06/11/2025
Stage One Audio Inc. will not be at the Cruise of Champions this year. We were told we were not good enough for this event, or the new management did not care or like us. After 34 great years, the last living founder of this great event started in 1991 in the East parking lot in the dirt YES in the dirt. In the early part of 1991 Randy Wike, Steve Maitland, and I presented this idea to "I think it was Steve Foster" General Manager of Operations. By 1991 in August, the first or second weekend of Hot August Nights kick-off. Darlyne Sullivan, Executive Vice President & General Manager, and Randy Wike would come out to the event along with Kimberly Tolkien and walk the event every night after all, Darlyne had grandkids participating in the event nightly so she would come out to watch them. Over the next 1 to 12 years, I got to know some behind-the-scenes personnel who put their heart and soul into this great event. People like The Great Tom Ducey, assistant Director of casino Marketing, Brandon McNeely and his staff, Boomer Petersen of Engineering and his staff, Aaron Theis, Director of Security, Doug Simson of Security, Scott Streichert Banquet Manager, and many more.By the late 90's and early 2000 Cruise of Champions could run itself. It set the standard at Atlantis Casino & Spa. Thanks to all! Sept. 28, 2013, Steve Maitland passed, Kimberly Tolkien left Atlantis Casino in 2015, and Randy Wike left Atlantis Casino in 2006 & just passed on March 15, 2025. Tom Ducey& Brandon McNeely left Atlantis Casino & Spa in 2023. All the great personnel either left or passed. I stayed until 2024 the last of the founders. And to see this great event that started small and grow to what it is today breaks my heart so much, years of making great friends and good relationships with some of the vendors and great entertainers
