MGM Mirage recently announced the schedule of its Spring Break Poker Classic, to be held at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi. The tournament series will feature 22 events from March 27-April 13, with buy-ins ranging from as low as $200 to as high as $2,500.

“MGM Mirage Mississippi’s five high-stakes poker tournaments provide an opportunity for poker enthusiasts of all levels to compete in a variety of events at both Beau Rivage in Biloxi and Gold Strike in Tunica,” said Ken Lambert, Jr., MCM Mirage Mississippi regional director of poker operations.

Besides no-limit hold’em tournaments, the Spring Break Poker Classic will feature events in pot-limit Omaha, Omaha eight-or-better, seven-card stud eight-or-better, and H.O.S.E.

Registration for the series begins March 27 at 6 p.m.

The inaugural Gulf Coast Poker Championship was the setting for one of the most amazing comebacks the poker world has ever seen. With 17 players remaining in the tournament and the blinds at $4,000-$8,000 with a $1,000 ante, Bill Edler was crippled down to his last two $1,000 chips. After paying his ante, Edler posted his last chip in the big blind, leaving it all up to the poker gods. He then proceeded to win a series of all-in pots, propelling him not only to a comfortable stack, but to the final table.  Not since “Treetop” Jack Strauss’ performance in the 1982 World Series of Poker has a player come back in a major event from such a deficit.

Today marks the start of the Gulf Coast Poker Championship, a 10-event series at the Beau Rivage that’s capped by a $10,000 championship that will be filmed and broadcast by the World Poker Tour.

It also marks the two-year anniversary when an estimated 90 percent of Biloxi’s buildings were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Images of the barge-casinos that were washed ashore — their slot machines planted on the beach — were shown over and over on national news. It was just another example of how vicious the storm was.

On this same day last year, the Beau Rivage, which is an MGM/Mirage property, joined three other casinos that managed to open at the end of 2005. The new casinos marked the start of a frantic boom that saw another seven casinos open for business. The 11 casinos that operate in Biloxi and Gulfport are only two shy from the 13 that operated before the storm. There are plans to build at least four more casinos in the area in the coming years. Atlantic City, by comparison, also has 11.

The casino industry in Mississippi has recovered so completely that the gambling revenue for this July fell only $100,000 short of the record month of July, 2002, when Gulf Coast casinos brought in $266.3 million.

n the first seven months of 2007, Gulf Coast casinos have generated a gambling revenue of $1.7 billion.

One of the reasons for the boom is Katrina changed the way casinos could be built in Mississippi. Before the storm, the complexes had to be near the water, and the actual casino floor had to be a “riverboat,” which was always a moored barge. The hotels, if the casinos had them, were allowed to be land-based.

After the storm, casino owners convinced lawmakers that for the industry to return, they must be allowed to build on land. Casinos can now be built up to 800 feet onshore, allowing developers to go bigger.

The resurgence of the casino industry has put a fast track to the recovery of Biloxi. Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway has repeatedly told reporters that the casino industry is fueling the recovery of the area, as well as statewide, because state income from casino-generated taxes had already reached pre-Katrina levels.

The WPT Gulf Coast Poker Championship, which takes place so close to the anniversary of the horrible storm, will undoubtedly serve as a sort of way to show that the casino industry in the Gulf Coast is back. And it continues to grow.

Satellites to the Gulf Coast Poker Championship started today, and the full schedule kicks off tomorrow.

Source: Card Player

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.

A little update on my trip for everyone. We thought we were comped at the Beau Rivage but something came up with a reservation problem, and when we figured out we had the wrong dates they were already booked. Pretty frustrating. We ended up calling all around and most places were book (even the Island View!), we ended up with a room for 3 nights at the New Palace. It should be a blast!

“Betty Greer, executive director of the Mississippi Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling, said calls to the gambling help line are actually down the last two months – only about 65 per month compared with the normal 100 calls.

“…Keith White, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, said it’s hard to tell if problem gambling is increasing because there isn’t any research being done to determine that…”

Source: Gambling News 

Biloxi casino plans $100M expansion BILOXI, Miss. (AP) – IP Casino Hotel Spa has announced a $100 million land acquisition and expansion in Biloxi.

