This post is sponsored by MGM Gold Strike Resort and Casino
At the end of our tour of behind the scenes at MGM Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Missippi, Elaine and I and the rest of the guests who were a part of our group were treated to fabulous surprise!
We were instructed to meet the group in the lobby at the appointed hour. When everyone had arrived, we were escorted by the lovely Keisha, who is the Marketing Director at Gold Strike, to the Millennium Theatre where we had a private meet and greet with Jack Hanna! In case you don’t know, he is the creator of the television shows Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures and Jack Hanna’s Into The Wild. He has also been the director of the Columbus, Ohio zoo since 1978.
It was exciting to meet Mr. Hanna, but that was not all! There were also several animals onstage that we could touch and pet. All of the animals in the show were rescue animals. One was a cougar that was rescued from a fire in Montana!
I petted the African Penquin. I had no idea that it would be so soft! Penguins have always looked leathery and tough to me, but they actually do have feathers and are soft as down.
One of the slowest moving animals on earth is the sloth. The sloth that was onstage was from South America. I did not want to touch it because, well, look at those claws!
After about forty five minutes of mingling with the animals and trainers, we went out to the lobby of the theater to wait for the Into The Wild show to begin. When the doors opened, we found our seats, and saw many more animals, with Jack Hanna narrating and telling us about the origin of each one, and how they came to be rescued and in the care of the Columbus Zoo.
When the Into The Wild Show was over, Elaine and I made our way to the Americana Buffet for the Saturday night Seafood Buffet. And yes, we did eat some of those snow crab legs, along with tasting many of the other foods.
We decided to play the slots again after dinner. By the time we got back to our room, it was almost midnight. When we got to the room we discovered that there was another gift left in our room by management. This time, it was a pink spa and beach towel, along with a ball cap and a travel mug. It was sad to think about having to leave this place where we were treated like princesses for the entire weekend. We had so much fun! I thank MGM so much for one of the best trips I have ever been a part of.
Tomorrow, I promise, I will post the Sous Chef’s recipe for the crab cakes that were served in the Chicago Steak House.
Those are some interesting animals. Jack Hanna is still looking good after all these years too.
Looks like you had a great time. I got to meet Jack Hanna at the opening of the new animal hospital at Busch Gardens a few years ago.
Oh that looks like a great time! They are building a new MGM here in Western MA! I can’t wait!
Such a fun place to visit! Love all the animals! That lobby is gorgeous!
Oh I love following along on your adventure. How cute is that penguin?
Those animals are just amazing! I especially love the penguin! It looks like you had a fabulous time!
What a pretty place to stay in Tunica. Jack Hanna seems like such a nice person. I’d love to meet him!
This looks like an amazing time. I love those pictures of the animals. I would have enjoyed seeing them.
LOVE Jack Hanna I am from Columbus and worked at the zoo in high school. He is such a cool guy and what fun animals to see.
The entire trip looks like a blast! It’s a trip we all should take!
I got to meet Jack Hanna at a local event here – it was so cool! He is an amazing guy! But we didn’t get to see all those great animals!
I am so glad you take time to be with your girlfriends. I need to do more of that!
Wow – what great up close encounters. It sounds like such a blast Karen!
Oh, I love the sloth – they are so cool. Sounds like you really had an amazing getaway. I love the pink!
Meeting Jack Hanna would have been the highlight for me.
Great getaway for me taking care of my sister who has cancer! I need a break! Beautiful place! Would love to see it in person!!!
It looks like you guys had a blast. I love Jack Hanna on TV, so seeing that show would be great. The resort looks like fun!
Seafood Buffet sounds so good and I just love the penguin. I would love to visit a fun place like this.