Miss USA 2000, the 49th Miss USA pageant, was held at The Grand Palace, in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000.
At the conclusion of the final competition, Lynnette Cole of Tennessee was crowned by outgoing titleholder Kimberly Pressler of New York.
The pageant was held in Branson for the second and final time, at the 4,000 seat Grand Palace Theatre, and was the last pageant held in February.
Carson Daly hosted the event for the only time, and color commentary was added for the third time by Miss USA 1996 Ali Landry and Julie Moran. Entertainment was provided by Christina Aguilera, Lou Bega, Brian McKnight and Mark Wills.
The Miss USA 2000 delegates were:
This is the first win for Tennessee in pageant history.
Lynnette Cole becomes the fifth former Miss Teen USA state delegate to win or inherit the Miss USA title in six years and the third to win it outright.
This is the highest finish from a New Hampshire delegate in pageant history, and its first placement since 1980.
Alabama had its highest placement since 1992. The delegate, Jina Mitchell received a 9.93 score in the evening gown finals from the judges, the highest ever recorded evening gown score in the history of the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA or Miss Universe pageants.
Kansas had its highest placement since 1996.
Georgia had its highest placement since 1993.
Colorado placed for the first time since 1989 and second since 1969.
Iowa placed for the first time since 1993 and second since 1960.
Fourteen delegates had previously competed in either the Miss Teen USA, Miss America or Miss World pageants or would later compete in one of them.
Delegate who previously competed at Miss World was:
Sallie Toussaint (Connecticut) - US representative to Miss World in 1997 (Top 10 Semifinalist at Miss World 1997)
Delegates who had previously held a Miss Teen USA state title were:
Lynnette Cole (Tennessee) - Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1995 (Top 6 Finalist at Miss Teen USA 1995)
Tiffany Meyer (Kansas) - Miss Missouri Teen USA 1994 (Top 6 Finalist at Miss Teen USA 1994)
Amanda Penix (Oklahoma) - Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 1997 (Top 6 Finalist at Miss Teen USA 1997)
Angie Carpenter (Mississippi) - Miss Mississippi Teen USA 1994 (Top 12 Semifinalist at Miss Teen USA 1994)
Heather Keckler (Arizona) - Miss Arizona Teen USA 1992
Paige Swenson (Minnesota) - Miss Minnesota Teen USA 1994
Jennifer Lyn Hunt (Maine) - Miss Maine Teen USA 1994
Alicia Carnes (Nevada) - Miss Nevada Teen USA 1995
Laurie Miller (Alaska) - Miss Alaska Teen USA 1997
Jennifer Dupont (Louisiana) - Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1998 (Dupont competed in the Miss USA pageant less than two years after competing at Miss Teen USA. The youngest in the competition, in 2004 she became a Triple Crown winner, for holding state titles for Miss Teen USA, Miss USA and Miss America)
Delegates who had previously held a Miss America state title or would later win one were:
Rebekah Keller (California) - Miss California 1997 (4th runner-up and Preliminary Swimsuit award at Miss America 1998)
Jennifer Dupont (Louisiana) - Miss Louisiana 2004 (1st runner-up and Preliminary Swimsuit Award at Miss America 2005)
Brooke Gambrell (Idaho) - Miss Idaho 1995
Kristen Ludecke (Florida) - Miss Florida 1995
Cheya Watkins (Ohio) - Miss Ohio 1998
Vanessa Shortbull (South Dakota) - Miss South Dakota 2002