This week, IP President and General Manager Jon Lucas told members of the Mississippi Gaming Commission that some the expansion is underway. He said some work will be done behind construction walls so there is minimal disruption to guests.

Lucas said Friday the largest project involves closing the movie theater, probably after July, to make room on the second floor for expanded convention and meeting space.

“That will be the beginning of land-based gaming for us,” said Lucas.

About 900 slots will be located off the casino barge. Fourteen table games will be added and the poker room will move from the third floor.

“We’re working on a master plan that will eventually get us to one level gaming,” Lucas said.

He said the expansion faces the Back Bay and they will take advantage of the views in their new Asian restaurant, Tien, with table-side cooking overlooking the bay.

IP is also remodeling 78 suites and Club IP and expanding its entertainment with a production at Club IP.

Recent land acquisition also allow for expanded parking.

“We have more plans,” Lucas said, and when IP is finished, “we basically will have redone the whole property.”

Source: Las Vegas Sun 

The poker calendar includes 19 regular-season tour stops as well as the annual ladies-only event. Several other specials and themed invitation events are to be announced at a later date, said the WPT in a press release Tuesday.

The newest members of the WPT lineup include stops in the Caribbean’s Turks and Caicos Islands; Barcelona, Spain; and the renowned Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss. Additional tournaments were also slated for WPT events at existing member casinos.

“It’s important to continue delivering fresh and exciting experiences for our players and fans on both the tournament and television level,” said WPT CEO Steve Lipscomb.

“By adding WPT stops in beautiful locations around the world coupled with our move to a gaming-dedicated network like GSN, season six is poised to be the best year yet.”

But don’t fret: the old standbys haven’t been forgotten. The WPT will still make stops at Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Commerce Casino, The Bicylce Casino, Gold Strike Casino and Resort, Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, Bay 101 and Niagara Fallsview Resort Casino.

Here is some information from the Beau Rivage site:

With high ceilings and an open floor plan, the new Beau Rivage Poker Room is by far the most spacious and comfortable place to play poker in the South. And with non-stop, 24 hour a day action, you’re bound to find a perfectly suited hand. This smoke-free, exquisite environment features 16 tables dealing a variety of popular games, such as Texas Hold’em, 7-Card Stud and Omaha. Plus, there will be a high-stakes area featuring No-Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, for those looking to really go all in! For your convenience, the Beau Rivage Poker Room provides players with tableside food and beverage service, along with dedicated cashiers, personal safety deposit boxes and private restroom facilities.

And a picture:

The more than $180 million construction project will be largely funded by insurance proceeds associated with Hurricane Katrina. The project includes a land-based casino with approximately 2,100 slot machines, 50 table games, a new poker room, rebuilding the Company’s signature steakhouse, Farraddays’, as well as an expanded tropical-themed buffet, plus one other restaurant yet to be named.

Approximately 45,000 square feet of convention space that is currently serving as gaming space will be restored to its original use. In addition, the casino entryway will be renovated to allow guests easier access.

When complete, this project will return the Isle of Capri Biloxi Casino Resort to the planned pre-Katrina levels. The Biloxi property also includes 731 hotel rooms, a European Spa, infinity pool and waterfall which opened to the public last summer.

“The Mississippi Coast continues to work toward a complete restoration and Isle of Capri is actively participating in the continued evolution of the region. We have worked closely with our insurance carriers, as well as the City of Biloxi and the Mississippi Gaming Commission, throughout the past year to return our property to pre-Katrina levels. I am proud of the work we have done thus far and I am quite sure that our guests and the community will enjoy everything the Isle of Capri offers when this project is completed,” Tim Hinkley, president and chief operating officer, said.

Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., a leading developer and owner of gaming and entertainment facilities, operates 13 casinos in 11 locations. The company owns and operates riverboat and dockside casinos in Biloxi, Lula and Natchez, Mississippi; Lake Charles (2 riverboats), Louisiana; Bettendorf, Davenport and Marquette, Iowa; and Kansas City and Boonville, Missouri. The company also owns a 57 percent interest in and operates land-based casinos in Black Hawk (two casinos), Colorado. Isle of Capri’s international gaming interests include a casino that it operates in Freeport, Grand Bahama and a two-thirds ownership interest in casinos in Dudley and Wolverhampton, England. The company also owns and operates Pompano Park Harness Racing Track in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Source: Casino City Times