New Foxwoods Room Report

budman · #1 03-19-2006, 08:41 AM

I went to the new Foxwoods room yesterday. I got lucky and was seated as soon as I got there. They have a few kinks to work out, but for day 1 I thought things were going reasonably well.

They no longer allow you to eat at the tables. This is in order to get rid of the food carts and make it easier to get through the maze of tables. I thought the tables were still so close together that it was just as crowded as when they were upstairs.

There is now a nice restaurant at one end of the poker complex. The decor is nice and the food is high end for a snack bar. I had Matzoh Ball soup that was better than the Wynn's, which was very good also. I saw people ordering chicken dinners which looked great also. The prices are also higher than what you would expect from a snack bar, but they have certainly invested in a nice restaurant and deserve to get paid.

A few of the kinks that they have to work out:
1.) The player swipe in kiosks were not yet operating.
2.) The PA system needs to be balanced. There were areas where you could not hear announcements. This is good in a sense because it keeps crowds of waiting players away from some of the tables, but if you are playing in a hold'em game waiting for a stud seat you could have a problem.
3.) There is very limited bathroom space for such a large space. Between the two bathrooms I saw there were three urinals and three toilets total for 120 or so tables. I waited for a spot every time I had to use the facilities.
4.) Not enough televisions. I wanted to watch march madness and had no view of a television.
5.) They had big problems with the players points machines. Not that they give you so many points per hour, but we have all become accustomed to comps and it took them almost two hours to get us swiped in.

As for what I liked:
1.) The speed shufflers are great! We were getting a lot more hands in per hour than upstairs.
2.) You are now allowed to talk on you cell phone or listen to music.
3.) They piped in music for a while that was very pleasant. It was soft rock (Sheryl Crow, etc.). I was seated near the restaurant so I don't know if the whole room can listen or if I just heard the overflow sound.
4.) The new cage is far superior to the previous one. There was never a line as there were probably double the number of tellers.
5.) The new felt. Some people were complaining about the felt. It looks great but is strange. There is a grain to it. It is like a stingray's skin. If you pull in one direction is is smooth as silk; in the other direction in is very rough.

As usual, the foxwoods customers were bitching up a storm. They complained about everything. So that is the same as upstairs.

This room could be one of the best in the country if they develop it's potential. They certainly have some challenges as the layout is kind of like a maze. You can't see all of the tables from anywhere in the place. And the manager, Cathy, has taken another job just as the transition is taking place. The rumor is that the night manager will be promoted to her spot.

All in all, I was happy with the performance on day one. They have a few days to get their act up to speed before Carmen Electra shows up on Thursday for the grand opening.

pa3lsvt · #2 03-19-2006, 09:10 AM

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2.) You are now allowed to talk on you cell phone ...

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Why is that a plus? They screwed that up ... cell phones at the table should be a no-no.

budman · #3 03-19-2006, 09:15 AM

My understanding is they don't want you talking on them while you are in a hand; they ask you to push your chair back a couple of inches while on the phone.

When the room was upstairs you had to leave the entire poker room area to take a call. That seemed silly. Smokers and Cell Phone talkers had to leave the area. Floor people would chase you out even if you were in the room and not in a game talking on a phone.

AKQJ10 · #4 03-19-2006, 10:11 AM

Thanks for the report.

On Friday night, I spontaneously decided to visit Foxwoods. I'd never heard of a poker room that size that one needed to phone to ask about availabliity, so i just got in the car and drove. An hour and a half later, I had the privilege of reading a sign to the effect that their room was closed.

Therefore I won't be seeing the new room for a long time. Gas money I would be spending driving to Foxwoods will instead go to saving up for AC, Vegas, or wherever. I've been growing ever sicker of that place, and Friday was the final straw.

So I'm glad I got to experience the new room vicariously, because I won't be experiencing it first-hand for a LONG time.

I did get to find out the latest that Mohegan is saying, though: that a poker room will accompany construction of a new hotel there, so that it can reach 5-star status. I might play in Mohegan's room, slated for completion the 12th of Never, sooner than I go back to the "Mashantucket Pequot Reservation" in Ledyard.

BK1248 · #5 03-19-2006, 10:12 AM

Any higher games than 20-40 in the hold em section? Id love to go play but its not worth my time playing low limits. I think the management needs to step up and promote a regular 40-80 game, theres definetly enuff $$ down there.

budman · #6 03-19-2006, 10:35 AM

nothing higher than 20-40 yesterday. They do get that game going very infrequently.

BarronVangorToth · #7 03-19-2006, 10:57 AM

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theres definetly enuff $$ down there.

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There is -- which is why when said money is in the room, they break the $5-$5 NL barrier with the $10-$25 NL or $25-$50 NL games.

Oh, and for those of you 6'4" or taller -- the plasma TVs will hit you in the head whenever you walk near them. I took a particularly nasty bump yesterday which would've caused many a wrestler to fall down on their face, cover up, and blade to emphasize the point. Me, I just howled like a little girl for 37 seconds.

budman · #8 03-19-2006, 11:23 AM

And while the new chairs are very heavy duty and comfortable, I saw a regular there yesterday who had trouble getting his legs under the table.

He's a very good player, so hopefully he'll stay home and play on-line instead.

BK1248 · #9 03-19-2006, 12:00 PM

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And while the new chairs are very heavy duty and comfortable, I saw a regular there yesterday who had trouble getting his legs under the table.

He's a very good player , so hopefully he'll stay home and play on-line instead.

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I dont think theres one very good regular player in the whole place, and that includes every regular.

Joe Tall · #10 03-19-2006, 07:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Any higher games than 20-40 in the hold em section? Id love to go play but its not worth my time playing low limits. I think the management needs to step up and promote a regular 40-80 game, theres definetly enuff $$ down there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bri,

They'll never get this going without $10 chips.