'The King' Makes a Triumphant Return to Las Vegas in the World Premiere of Viva ELVIS

NEW YORK, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CKX, Inc. (Nasdaq: CKXE) celebrated the world premiere of Viva ELVIS, the newest resident show by Cirque du Soleil, at ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter in Las Vegas, on Friday night.

The show, a harmonious fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music, is a tribute to the life and music of Elvis Presley.  It is a partnership between Cirque du Soleil and Elvis Presley Enterprises LLC, a CKX, Inc. company.

Robert F.X. Sillerman, Chairman and CEO of CKX, Inc., said he was thrilled with the premiere.  "When we first considered the idea of a production to capture the true essence of Elvis, we knew it had to be a show conceived and performed by the creative geniuses of Cirque du Soleil," Mr. Sillerman said. "Given that we were working with Cirque du Soleil, which has such an extraordinary track record, and an icon of the magnitude of Elvis, I was concerned that I had set my expectations too high.  But from what I saw Friday and from the reactions of those who attended the premiere, including the critics, I am amazed to say that my hopes for the show have been exceeded."

Mr. Sillerman continued, "As the reviews have said, Viva ELVIS is a show the devoted Elvis fan will love, but it reaches beyond that.  It will be thoroughly enjoyed by the casual Elvis fan, by the fans of music from Elvis's era and by anyone who ever listened to rock and roll.  It is also a show that will be loved by fans of Cirque du Soleil, as it takes their talents to an entire new level."

Priscilla Presley headed the long list of celebrities who turned out to experience Viva ELVIS. Among the A-list stars was Ryan Seacrest, host of American Idol, another iconic entertainment offering owned and operated by CKX.

About CKX, Inc.

CKX, Inc. is engaged in the ownership, development and commercial utilization of entertainment content. To date, the Company has focused on acquiring globally recognized entertainment content and related assets, including the rights to the name, image and likeness of Elvis Presley, the operations of Graceland, the rights to the name, image and likeness of Muhammad Ali and proprietary rights to the IDOLS television brand, including the American Idol series in the United States and local adaptations of the IDOLS television show format which, collectively, air in more than 100 countries. For more information about CKX, Inc., visit its corporate website at www.ckx.com.

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SOURCE CKX, Inc.