Apr 20, 2021 | Breaking News, General News, Sports
Former UConn Women’s Basketball Star and Current Assistant Coach of the USA Women’s Olympic Basketball Team to Lead Mohegan Tribe owned WNBA Franchise
Mohegan Sun is excited to announce today that Jennifer Rizzotti has been 
named President of the Connecticut Sun (CT Sun). In this role, Rizzotti will be responsible for the overall business operations and marketing strategies of the Mohegan Tribe owned WNBA franchise that plays its home games in Mohegan Sun Arena.
“I am so honored to rejoin the WNBA family in this leadership position with the Connecticut Sun,” said Rizzotti. “This league employs the very best women’s basketball players in the world. But more importantly, the WNBA is an inclusive and diverse community of women that inspire, lead and in their own words, “provide a voice for the voiceless.” I am proud to have won two championships as a player in the WNBA and will work tirelessly to help bring a championship to the Sun franchise.”
“When you open the official website of the Mohegan Tribe, the first thing you read is Honor the Past. Building for the future,” continued Rizzotti. “I believe the immediate future of the WNBA has never been more exciting. The level of talent, growing support around the sports world, and the league’s commitment to be a keystone for cultural change in these tempestuous times, makes this upcoming season one of the most important in its already rich history.”
Jennifer Rizzotti had a storied career for the UConn Huskies from 1992 – 1996, where she helped lead a 1995 team to a 35-0 season that ended in a Division 1 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. She finished her college career with 637 assists and nearly 350 steals, while averaging just over 11 points per game. After playing eight seasons of professional basketball following college, which included two championship seasons with the Houston Comets (1999 & 2000), Rizzotti embarked on a coaching career that led her to the University of Hartford (UHart) where she spent 17 seasons. During her tenure with UHart, Rizzotti became America East Conference “Coach of the Year” in 2006, 2007 and 2010. Rizzotti has also been an integral part of USA Women’s Basketball, and she currently serves as an Assistant Coach for both the Women’s USA Olympic team and the USA AmeriCup Team. In 2011, she was named USA Basketball “Coach of the Year.”
“Jen Rizzotti brings instant credibility and is a powerhouse within the women’s basketball community. She has deep roots here in Connecticut and we could not be more thrilled to have her joining our team,” said Connecticut Sun Board of Governors Representative and Recording Secretary for the Mohegan Tribal Council, Kathy Regan-Pyne. “Her passion, talent and expertise, along with her shared values and philosophies, make her a natural fit within our organization. We look forward to the team’s continued success and path forward under her leadership and alongside our incredible staff, coaches and players.”
“The Connecticut Sun has had so many great seasons, and incredible athletes, coaches and leaders throughout their impactful history here at Mohegan Sun,” said Jeff Hamilton, President & General Manager of Mohegan Sun. “Mohegan Sun is honored to have Jennifer Rizzotti joining our executive team, and we’re incredibly excited about the future of the Connecticut Sun under her vision.”
A press conference on this special announcement will be scheduled for members of the media on Tuesday, April 27th, where Rizzotti will be joined by Mohegan Sun, Mohegan Tribe and CT Sun leadership. More details are to come on this event.
Rizzotti was also head coach of the George Washington Women’s basketball team for five years, that began with a 20-10 season in 2016-17 and a share of the A-10 regular season title. A trip to the NCAA Tournament would come in 2018 as well, after coaching George Washington to an A-10 Tournament title. Rizzotti was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, joining fellow UConn legends, Coach Geno Auriemma (2006 inductee) and Rebecca Lobo (a 2010 inductee).
“I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize the contributions that Amber Cox made to this franchise over the past five years,” said Rizzotti. “She and head coach & GM, Curt Miller, have made the Connecticut Sun one of the most successful teams in the WNBA. I look forward to using this foundation and the overall culture of the Mohegan Tribe and Mohegan Sun to attract players, fans, and sponsors to be a part of our bright future.”
