Heard it on the River

A highlight of the two-day session was the keynote speech by GOV. HALEY BARBOUR. If you had any doubts on where our new Guv stood on gaming, here are some notable moments from his talk to a packed room.

This comment resulted in a long-standing ovation. "I'm against raising anybody's taxes. Period!" He received another standing O when he said. "We have to control spending and get our fiscal house in order." He also spoke against a state lottery and expansion of gaming outside of counties where it was now established. Welcome words to the assemblage.

One of the more interesting presentations at the Summit was put on by GEORGE JOSEPH of WORLDWIDE CASINO CONSULTING. "Beating the Cheats, Game Security in the 21st Century" was the entertaining subject and an eye-opener for this blackjack player. He said that cell phones were the biggest threat to casinos now and demonstrated how high-tech sophisticated cheats can wreak havoc on table win. He demonstrated tricks of the trade that casinos can implement to beat the bad guys before they strike. High tech has replaced the garden variety of cheaters who are virtually stymied by casino surveillance cameras. By the way, Joseph has a very interesting and entertaining book called "Why Shouldn't Women Wear Red in a Casino?" You have to read it to find the answer to this intriguing question. (info@gjlv.com) Ladies won't wear red garments ever again in a casino after reading about it.

GOLDSTRIKE GM DAVID SCHUGAR also spoke at the session on "Repeat Customers:What Brings Them Back" and discussed tools for building a foundation of customers you can count on. We were also surprised to learn that Schugar is accredited with inventing the table game Casino War and the Dragon Hand feature on Pai Gow Poker.

We recently got the opportunity to sit down with Tennessee's own CHRIS MONEYMAKER, the online who won a $10,000 seat in the WORLD SERIES OF POKER and pushed a $40 buy-in into $2.5 million. You can read about Chris in this issue.

Listen to the G OODTIMES Radio show on Saturday, May 15 and we may just have a big scoop that will impact Tunica Resorts in a very positive way. The show is on from 9:30 to noon on SportsPlus 790 AM, Memphis.

HARRAH'S ENTERTAINMENT has been named by Market Matrix as the top-ranked casino in the measurement firm's first quarter customer-satisfaction survey of 35,000 American consumers. Its web site, www.harrahs.com, also received the top ranking in the hotel reservations web site hotel brand category. Locally Harrah's is offering something unique on Friday nights in The Steakhouse beginning May 28. For $50 the restaurant is presenting a gourmet feast, an all-you-can-eat foodaganza featuring extravagant cuisine and fine dinning type appetizers, entrees and desserts. It's not at the Buffet; it's in the Steakhouse. Reservations recommended.

Noticed that 6 to 5 payoffs for blackjacks creeping in at Gulf casinos. BEAU RIVAGE
Have four single deck tables with that payoff, instead of 3 to 2, which is a much larger reward for players. Beau loves billboards. Seen on I-55 east, 12 Beau boards in a row. Heading west is ten in a row. FITZGERALDS adding to its slot product with 100 IGT penny and nickel slots on the second floor. GRAND is remodeling its high limit table games area.

LAISSEZ LE BON TEMPS ROULER!