All 53 contestants competing for the 2012 Miss America Pageant debuted in their EXPRESS fashions at the annual arrival ceremony at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Josh Strickland, one of Planet Hollywood's stars, hosted the ceremony. The contestants returned to the Theatre for the Performing Arts at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino for the seventh consecutive year, and the arrival kicked off a week of preliminary competitions (interview, lifestyle and fitness, talent and evening wear), culminating in the live telecast on ABC, Saturday, January 14 at 9 p.m. (EST)/tape delay (PST).

On hand to welcome and introduce the 2012 Miss America Contestants were Rossi Ralenkotter, President and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Tom Collins, Commissioner and Board Chair of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, David Hoenemeyer, Regional President of Bally's, Paris and Planet Hollywood, Sam Haskell, III, Chairman of the Board of the Miss America Organization and Art McMaster, President and CEO of the Miss America Organization.

Source: Miss America Organization

Express, Inc. (NYSE: EXPR), the specialty retail apparel chain operating more than 600 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, announced today that Express will become an official sponsor of the 2012 Miss America Program.