First Cabo Wabo Cantina and Nightclub on U.S. soil to open with three-night Grand Opening Weekend April 30,2004

Lake Tahoe, NV (March 18, 2004) – Rock vocalist/guitarist Sammy Hagar will open the first U.S. based Cabo Wabo Cantina on Friday, April 30, 2004 inside Harveys Resort Casino at Lake Tahoe, Nevada. 

Nicknamed “Taho Wabo,” the Cabo Wabo Cantina and retail store will be located in Harveys Resort Casino, while three, grand opening weekend performances starring Sammy Hagar will take place across the street at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe’s legendary South Shore Room.  On April 30, May 1 and 2, the famed Harrah’s showroom will be transformed into the “Cabo Wabo Nightclub.” Harveys  and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe are owned by Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.

Hagar will officially open the doors of of the Cabo Wabo Cantina at 11 AM, Friday, April 30. The Cabo Wabo Cantina will be open for lunch, dinner and a late-night club scene seven days a week.  The Cantina will serve the finest in Mexican specialties and a diverse offering of wines, beer and spirits, including one of the largest selections of premium tequilas and new and innovative tequila-based cocktails exclusive to Cabo Wabo.

Sammy Hagar and the Waboritas will perform on Friday, April 30th and Saturday, May 1st, while Sunday, May 2nd will feature “Sammy Hagar and Friends.” 

With Sammy working closely with Don Marrandino, Senior Vice President of Harrah’s Northern Nevada, the Tahoe-based Cabo Wabo Cantina went from casual conversations to reality.

“Having my first Cantina open in the States is a dream come true,” states Hagar. “The creation of Cabo Wabo has brought me happiness, success and many rewards over the years. Bringing the Cabo Wabo to Tahoe is something Don and I both plan on making this town rock with.”

“Harveys and Harrah’s are creating a home for Cabo Wabo and Sammy, his thousands of fans around the world and the thousands more that will come to learn the Cabo Wabo way of life,” said Marrandino. “Cabo Wabo is a key component of our continuing strategy to create more excitement, more attractions and a broader appeal to Tahoe. We are looking forward to a long and successful journey with Sammy.”

The first annual “Cinco de Cabo™” celebration will take place in conjunction with the opening of the Cabo Wabo Cantina. The south shore of Lake Tahoe will participate in a town-wide street fair with a cross-section of food, live music and more on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2.

The “Miss Taho Wabo” contest will take place on Saturday, May 1. Winners will become on-stage “waitresses” for that evening’s show, a fan-favorite and a featured part of Hagar’s concerts.

Heavenly Ski Resort will be celebrating the event by keeping the ski slopes open through May 2, offering discounts for all who mention “Cabo Wabo.”  For additional information on room reservations and more, go to www.redrocker.com. 

Since opening in 1990, the original Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas is now legendary and has established itself as the must-see, must-go destination for anyone coming to the resort town. Voted as one of the Top 10 party spots in the world, it is, as Hagar puts it, “a monster that has a life of its own.”

The Cabo Wabo brand also lays claim as the Number Two premium tequila in the United States. “Born” in 1996, Cabo Wabo Tequila is the winner of numerous awards including Gold Medals and “Best of Show” for two consecutive years from the American Tasting Institute. 

Hagar demands only one thing from anyone who comes to the Cantina. “Cabo Wabo is a lifestyle, something that requires only a willingness to enjoy your life and embrace all that makes you happy. That’s the reason the Cantina was created. Come and enjoy.”