Annual Meeting wraps up with Legendary Night in Vegas

By Jenny Kucera, associate editor TLE

The Mandalay Bay Ballroom has been the location of numerous events during the Annual Meeting, but on Wednesday night, the meeting room was transformed into a Las Vegas lounge—complete with showgirls and the spirit of crooners such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.

"A Legendary Night in Vegas" was the social gathering on the last night of the SEG Annual Meeting. It was a popular event, with attendees lined up to step back in time and enjoy a night of Vintage Las Vegas.

The iconic "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign" is a Las Vegas landmark located at the gateway into town. A replica of the sign dating back to 1959 welcomed guests into the ballroom for the evening. Once entering the lounge, attendees were greeted by two slender showgirls on pedestals … donning red dresses, feather boas, and feather head pieces. Showgirls dressed in black dresses and others dressed in white dresses, both wearing feathers, circulated the room.

Nostalgic black and white posters hung on the wall, featuring the Golden Nugget Hotel on Freemont Street and reminiscent of former Las Vegas hotels such as the Aladdin, Stardust, and Sands. According to legend, showgirls were introduced at the Sands Casino in 1952, performing opening and closing shows with headliner Danny Thomas.

Tables were adorned in black, red, or patterned cloths and decorated with a variety of casino-themed centerpieces: large wooden dice, poker chips, playing cards of poker hands, martini glasses, and roses. Chairs were elegantly covered in black cloth and tied off with red or white ribbon.

Food and drinks were available at several serving stations throughout the lounge. A selection of hot mini-entrees kept attendees lined up for more, and desserts were served on a ‘'mobile" table with wheels—a small round table with a showgirl standing in the middle of the table, surrounded by miniature pastries and shot-glass-sized sweets.

Friends and colleagues mingled with showgirls and blasts-from-the-pasts such as Elvis and Sammy Davis Jr. Live music ranged from the Rat Pack to musicians of later decades and pleased the crowd who filled the dance floor.

An oasis in the middle of a western frontier, Las Vegas continues to satisfy the needs and desires of visitors, and remains a fabled destination for countless people seeking their fortune.

Thanks to sponsors such as Fugro, Marathon Oil, Nexen, Shell, WesternGeco, Geophysical Insights, Total, attendees of the "Legendary Night in Vegas" enjoyed a night of friends, food, and unforgettable fun.