UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

March 11,  2005

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

 

Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-10410

 

62-1411755

(State of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

 

 

 

 

Identification Number)

 

One Harrah’s Court

Las Vegas, Nevada 89119

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

(702) 407-6000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

ý Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 


 

Item 5.02               Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers

 

(d)           Election of Directors.

 

On March 11, 2005, Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. issued a press release announcing that it plans to appoint Stephen F. Bollenbach and William Barron Hilton to the Harrah’s Board of Directors, upon the completion of Harrah’s acquisition of Caesars Entertainment, Inc.  Each of Messrs. Bollenbach and Hilton currently serve on the Board of Directors of Caesars and are expected to be appointed to the Harrah’s Board of Directors pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated July 14, 2004, by and among Harrah’s, Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Harrah’s, and Caesars.

 

For additional information concerning the foregoing, a copy of the press release dated March 11, 2005 is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 8.01               Other Events.

 

In connection with the pending acquisition of Caesars by Harrah’s, Harrah’s and Caesars announced today that stockholders of both companies separately approved the merger of Caesars into Harrah’s Operating Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Harrah’s.

 

For additional information concerning the foregoing, a copy of the joint press release dated March 11, 2005 is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2 and is incorporated by reference herein.

 

Additional Information about the Acquisition and Where to Find It

 

In connection with Harrah’s proposed acquisition of Caesars (“Acquisition”), on January 24, 2005, Harrah’s filed definitive materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including a registration statement on Form S-4 that contains a definitive prospectus and joint proxy statement. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF HARRAH’S AND CAESARS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROSPECTUS AND JOINT PROXY STATEMENT BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT HARRAH’S, CAESARS AND THE ACQUISITION.  The definitive materials filed on January 24, 2005, the preliminary versions of these materials filed on October 20, 2004, December 20, 2004, and January 24, 2005 and other relevant materials, and any other documents filed by Harrah’s or Caesars with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.  In addition, investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Harrah’s by directing a written request to: Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., One Harrah’s Court, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119, Attention: Investor Relations or Caesars Entertainment, Inc., 3930 Howard Hughes Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109, Attention: Investor Relations. Investors and security holders are urged to read the proxy statement, prospectus and the other relevant materials before making any investment decision with respect to the Acquisition.

 

Harrah’s, Caesars and their respective executive officers and directors may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of election forms from the stockholders of Caesars in connection with the Acquisition.  Information about those executive officers and directors of Harrah’s and their ownership of Harrah’s common stock is set forth in the Harrah’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, which was filed with the SEC on March 1, 2005, and the proxy statement for Harrah’s 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 3, 2005.  Information about the executive officers and directors of Caesars and their ownership of Caesars common stock is set forth in the proxy statement for Caesars’ 2004 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 16, 2004.  Investors and security holders may obtain additional information regarding the direct and indirect interests of Harrah’s, Caesars and their respective executive officers and directors in the Acquisition by reading the proxy statement and prospectus regarding the Acquisition.

 

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such

 

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offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.  No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Item 9.01               Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

 (c) Exhibits.          The following exhibits are being filed herewith:

 

99.1         Press release dated March 11, 2005.

 

99.2         Joint press release dated March 11, 2005.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

HARRAH’S ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date:   March 11, 2005

By:

/s/ Stephen H. Brammell

 

 

Stephen H. Brammell

 

 

Senior Vice President, General Counsel
and Corporate Secretary

 

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