Florida To Get Blackjack and More

[RobertC]

From the Miami Herald:

"In closed-door negotiations with the Seminole Tribe, Gov. Charlie Crist has offered the tribe permission to run Las Vegas-style slot machines at its casinos as well as the exclusive right to run Las Vegas-style card games, like blackjack and baccarat, according to people close to the administration."

www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/194863.html

Do you think this could lead to higher limits for poker or higher buy-ins?

[soulvamp]

[ QUOTE ]
From the Miami Herald:

"In closed-door negotiations with the Seminole Tribe, Gov. Charlie Crist has offered the tribe permission to run Las Vegas-style slot machines at its casinos as well as the exclusive right to run Las Vegas-style card games, like blackjack and baccarat, according to people close to the administration."

www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/194863.html

Do you think this could lead to higher limits for poker or higher buy-ins?

[/ QUOTE ]


I don't think it will lead to higher poker stakes. As a matter of fact, once the Indians get Class III gaming, speculation is that they probably will cut back on poker.

[Legislurker]

Are the Seminoles pressed for land? Look at Winstar in Oklahoma, they put the poker room in a damned glorified tent and its PACKED with the Cali drop and 200max buy. Why drop poker when it gets people IN the casino, which is half the battle, turns a profit, and the possibility of a circuit stop.
Ask smaller strips around the country what a 3 week circuit stop means, especially Tunica with two. A month long stop could fill Tampa's hotels and every casino in town, especially off-season. I think part of the impetus originally for bigger poker was a Tour stop. I just don't see how hard it would be to find a 50-75 table super room somewhere on Seminole land, but I don't know the local property situation.

[soulvamp]

I didn't say they are going to cut back on poker, just that there is speculation that they would. It's a fact that slot machines and casino table games generate much more revenue per square foot than poker does. But whether it's good business practice to use poker as a sort of loss leader to get people in the casino I don't know, as I'm not in the business.

As far as expanding with more buildings, the Hard Rock complex is pretty jampacked as it is. The Seminoles are trying hard to build another Hard Rock-type complex to replace the Coconut Creek casino but so far, the neighbors have been able to kill those plans. Bottom line is that there isn't a whole lot of land left for them to expand further.

Also, Class III gaming has nothing to do with poker, which is Class I gaming. Honestly, I don't see the Seminoles pushing the issue with raising the poker stakes, as it seems to me that they're at a point now where it's not possible to generate more rake by increasing the stakes. So why bother when it would only serve to piss off state government?

Maybe it's a possibility that they could try to draw big events like a WPT or something once or twice a year with high-stakes games. Sort of like they do in the Bahamas. But I can't see them going after bigger poker on an everyday basis.

[PrimogenitoX]

[ QUOTE ]
Are the Seminoles pressed for land? Look at Winstar in Oklahoma, they put the poker room in a damned glorified tent and its PACKED with the Cali drop and 200max buy.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is not 200max buy. I just played there last night and bought in for $2,000. Also, last week I played and bought in for $5,000.

[Legislurker]

I was there in March and the 1/2 was 200 max. They were opening a new room that looked like it was in a tent. There was a huge storm as well and I thought the roof was going to collapse. My main reason for never going back was the Cali drop and excessive rake. They had up to 25 blind games if I remember right, and some limit games, not as restrictive as Fla by a mile.

[PrimogenitoX]

Oh, ok, yea..I didn't see where you said you played 1/2..I guess that game is 200max...I played the 5/10 which is 2,000 max and the 10/25 which was 5,000 max.

[cmitch]

FWIW - Hard Rock Tampa is currently undergoing a renovation that is adding 50,000 sf of casino floor space (among other things). Coincidental timing?

[Legislurker]

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW - Hard Rock Tampa is currently undergoing a renovation that is adding 50,000 sf of casino floor space (among other things). Coincidental timing?

[/ QUOTE ]

Any idea what a barebones studio runs around Tampa where I don't have to go to sleep hearing crack deals?

[bigslickmark]

I heard from a seminole tribesman that they will get all class III games (blackjack, craps, etc.) by the end of the month. They plan to offer only high stakes poker and leave the low stakes poker for the pari mutuels.