PURPLE GANG COCKTAIL BY S+O RESTAURANT BARTENDER BRIAN HANNIS WINS
DOWNTOWN GRAND’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY COCKTAIL CONTEST
Hannis to Compete in The Mob Museum’s Boss of the Bars Cocktail Competition on Repeal Day, Dec. 5
Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino held a cocktail contest among its property bartenders on Monday, Oct. 27, to commemorate its first anniversary. The winning cocktail, named The Purple Gang and created by S+O Restaurant bartender Brian Hannis, will be served at all property bars through the end of November. Hannis’ win earned him a spot in the upcoming Second Annual Boss of the Bars cocktail competition, to be held at The Mob Museum’s Repeal Day Party on Friday, Dec. 5.
A concoction combining bourbon with fresh blackberries, basil leaves, vanilla simple syrup and freshly squeezed lemon, The Purple Gang was named for the infamous Detroit Mob faction active beginning in the early 20th century. Known hijackers and bootleggers, the gang effectively self-destructed due to infighting by the 1930s. Entrants in the Boss of the Bars contest are encouraged to create cocktails inspired by Prohibition-era libations.
The cocktail was evaluated on three primary criteria: taste, mixology (specifically, how well the ingredients enhanced one another and combined to create a unique libation); and appearance. Judges were Rob Kachelriess, news producer, Fox 5 Vegas; Anthony Bender, director, casino marketing, Downtown Grand; Hilary Billings, Las Vegas insider and red carpet hostess, USA Today; and Jonathan Ullman, executive director, The Mob Museum.
Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino is offering a Repeal Day Hotel Package for Friday, December 5, including one room night for two, two admission tickets to the Repeal Day 2014 party at The Mob Museum, two signature cocktails and, the next day, two soothing bowls of Hangover Oxtail Soup—made from a tried-and-true traditional hangover-curing recipe—at S+O restaurant. To allow guests to sleep their revelry off the next morning, the package also includes a 2 p.m. checkout. The price of the package is $189 for a Deluxe Room with two general admission tickets and $249 for a Premium Room and two VIP tickets. Repeal Day packages at Downtown Grand may be reserved by visiting http://www.downtowngrand.com/packages/repeal-day.
ABOUT DOWNTOWN GRAND LAS VEGAS HOTEL & CASINO
Downtown Grand Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is the anchor and crown jewel of Downtown3rd, the new metropolitan center of Las Vegas. The 18-story Casino Tower and 25-story Grand Tower feature 634 guest rooms ranging in size from 350 to more than 1,200 square feet with high-definition flat-screen televisions, presidential pillow-top mattresses and high-thread-count linens, setting a new standard for luxury, sophistication and style in downtown Las Vegas. The exterior design of Downtown Grand blends multiple storefronts with a brick and granite façade creating a series of inviting indoor/outdoor experiences. The “industrial chic” interior features the raw energy of a factory juxtaposed with ornate fixtures and canopies. Downtown Grand offers 25,000 square feet of gaming space with nearly 600 new slot machines, 30 table games and a fully featured sports book powered by William Hill. Downtown Grand boasts a variety of unique bars and restaurants providing a wide variety of cuisines and price points. PICNIC, an urban rooftop pool experience, is Downtown Grand’s signature entertainment/dining venue encompassing more than 35,000 square feet and featuring an infinity pool, full restaurant and bar, private cabanas, a fire pit and a grass seating area. Downtown3rd is just steps away from the world-famous Fremont Street Experience and The Mob Museum, within walking distance of Fremont East Entertainment District, and less than one mile from the Las Vegas Premium Outlets and The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, call (702) 719-5100 or go to www.DowntownGrand.com. Find on Facebook or Twitter @DowntownGrandLV.