Biloxi scheduled as part of World Poker Tour
BILOXI — The World Poker Tour will bring its televised high-limits poker tournament to the Beau Rivage in Biloxi on Aug. 29 to Sept. 9.
The event, the first televised poker tournament on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, is one of 19 stops in Season VI of the World Poker Tournament.
“The timing is just perfect” with the tournament starting on the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the attention of the country focused on the area, said Beau Rivage spokeswoman Mary Cracchiolo.
The final day of the tournament will be televised on the Game Show Network in early 2008. WPT action from Season V currently airs Wednesday nights on the Travel Channel.
The Beau Rivage Gulf Coast Poker Championship will give fans the opportunity to watch celebrity players on the coast.
Poker stars Scotty Nguyen, J.C. Tran, John Phan and Vanessa Rousso will be among those competing for an anticipated million-dollar prize purse, a diamond bracelet and a $25,500 seat in the World Poker Tour Championship at Bellagio in April 2008, officials said.
Spectators can watch the action from the rail in the Magnolia Ballroom of the Beau Rivage.
About 300 players start in satellite tournaments, which run Aug. 29 through Sept. 5. The WPT tournament begins Sept. 6 and when the chip totals rise and the field is whittled down to the Final 10 on Sept. 9, the ballroom is transformed into a television set.
Ten tournaments, including a ladies’ no-limit hold ’em, are scheduled over the 12 days. The Mega Satellites WPT Havoc Sports Drink will reward the best all-around player with a $10,000 seat at Gold Strike Casino World Poker Open in Tunica.
“This is the first time we’ve ever done this on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” said Cracchiolo.
MGM has hosted championships at MGM sister properties Mirage, Mandalay and Gold Strike in Tunica.
The CEO of WPT, Steve Lipscomb said, “The MGM Mirage properties are always successful in promoting and establishing our tournaments, and when we decided to add new four stops to Season VI, Beau Rivage was an obvious choice.”
Source: Clarion Ledger
More Beau Rivage information can be found at Biloxi Casinos.