Heard it on the River

Now that casino employees statewide have seen, hopefully, the second edition of the MISSISSIPPI GAMING NEWS, this time bring it home for the family to check out. They might find out something about the industry you are in, and like.

SENATOR TRENT LOTT was in town recently celebrating the opening of the new TUNICA AIRPORT. He flew into a media reception. Hey, Trent, let's get with SOUTHWEST and JETBLUE and let them know when we expand the runway to 7,000 feet, they are invited to fly in also. It won't accommodate DONALD TRUMP and STEVE WYNN'S ego-inflated aircraft but that's for the future.

ADOLPH LEPRE, table games boss at BALLY'S, tells us that the early response to his 22nd ULTIMATE BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT Sept. 19-21 has been terrific and he thinks it could produce a record turnout. With $125,000 on the line and a $50,000 first place pot, based on 200 entries, it looks like it will happen. For more details see the feature story on page 1.

HORSESHOE Poker Room Manager, KEN LAMBERT, sez Texas Hold 'em tournament play here is up 40 percent. Think all those endless Hold 'em reruns on TV have anything to do with it? You betcha, he sez. You senior poker players out there, get ready for the THE SENIORS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP of POKER coming to GRAND CASINO Oct. 9-18. You must have played your first hand prior to Jan. 1, 1954 to play in senior events. The elder statesman of poker, OKLAHOMA JOHNNY HALE, will be here and a media event will be held in memory of another legend, COWBOY WOLFORD.

Players are coming in from as far away as the state of WASHINGTON to sign up for FRANK SCOBLETE'S GAMBLER'S JAMBOREE that is being held at GOLD STRIKE CASINO on Nov. 14-16. This Tunica Resort first features 36 seminars given by 20 of the biggest names in gambling including JEAN SCOTT, the Queen of the Comps, DR. HENRY TAMBURIN, blackjack expert and JACKPOT contributor, JOHN ROBISON, slot guru and author and regular guest on the GOODTIMES RADIO SHOW, as is prodigious gaming author Scoblete, and the Golden Touch craps crew including the DOMINATOR. Scobe says the response has been amazing so far and it's a weekend not to be missed. It costs only $199 for one person, and $299 for two people. Call 1-866-SET-DICE if you want more info.

Football is upon us and it's the time of year that is well-loved in these here parts. If you want to cash in on the football frenzy, do just that and enter the FOOTBALL FRENZY promotion at GOLD STRIKE. Just go the booth in the poker room on the second floor to get your pick'em card and register. With first place money of $2,500, this is not to ignore. If you listen to the GoodTimes Radio Show on Saturday mornings from 9:30 to noon on SPORTSPLUS 790 AM, when we are not pre-empted by U of Memphis football games, you can have a good chance to win a MONDAY NIGHT NFL PARTY PACKAGE, consisting of an overnight stay and buffet comps if you a lucky caller to 901-274-7979. And, of course, you will see the game in the Millenium theater.

Now that MAYOR WILLIE HERENTON has thrown his dice in the ring for gaming in Memphis, will he still be mayor if it ever happens. Don't bet on it. It took a determined STATE SENATOR STEVE COHEN 18 years to finally get a lottery approved and he knows how hard it was to get the Tennessee Constitution amended. And Dr. Willie would need to get that done. I'm taking odds. But SHELBY COUNTY COMMISSIONER JOHN WILLINGHAM is not deterred in the least. He's been pushing for gaming at the Pyramid for some time and is already spending any money from gaming revenues. He said it in the Commercial Appeal…."casino revenues could help reduce government debt and pay for projects like a countywide monorail, a 'mini-Olympic village' for high school athletes and a barbecue hall of fame." He forgot a gambling hall of fame. I don't know how we are getting by without those projects.

This 'n that…REPLAYS, the hot sports bar in the Grand, is now open 24 hours daily…LB's Steakhouse new menu set for Oct. 1…STEVE MARSHALL is new Director of Marketing at Fitzgeralds…save Nov. 6-7 for the $100,000 blackjack tournament at GOLD STRIKE…and based on the success of the Mississippi Craps Tournament, Gold Strike will hold another in Feb…lifesavers, the Tunica Queen will carry about 350 on board…where are they now… BOB ADAMS, former director of marketing at SAM'S TOWN?

(DAVID…if u have any little tidbits for "this 'n that" throw 'em in please. Good place for catch-all stuff)

FROM THE QUOTEABLE GAMBLER…Lyons Press
"Bad beats haunt you like bad dreams."
ALVIN ALVAREZ 'No Limit" (1994)

Laissez le bon temps rouler.