NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 29, 2011) - Yamaha Entertainment Group of America is excited to announce Lamar Irwin from Austin, Texas is the grand prize winner of the Elton John: "The Million Dollar Piano" sweepstakes. In honor of the return of the legendary pop icon to Las Vegas, Yamaha Entertainment Group gave away the ultimate getaway package, consisting of two front-row tickets to The Million Dollar Piano at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, a behind-the-scenes tour at the theater, a 3-night stay at Caesars Palace and two round-trip airfare tickets to Las Vegas.
Upon receiving the news, Irwin said, "Please tell me this is real. This is a dream to see Elton John in concert! My partner and I will love this. I am crossing my fingers."
In addition to the grand prizewinner, five second place winners won two tickets to the concert and two nights at Caesars Palace, and 25 third place winners won two tickets to the concert.
The Million Dollar Piano is based on a state-of-the-art million-dollar instrument hand crafted by Yamaha. Four years in the making, Yamaha Entertainment Group and the designers and engineers from the Yamaha Design Lab in Hamamatsu, Japan worked with Elton to bring his vision to life. The piano encompasses a nine-foot, highly modified, hand assembled grand piano, surrounded in a high-grade acrylic body lined in 68 LED video screens and lights. The result is a spectacular, visionary work of art that can respond to Elton's touch and can be programmed by Elton's world-class video experts to transform he piano in an ever-changing array of images, patterns, lights and colors.
For more information on Yamaha Entertainment Group of America, visit www.YamahaEntertainmentGroup.com.
The comprehensive list of winners includes:
1st Prize:
Lamar Irwin, Austin, TX
2nd Prize:
James Van Hooser, Austin, TX
Marge Ang, Redondo Beach, CA
Kelly Boe, Whiteland, IN
Annette Collins, Frederick, MD
Brett Keith, Tyrone, PA
3rd Prize:
Trent Downing, Henderson, NV
Becky Dinkins, Cape Coral, FL
Jacquelyn Massey, Philadelphia, PA
Michael Barr, Allen, TX
Shannon Hill, Cape Coral, FL
Jenny Draime, Brunswick, OH
Debra White, Boise, ID
Amy Sexton, Harriman, TN
Jennifer Horton, Redmond, WA
Mike Edge, New Lenox, IL
Brian Hodgson, Walled Lake, MI
Michael Adams, Brunswick, OH
Ernest Morin, Cumberland, RI
Nancy Moore, Bishopville, MD
Debbie Butler, Gilbert, AZ
Shannon Schulte, Red Oak, TX
Will Hamilton, Huntington, IN
Tina Barker, Bedford, VA
Sara Duff, Texarkana, TX
Sharon Love, Columbus, GA
Kathy Tillman, Mc Kinney, TX
Kathryn Bakken, Everett, WA
Cathy Lorrah, Budd Lake, NJ
Karen Speer, Lynchburg, VA