Chance Meeting in TI Employee Dining Room Leads to Big Weekend
For Houskeeping Department's Guildredo 'Willy' Silva and Semaj Harrison

MIAMI (November 23, 2009) - A chance encounter inside the employee dining room at Treasure Island by two members of TI's housekeeping department led to a tremendous weekend in Miami that included trips to a National Hockey League game and a National Football League game.

Four-year TI Linen Attendants Guilfredo "Willy" Silva and Semaj Harrison met Don King Productions Director of Public Relations Alan Hopper inside ReTreat dining room on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 25.  Hopper was helping to help present TI's first boxing event - the sold-out Halloween Thrilla on Oct. 31 - promoted by his employer, Don King. 

Hopper was wearing a Miami Dolphins shirt, and Silva - a lifelong Dolphins fan - struck up a conversation.

Harrison encouraged Silva to show Hopper that he, too, was wearing a Dolphins t-shirt underneath his work clothes.  Hopper was so impressed by Silva's show of team support, he told the TI workers, "You seem like really good people.  Don King Productions office is in South Florida.  I'm a Dolphins season-ticket-holder.  If you guys fly to Miami, I'll take you to a game."

Hopper was surprised when Silva phoned to let him know that he and Harrison had purchased airline tickets to South Florida to attend the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins game on Nov. 15.

"We were able to get the vacation days and arrange our schedules to make it all happen," Silva said.

Hopper immediately informed King, who wanted to make sure Silva and Harrison had a fun-filled weekend.

"TI staff and Don King Productions staff are family now," King said.  "Many of us lived at TI for a month before the Halloween Thrilla.  We lived together, ate together and worked together.

"When I heard Willy and Semaj were coming to visit us, I made sure they were taken care of."

King contacted BankAtlantic Center and found out they were hosting two events on the same weekend as the Miami Dolphins football game:  the Florida Panthers of the NHL were playing the New York Islanders, and the Lingerie Football League's Miami Caliente were playing their inaugural home game against the New York Majestics.  BankAtlantic Center provided tickets for both events to Silva and Harrison.

"It was a whirlwind from the moment we arrived on the Friday to when we went home on Monday," Harrison said.  "It was great fun and we appreciate everything Mr. King and his staff did for us."

After the TI staffers arrived in South Florida on Friday, Nov. 6, they attended the Lingerie League Football game, which the hometown Miami Caliente won over the New York Majestics by a score of 49-7.  After the game, DKP graphic artist Kevin Calero gave Silva and Harrison a guided tour of the club scene in Miami's famous South Beach until the wee hours of Saturday morning.

On Saturday night, the TI duo ventured back to BankAtlantic Center to see their first NHL hockey game between the Panthers and Islanders.  Seated immediately behind one of the goals, they were treated to a tremendous game.

The Islanders got off to a great start, scoring two goals in the first five minutes of the game.  The Panthers roared back to score the next four goals, only to have the Islanders retaliate to score two more goals to leave the score tied at the end of regulation play at 4-4.

A five-minute overtime period still left the teams deadlocked, leaving the game to be decided by a shootout, which the Panthers won, 5-4.

After tailgating on Sunday morning at Land Shark Stadium, Silva and Harrison joined 75,000 people for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins game.

The TI staffers luck for good games continued as they witnessed another wild contest with the lead changing three times in the decisive fourth and final period of play.  A Dolphins field goal in the final minute of play turned out to be the game-winner that led to a 25-23 victory for the home team.

Before flying back to Las Vegas on Monday, Silva and Harrison made a quick visit to the beach to stick their feet in the Atlantic Ocean.

"My Dolphins won the game and we had a great time," Silva said.  "It's going to be hard for all our TI co-workers to believe this story, but it's all true."

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