The Connecticut Sun recently announced their schedule for the upcoming 2021 season, which starts on the road against the Atlanta Dream on Friday, May 14th. The Sun, led by DeWanna Bonner, Jonquel Jones and Jasmine Thomas, have their first home game of the season on Sunday, May 16th, which marks their first return to Mohegan Sun Arena since Game 4 of the WNBA finals on October 8, 2019.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN
Owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 80 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. 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. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @mohegansun, view us on YouTube and find us on Snapchat at username MoheganSun.
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Oct 14, 2020 | Breaking News, Community Relations, Employment, Entertainment, General News, Special Events, Travel & Leisure
WHAT: Mohegan Sun’s award-winning digital TV series “Back of House” returns tonight at 8:00pm with new episodes filmed both before and after the onset of COVID-19.
WHEN/WHERE: Wednesday, October 14th at 8:00pm EST (and airing every Wednesday night through November 18th, with the exception of November 4th) on BackofHouse.tv
IN DETAIL: After receiving top international hospitality awards in 2019, Mohegan Sun launches season four of the hit series, “Back of House” tonight at 8:00pm on BackofHouse.tv. Season four follows the professional lives of 10 Mohegan Sun employees, providing viewers with an in-depth glimpse at the world of resort hospitality and operations. This season is partially filmed pre-pandemic, and goes behind the scenes to uncover the challenges and rewards of hosting New Year’s Eve 2020, as well as holiday galas and the building of a towering gingerbread house. After the onset of COVID-19, the series shows the diligent steps and hard work taken by leadership and team members to close and then safely reopen one of the largest integrated entertainment resorts in the United States after its three-month closure due to the pandemic.
Tune-in and WIN
To celebrate the fourth season premiere, backofhouse.tv and Mohegan Sun will host weekly contests following episode airings where winners can visit Mohegan Sun and catch the “Back of House” cast in action. Viewers will be eligible to enter via backofhouse.tv for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Mohegan Sun, as well as a grand-prize giveaway choice between a $250 gift card or an overnight stay at Mohegan Sun. Winners will be drawn on Fridays at 11:00am EST.
Episode 1: A New Beginning
Due to the pandemic, Mohegan Sun must close its doors for the first time ever. Watch as this 24/7, 365 day a year operation shifts gears to help its local community and its own employees, while they simultaneously attempt to understand life during quarantine. Given the greenlight to reopen, Jeff, Mary and Dan lead team members, working relentlessly to figure out how to reopen one of the largest travel destinations in the US. Ensuring the safety of both the guests and staff is paramount. They must find a way.
ABOUT BACK OF HOUSE
“Back of House” swings the doors of hospitality and entertainment wide open. It is a trailblazing all-access pass to the action behind the action at one of the world’s largest integrated casino resort destinations, Mohegan Sun. Enjoy following fun, dedicated resort employees as they navigate occasional mishaps in their quests to make each guest’s stay a perfect getaway experience. For more information, visit backofhouse.tv.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN:
Owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 80 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. 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. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @mohegansun, view us on YouTube and find us on Snapchat at username MoheganSun.
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Oct 7, 2020 | Community Relations, Employment, Entertainment, General News, Special Events, Travel & Leisure
The East Coast’s Leading Resort to Premiere Season 4 of its Revealing, Award-Winning Digital Series “Back of House,” Starting October 14
UNCASVILLE, CT (October 7, 2020) – After receiving top international hospitality awards in 2020, Mohegan Sun, one of the world’s leading integrated entertainment resort destinations, today announced the launch of “Back of House Season 4: A Fun and Revealing Digital Series.” On the heels of previous seasons’ successes, the fourth season of “Back of House” will feature five all-new weekly episodes on backofhouse.tv, providing fans a look into the ups-and-downs of operating a world-class entertainment destination every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, beginning on October 14 through November 18, with the exception of November 4.
“Back of House S4: A Fun and Revealing Digital Series” follows the professional lives of 10 employees as they adapt to the “new normal,” taking viewers behind-the-scenes at Mohegan Sun to witness pre- and post-pandemic happenings. The series will provide an in-depth glimpse of Mohegan Sun’s holiday festivities leading up to 2020, as well as the diligent steps and hard work taken by leadership and team members to safely reopen and operate one of the largest integrated entertainment resorts in the United States following its three-month closure due to COVID-19.
