Featured Articles Archive - Page 206

At the Main Event, amateurs take different approaches to playing with pros

LAS VEGAS -- One of the great things that distinguishes poker tournaments from other sports is a recreational player can pony up the entry fee and sit down right next to a professional.Thousands of amateurs flock to the World Series of Poker Main Event every year viewing this element of the game as a perk...read more

Massachusetts limo driver carries memory of son with him to Main Event

LAS VEGAS -- Fourteen years ago, disaster struck for Raffi Boyadjian. His son, Raffi Jr., passed away from a brain tumor.On Tuesday, the Waltham, Mass. limousine driver played on Day 2B of the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in his son’s honor...read more

California Indian casino built and managed by Station Casinos rising to top of class

The Graton Resort & Casino near Santa Rosa, Calif., has not yet celebrated its first anniversary.But one analyst hinted recently the Indian casino — which was built by Station Casinos, Inc. and is being operated by the locals gaming giant — is quickly rising to the top of the class in tribal gaming-rich California.The casino cost $800 million and is owned by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria...read more

Owner of Dotty's buys River Palms in Laughlin for $6.75 million

LAS VEGAS -- For the second time in less than a year, the Las Vegas-based parent company of tavern operator Dotty’s has bought an under-performing hotel-casino in Southern Nevada.Nevada Restaurant Services, Inc. announced last week it was paying $6.75 million to acquire the River Palms Resort Casino in Laughlin from Atlantic City-based Tropicana Entertainment, LLC...read more

Affinity Gaming warns it expects to default on portion of its long-term debt

LAS VEGAS -- Casino operator Affinity Gaming warned investors it was expecting to default on a portion of its $382.7 million in long term debt, but the company expects to fix the issues with its lenders.Affinity, which operates 11 casinos in Nevada, Colorado, Missouri and Iowa, said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last week it expected a default in its “senior secured credit agreement due to non-compliance with certain financial covenants.”The owner of the off-Strip Silver Sevens Hotel & Casino and the three Primm casinos said it was hoping to resolve the concerns quickly.“We are working with our advisors and lenders to reach a solution to this matter, which solution may include an amendment, waiver or refinancing,” Affinity said in the SEC filing...read more

Phil Ivey dominates record Day 1C Main Event field

LAS VEGAS -- A record Day 1C flight of 3,768 players pushed the total field of the World Series of Poker Main Event to 6,683 players, making it the fifth-largest Main Event. The tournament champion will win $10 million, which the WSOP had guaranteed from the outset...read more

For the Baranowskis, the Main Event is a shared experience

LAS VEGAS -- Colleen Baranowski stands behind her husband, literally and figuratively.Colleen's husband, Dean, made a deep run in the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event, outlasting 5,825 players en route to a Day 4 knockout. His 527th-place finish was good for a $21,495 payout.His wife -- right by his side every minute of the tournament -- earned every penny of it.The couple hails from Dallas, where Dean is a chiropractor and Colleen is a stay-at-home mom for their four children...read more

Main Event players seated at Buzio's have mixed feelings

LAS VEGAS -- James Alexander was having a blast.The San Antonio bar owner, who garnered extensive TV time on his journey to 13th place in the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event, kicked off his 2014 tournament Monday on Day 1C.But Alexander wasn't seated in the Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino...read more

High hopes for casinos in Japan

Don’t say “sayonara” to casinos in Japan quite yet.Japanese lawmakers are just taking a summer break.The country’s prime minister even said he’ll push for casino legalization when the Diet, Japan’s national legislature, returns for a special session in September.Which means Las Vegas’ top gaming executives will spend more time across the Pacific Ocean later this year.Although nothing was resolved over the past few months in what seems to be a never-ending effort to bring casinos to Japan, gaming leaders and analysts walked away encouraged...read more

For a Gaughan, buying a hotel-casino is child's play

LAS VEGAS -- The fourth generation of the Gaughan family is already making its mark in the gaming business.John Gaughan — son of South Point owner Michael Gaughan and grandson of the late downtown gaming pioneer Jackie Gaughan — was seeking potential casino management and investment opportunities in Nevada.Thanks to his 10-year-old daughter, Gwenyth, the historic Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall in Ely came to his attention.Gwenyth is friends with the daughter of Las Vegas businessman Paul Kellogg, who owns half of the aging building...read more