’s Pub and Geno’s Fast Break has renamed their deep fried entrée after local fan favorite Renee Montgomery. To commemorate this occasion, Montgomery will host a free signing at Geno’s Fast Break from 1:00pm to 3:00pm on Saturday, August 22nd.

The five-foot, seven 2006 BIG EAST “Freshman of the Year” was a pivotal component to the UCONN Women’s 2009 Undefeated National Championship team. She started 35 of the Huskies’ 37 games last year at point guard and was drafted #4 overall in the 2009 WNBA Draft by the Minnesota Lynx.   

The “Renee Montgomery” is made up of a half-pound of Tiger Shrimp which are breaded in a light coating of Corn and Wheat Flour, fried in Trans-fat free Vegetable Oil and served with French Fries, fresh Lemon, Tarter and Cocktail Sauce for $12.95.

Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular entertainment, gaming, shopping and meeting destinations in the United States.  Situated on 240 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country.  More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com.

Show is Sunday, October 11th, tickets on sale now

The Lipizzaner Stallions are on their 40th Anniversary Tour in 2009 and will gallop their way to Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday, October 11th at 4:00pm.  Many horses and riders were brought from Europe to perform in this unique family-oriented attraction.

Tickets for the event are $35.00 and $25.00 and are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet.

Over the years, 25 million people throughout North and South America, Great Britain, Europe and Australia have seen this internationally-acclaimed spectacle.  This year represents the 40th Anniversary season of The Lipizzaner Stallions. All new music, choreography and routines have been incorporated in this anniversary edition with a major emphasis on the historical background and foundation of the Lipizzaner breed. Also included in the performance is a segment called the “Airs Above the Ground.” These are the spectacular leaps and maneuvers once used by riders in saddle to protect and defend themselves on the battlefield, now preserved as an equestrian work of art. Harkening back to a time when the horse was a symbol of grace and majesty, The Lipizzaner Stallions are truly a great experience to be enjoyed by the entire family. One does not need to be a horse lover to enjoy “The Equestrian Treat of the Century!”

For more information on The Lipizzaner Stallions and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s entertainment schedule, call the hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Mohegan Sun is excited to announce that the PBR’s 2009 Mohegan Sun Invitational presented by Cooper Tires will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, October 16th – Sunday, October 18th.  On the final regular season stop of the 2009 Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) tour, the world’s best bull riders will invade Mohegan Sun Arena where they will take on some of the rankest bulls the PBR has to offer. 

Tickets are available for as little as $10.00 and increase to $25.00, $40.00 and $75.00 on Friday, October 16th. On Saturday, October 17th and Sunday, October 18th, tickets will be $15.00, $25.00, $50.00 and $100.00.  Tickets go on sale Friday, August 7th at 10:00am through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to Ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet.  Tickets may also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office starting Saturday, August 8th subject to availability.

PBR attracts over 1.7 million live attendees each year with its multi-tiered event structure including the prestigious Built Ford Tough Series, the Copenhagen Bull Riding Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour designed specifically for entry -level contestants.  With over 450 hours of prime time programming annually and a viewership of 100 million, PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air and broadcasts on FOX, NBC, VERSUS and on a host of foreign networks across the globe.  The PBR is headquartered in Pueblo, CO, with additional offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico and prides itself in its 1,000 plus stock contractor relationships and over 1,200 PBR bull riders competing in more than 300 PBR sanctioned competitions across the five countries. 

For more information on PBR and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Delvin Rodriguez vs. Isaac Hlatshwayo II for IBF Belt

On Saturday, August 1st, IBF #2 rated Delvin Rodriguez (24-2-2, 14 KOs) of Danbury, CT will fight for the Vacant IBF Welterweight Championship of the World when he takes on IBF #3 rated Isaac Hlatshwayo (28-1-1, 10 KOs) in a rematch of their highly entertaining draw that took place last November in Hlatshwayo’s home country of South Africa. Rodriguez vs. Hlatshwayo is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and is set to take place at Mohegan Sun beginning at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $125.00, $75.00, $45.00 and $30.00 and are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. 

“Of course I was not happy after the first fight. I know I won the fight, most people who watched the fight, including the South African press know I won the fight, the only people who didn’t seem to know were two of the three judges,” stated Rodriguez. “I went into his backyard and fought him and then we set the rematch to be over here in the states and he wouldn’t come. So instead of waiting around for him I took on Shamone Alvarez and beat him, earning the #2 spot in the IBF ratings. Isaac is rated # 3, so the only way he can win the title is by going through me and I promise you that there is no way that is going to happen.”