“Mohegan Sun has emerged from this unprecedented year as a hospitality industry leader at the forefront of health, safety and responsible entertainment delivery, for casino guests and employees,” said George Galinsky, SVP of Marketing Communications at Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE). “We chose to film these notable moments in our history to document them for future generations and to show the critical role our dedicated team members served. Some fun moments pre-pandemic will keep the series light, while emotional moments upon closing and re-opening keep it real. The goal, as always, is to deliver best-in-class entertaining, memorable experiences in a safe, fun environment.”
Primal-NY, an award-winning production studio, also returns for the fourth season to capture the latest and greatest happenings at Mohegan Sun. Robert Conticelli, President of Primal-NY said, “Compelling storytelling and innovative series production will ensure audiences connect with the resort and showcase Mohegan Sun’s journey toward a successful reopening. We hope this authentic series will inspire viewers to visit and experience Mohegan’s first-rate health, safety and entertainment offerings first-hand.”
Enter to Win and Experience “Back in House” IRL*
To celebrate its fourth season premiere, backofhouse.tv and Mohegan Sun will host weekly contests following episode airings for viewers to visit Mohegan Sun and catch the “Back of House” cast in action. Viewers will be eligible to enter via backofhouse.tv for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Mohegan Sun, as well as a grand-prize giveaway choice of a $250 gift card or overnight stay at Mohegan Sun. Winners will be drawn on Fridays at 11:00 a.m. ET.
Season four will bring five brand-new episodes, showcasing the pre- and post-pandemic happenings at Mohegan Sun:
- Episode 1: A New Beginning
Due to the pandemic, Mohegan Sun must close its doors for the first time ever. Watch as this 24/7, 365 day a year operation shifts gears to help its local community and its own employees, while they simultaneously attempt to understand life during quarantine. Given the greenlight to reopen, Jeff, Mary and Dan lead team members, working relentlessly to figure out how to reopen one of the largest travel destinations in the U.S. Ensuring the safety of both the guests and the staff is paramount. They must find a way.
- Episode 2: Be Social, Be Safe
As reopening day quickly approaches, the media floods Mohegan Sun. The health, safety and sanitation efforts are fastidious, fast, and furious as the clock ticks closer to guests returning to their favorite playground. The question on everyone’s mind is: “How will this go?” The casino is spotless, the back hallways too, and the hotel rooms are treated with new stringent protocols. As the team leaders complete their final walkthroughs, the bright shine of a successful reopening lies just ahead on the horizon. See what happens next.
- Episode 3: The Gingerbread House
The holidays are back at Mohegan Sun! Chef Lynn and his team are building a life-size Gingerbread House. That includes teams from engineering, carpentry, security, EVS, marketing and more. The project requires notoriously long hours and can be quite stressful, but the team has some outside help too! Busloads of school children arrive at Mohegan Sun to put the finishing touches on this one-of-a-kind masterpiece. As a thank you, the Mohegan Sun team gives them a special surprise gift. Watch it all now!
- Episode 4: Divas Light up the Holidays
What could be better than incredible holiday decorations and a Mariah Carey concert during the holidays? How about holiday decorating and a concert, followed by a drag queen holiday bash? Lindsay and Lauren work together to make sure that the event goes smoothly, but will these divas be too much to handle when they take over novelle? Be the first to find out. It is a night you won’t soon forget, as the ladies vow to come back to Mohegan Sun again and again! Stay tuned.
- Episode 5: New Year’s Eve
It’s New Year’s Eve 2020 at Mohegan Sun. The range of festivities and parties is as massive as ever with well over 10,000 people in attendance. Lauren, Andre, and Tyler work as a team to ensure the evening goes off without a hitch. Will it? Can it? With Pyrotechnics scheduled for midnight over the waterfall in the Shops at Mohegan Sun, and a total ballroom makeover needed in under one hour in the convention center, anything can happen, and probably will. Will this team and all the other staff be able to ring in the New Year in style? Find out now.
