Poker News

Donna Blevins

Less than an hour south of Memphis, Tunica is known as the South’s Casino Capital and has everything for t-he serious and recreational gaming enthusiasts. With five of the nine casinos offering poker, there is a game and limit for nearly every poker player. With prearranged reservations, most of the casinos offer free limousine service to and from the Memphis Airport.

Since the casinos are spread out along the banks of the winding Mississippi River, the area is different from a Las Vegas or Atlantic City strip. To accommodate the geography of the River, the casinos are positioned in several clusters, separated by the wide expanse of Mississippi Delta. The requirement that the casinos are, in fact, afloat, is all but invisible to the casual observer.

The five casinos with poker rooms are the Horseshoe, Gold Strike, Grand, Hollywood and Sam’s Town. Over the past few months, the Horseshoe, Gold Strike and the Grand have gone through major corporate ownership changes.

It is my hope that these major corporations will retain the southern charm of these properties while enhancing them through their corporate power and strength.

Horseshoe Casino & Hotel - On June 13, 2005, Caesars Entertainment merged with Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. creating the world’s largest public traded gaming company. Harrah’s Entertainment now owns or manages (through various subsidiaries) more than 40 casinos in three countries, primarily under the Harrah’s, Caesars, Grand, and Horseshoe brand names.

In the midst of this merger, Horseshoe recently unveiled its new Poker Room, an entire venue devoted to the Jack Binion-style of poker. Larger than the original, it houses 16 tables, plasma televisions, and offers easy access to a variety of food outlets, including the new Ace High Snack Bar. Home to many high stakes players, Horseshoe’s legendary poker room spreads a wide variety of games, from low limit to No-Limit Hold’em, Omaha hi-lo, Stud and Pot Limit Omaha.

The 65,000-square-foot casino has more than 2,000 slot machines and 70 table games. In addition to poker, you’ll also find other games including blackjack, craps, roulette, and Caribbean stud. The Horseshoe Hotel has more than 500 hotel rooms-including a 14-story all-suite tower. Poker rates are available. Check out www.Harrahs.com.

Gold Strike Casino Resort - As of April 2005, Gold Strike is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM MIRAGE, who owns and operates 24 gaming properties in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan. The Resort has 1,200 oversized rooms and suites, three restaurants, a spa and salon, plus an 800-seat showroom. The Casino has 50,000 square feet of gaming space with 50 table games and more than 1,400 slot machines. Poker room rates are available.

The 14-table Poker Room is located on the second level of the casino and spreads $1-5 Stud, $3-6 to $10-20 limit Texas Hold’em as well as $1-2 No-limit Hold’em. You will also find a jammin’ $4-8 Omaha Hi-Lo game as well as a Pot Limit Omaha High with $2-5 blinds. The entire month of January 2006 is dedicated to the World Poker Open, with the televised final table championship taking place on January 26th. Check out www.GoldStrike.com.

Now let’s look at the other three in the South’s Casino Capital. Just an hour south of Memphis, these resorts are located on the majestic Mississippi River - the Grand, Hollywood and Sam’s Town.

Grand Casino & Hotel - When Caesars Entertainment merged with Harrah’s in early June 2005, Grand Casino became a sister property of the Horseshoe and a part of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. gaming network. Voted best overall casino hotel by the 2004 Casino Player Awards, the Grand is the largest casino resort between Las Vegas and Atlantic City and is a true destination.

This sprawling resort has three hotel towers, convention center, RV resort, plus a variety of sporting and entertainment venues. The poker room is an enclosed room that insulates it from the noise of the rest of the gaming. Rest rooms are right outside the entrances to the room and convenient for the players. This poker retreat offers a full range of games from $2-10 Stud, $4-8 to $10-20 Texas Hold’em, and $2-5 blind No-Limit Hold’em with a minimum buy in of $100, maximum $1000. You’ll also find Omaha $4-8 hi-lo with a full kill.

The poker rate in the Veranda Hotel is $25 during the week, $35 on weekends. The Grand is proud of their service to players and provides a kitchen in the rear of the poker room complete with free snacks, popcorn, hotdogs, coffee and fountain drinks. Check out www.Caesars.com/GrandCasino/Tunica.

Hollywood Casino - This 54,000 square-foot casino offers over 35 gaming tables, including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, 3-5-7 Poker, 3-Way Action and Poker. In addition, there are 1600 slot machines. Their comfortable, 6-table non-smoking room generally spreads $3-6 Texas Hold’em and $1-2 blind No-Limit Hold’em with a $50 to $200 buy in. Regular players with only 10 hours of play can participate in a Freeroll tournament every Tuesday. Every two months, 80 hours of play will buy your entry into a $15,000 Freeroll.

Sunday through Thursday, five hours of play is rewarded with a $25 room rate in Hollywood’s 500-room Hotel. Poker rates for the RV Resort are also available. No poker rates are available on the weekend for the hotel. Check out www.HollywoodCasinoTunica.com. Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall - With five hours of daily poker play, you can earn a $25 daily room rate Sunday - Thursday, and $35 on Friday and Saturday in two hotels with 1000 newly renovated room. Poker rates are available for the RV Resort.

With two floors of slots and table games, Sam’s Town has everything from Blackjack to Craps . . . Caribbean Stud, Three Card Poker to Pai Gow Poker. . . Roulette plus Tunica’s only live Keno. They host monthly headliner entertainment.

The newly appointed Poker Manager, Gerald Styers, proudly said,”My staff is super. If you want a friendly, homey atmosphere, this is the place to play!”

During the week they spread $2-4 to $4-8 Texas Hold’em and a lively No-Limit Hold’em game with $1-2 blinds and $50-200 buy in. On the weekend you’ll also find $10-20 Hold’em plus a rip-roaring No-Limit Hold’em with $2-5 blinds and $200 to $2000 buy in. Check out www.SamsTownTunica.com.

Filed under: Poker News