“I know I am going to knock him out this time around so the scorecards won’t matter. I know that I can take his best punches and that he can not take mine. In the rematch I am going to go right at him from the opening bell until I knock him out. It is going to be great to have all my fans there supporting me and cheering me on to victory. I have a bad taste left in my mouth from November 17th. I plan on getting rid of it in spectacular fashion come this August and fulfilling my life long dream of being the Welterweight Champion of the world.”

“The first fight was a good fight, definitely worthy of a rematch. While I think its noteworthy that the press in South Africa thought Delvin won the fight, as did I, it is going to be a great rematch and I am looking forward to August 1st, not backward,” stated Rodriguez promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing who was ringside for the bout.

In their first encounter, the two battled to a twelve-round split draw. Those watching the fight, including many of the South African press, felt that although the fight was close, Rodriguez did more than enough to pull out the victory. Rodriguez was the busier fighter; landed more punches and even dropped Hlatshwayo hard in the 9th. Unfortunately for the Dominican native Rodriguez, who now resides in Danbury, CT, it was still not enough in the judges’ eyes to award him with the victory.

“Delvin promised me that if he gets a rematch against Hlatshwayo in the U.S. that he is going to knock him out. We delivered on our end by winning the purse bid, now Delvin must deliver on his, and trust me when I tell you I couldn’t be more confident that he will,” stated DeGuardia.

An extremely exciting and talent-packed undercard, with Providence, RI native and 2008 Olympian Demetrius Andrade, will soon be announced.

For more information on this and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Brawls and body-slams take over the Arena when WWE Monday Night Raw comes to Mohegan Sun on Monday, August 3rd.  The action begins at 8:15pm. 

Tickets are priced at $70.00, $50.00, $40.00, $30.00 and $20.00, and go on sale Saturday, June 6th at 10:00am through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet.  Tickets may also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office starting Sunday, June 7th subject to availability.

Scheduled talent includes all of your favorite Raw superstars including John Cena & “The Game” Triple H vs. WWE Champion Randy Orton & “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show in a Raw Tag Team Match, “The Animal” Batista, United States Champion MVP, Mr.Kennedy, Matt Hardy, Carlito, Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase Jr., Santino Marella, The Miz, Kofi Kingston, Kelly Kelly, Mickie James and many more!

Press inquiries should be directed to the WWE at 203.359.5175. 

For more information on WWE Monday Night Raw and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.

Bellator Fighting Championships will continue its 12-week, nationwide world championship series with its eleventh event, Bellator XI, taking place at Mohegan Sun on Friday, June 12th at 8:00pm.  Returning to Mohegan Sun after the packed house at Bellator II, June’s event will feature the Bellator World Welterweight Championship bout in Uncasville.

Tickets are $60.00 and $30.00 and are on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Box Office and through Ticketmaster.  Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. 

“We have seen spectacular action in the Welterweight division and can’t wait to see the culmination of our three-month tournament with a world title fight at Mohegan Sun, the Northeast’s premier casino/resort location,” said Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney.  “Bellator fighters earn their right to compete for the world championship title by beating the best the division has to offer, and this division, stocked with undefeated phenoms, former champions and world-class challengers, has been really entertaining.  We are genuinely looking forward to sharing this excitement and passion with Bellator’s fans during our second trip to Connecticut.” 

The championship bout will feature Dominican standout Omar De La Cruz vs. undefeated Tiger Schulmann phenom Lyman Good.  Undercard fighters for Bellator XI will include the explosive Uriah Hall and the return of Matt “Weapon X” Makowski.  All the action will occur live at Mohegan Sun Friday, June 12, 2009 and will air exclusively on ESPN Deportes on Saturday, June 13, 2009.

Tournament Bouts:

World Welterweight Championship Final Bout:
170 lbs. – Lyman Good (9-0) vs. Omar De La Cruz (5-1)

Non-Tournament Bouts:
185 lbs. – Uriah Hall (1-0) vs. Armando Montoya (pro debut)
170 lbs. – Igor Gracie (1-1) vs. Vagner Rocha (1-0)
170 lbs. – Matt Makowski (5-1) vs. Justin Torrey (4-0)
135 lbs. – Collin Tebo vs. Nick Pace (1-0)
185 lbs. – David Branch (3-0) vs. Dennis Olsen (6-2)
135 lbs. – Jimmie Rivera (2-1) vs. Nick Garcia (1-2)

For more information on Bellator XI and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com.  For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.