*Giveaway Disclaimer
Must be 21 years or older to be eligible to win. By entering the promotion, you are opting in to receive email offers from Mohegan Sun and agree to sign a media release waiver. Media release waiver allows Mohegan Sun to use your likeness as a prize winner. Subject to availability. Blackout dates may apply. No cash value. Offer is non-transferable. Offer valid at Mohegan Sun’s Connecticut location only. Participants cannot be an employee of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment or one of its properties or a direct family member of an employee.
ABOUT BACK OF HOUSE
“Back of House” swings the doors of hospitality and entertainment wide open. It is a trailblazing all-access pass to the action behind the action at one of the world’s largest integrated casino resort destinations, Mohegan Sun. Enjoy following fun, dedicated resort employees as they navigate occasional mishaps in their quests to make each guest’s stay a perfect getaway experience. For more information, visit backofhouse.tv.
ABOUT PRIMAL NY
Primal NY is a full-service production studio specializing in brand discovery, digital strategy, content creation and distribution. Primal positions clients in ideal Digital, TV and Film scenarios. Based in New York City, the award-winning team of diverse filmmakers has experience across many industries including fashion, sports, music, hospitality, and motion pictures. Primal seeks relationships where opportunities exist to develop original content that enhances a client’s brand identity by finding unique ways to tell their stories. For more information, visit primal-ny.com.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN:
Owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 80 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. 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. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @mohegansun, view us on YouTube and find us on Snapchat at username MoheganSun.
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Aug 7, 2020 | Boxing, Entertainment, General News, Sports
Leading Combat Sports Entities Select the Flagship Integrated Entertainment Resort in Connecticut from a Short List of Top-Tier Venues for Live Sports Series and Broadcast Residency
Mohegan Sun, one of the world’s leading integrated 
entertainment resort destinations, today announced a historic residency with SHOWTIME Sports and Bellator MMA, who selected Mohegan Sun Arena as its broadcast center for a string of nationally televised and much-anticipated events. As part of this relationship, Mohegan Sun’s world-class arena will host a series of major Premier Boxing Champions events on SHOWTIME® and SHOWTIME PPV® and mixed martial arts (MMA) fights from Bellator MMA – under strict safety protocols and with no fans in attendance – over the coming months. These leading combat sports entities chose Mohegan Sun’s award-winning arena in part due to its health and safety practices, and versatile, broadcast-friendly arena.
As live, in-person entertainment takes a backseat to virtual and televised content amid the current climate, Mohegan Sun has made proactive and strategic improvements to its facilities to successfully operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the brand has made several enhancements to ensure Mohegan Sun Arena is a fully functional, international remote broadcast center until audiences can be safely welcomed back to the property.
“We are extremely pleased and excited to join forces with these major sports brands, SHOWTIME Sports, Premier Boxing Champions and Bellator MMA. Our world-class venue, along with our accommodating resort facilities on-site, allows us to create a safe environment as a broadcast center and adhere to today’s sports protocols. Being chosen as host is truly a compliment to Mohegan Sun’s leadership role in the entertainment industry,” said Tom Cantone, President of Sports & Entertainment for Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment. “This is a result of a strong longtime relationship, and we are eager to bring world-class sports and entertainment back to Mohegan Sun Arena where it belongs.”
Since its phased reopening earlier this summer, Mohegan Sun has also developed a series of best-practice safety protocols to ensure proper social distancing for groups is made possible and convenient for production staff, athletes and executives while on-property. This operational framework allows Mohegan to embrace the complexity of creating a health and safety ‘bubble’ for two different organizations running live broadcast events through the month of December.
“Tom Cantone and his team at Mohegan Sun have been excellent partners and the venue has suited our unique needs to deliver both boxing and MMA,” said Stephen Espinoza, President of SHOWTIME Sports. “In order to safely broadcast these events, we have a wide range of logistics to consider. Mohegan Sun has provided everything we could need in terms of safety, continuity, and convenience. We’re proud to work with them as we deliver our first live sports telecasts since March.”
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® at Mohegan Sun Arena is presented by Premier Boxing Champions and kicked off on Saturday, August 1st, with a matchup of unbeaten prospects, Angelo Leo and Tramaine Williams, battling for the vacant Jr. Featherweight World Championship. The next Premier Boxing Champion events slated for SHOWTIME from Mohegan Sun Arena includes David Benavidez vs. Alexis Angulo on Saturday, August 15th and Erickson Lubin vs. Terrell Gausha on Saturday, September 19th.
Upcoming Bellator MMA events, broadcast on Paramount Network and DAZN, include Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 tonight, Friday, August 7th, Bellator 244 on Friday, August 21st and Bellator 245 on Friday, September 11th broadcast live from the Mohegan Sun Arena.
For additional information on entertainment offerings at Mohegan Sun and live COVID-19 updates, please visit: mohegansun.com/updates.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN:
Owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 80 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. 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. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @mohegansun, view us on YouTube and find us on Snapchat at username MoheganSun.
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Jan 22, 2020 | Entertainment, General News
Named After His Recently Released Third Studio Album, The NIBIRU WORLD TOUR 2020 Takes Off In the U.S. on April 2nd; Tickets go on Sale Starting Friday, January 24th
UNCASVILLE, CT (January 22, 2020) – Ozuna, one of Latin music’s most influential artists today, returns to the touring stage in 2020 with the 
much awaited NIBIRU WORLD TOUR. Presented by AURA Music, Elite Media & Marketing (EMM) and Live Nation, the U.S. leg of the tour kicks off on April 2, 2020 in Atlanta, GA and will stop at Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday, May 30th for a much anticipated 8:00pm performance.
Tickets are $299.00, $199.00, $159.00, 119.00, 79.99, $59.99 & $39.99 and go on sale Friday, January 24th at 10:00am through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office beginning Saturday, January 25th at 10:00am, subject to availability.
With over 69 titles on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in the last 3 years, fans of the beloved superstar can expect a plethora of his song hits performed as he only can do in the genre: live with a full band and a state-of-the-art lights, sound and pyrotechnics; in addition to new fan favorites from his recently released album NIBIRU.
RECENT OZUNA NEWS: Ozuna received 8 nominations to Univision’s Premio Lo Nuestro, he was the top winner in 2019 taking home 10 awards. The Latin music superstar recently released his long-awaited album NIBIRU which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin albums chart. On Thanksgiving weekend, Ozuna performed the single “Hasta que salga el sol” at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, to the delight of 22.1 million TV viewers and 3.5 million parade attendees. On Monday, December 2, the beloved “New King of Reggaeton” premiered on TV a performance of the single “Nibiru” on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Show on the ABC network.
ABOUT OZUNA: Latin Music Superstar Ozuna is a multi-platinum Puerto Rican singer/songwriter leading the wave of the new generation of Latin music artists. Among his numerous achievements, in 2019 he broke the record as the biggest winner in a single year in the history of the Billboard Latin Music Awards. He also won Contemporary Latin Songwriter of the Year at the 2019 BMI Awards and made the 2019 Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list. He currently ranks among 2019 Nielsen Music MidYear Top 5 Latin Artists and Top 5 Latin Albums. In 2018 he was named YouTube’s most-viewed artist globally and also holds the record as the artist with the most videos with over one billion views, seven in total. His debut studio album “Odisea” became the longest-leading No. 1 album by a male artist on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums charts, with an impressive 46 weeks atop; while his sophomore studio album “Aura” debuted No. 7 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart and remained #1 in the Top Latin Albums chart for 17 weeks.
He has an impressive collection of chart-topping collaborations with the biggest names in Latin Urban music, like Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, and Nicky Jam; as well as globally acclaimed megastars, such as DJ Snake, Cardi B, Selena Gomez, Post Malone, Jeniffer López, Snoop Dogg, and Rosalía, among many others. Ozuna currently holds four Guinness World Records official titles for his impressive musical achievements.
WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING ABOUT OZUNA:
“The Golden Child of The Digital Streaming Era”
Vibe Magazine
“The new king of reggaeton”
New York Post
“The Future Is Ozuna”
Billboard
“Puerto Rican powerhouse”
Forbes
“Latin music superstar”
NBC News
“One of the hottest reggaeton stars on the planet”
New York Post
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena is consistently ranked among the top three “Arenas in the World for its Size” and top 15 in the “World for All Size Venues.” The award – winning venue is the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven – time national award – winner for “Arena of the Year.” For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.
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