FL gaming update- Seminoles begin installing Vegas-style slots

sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-124seminoles,0,1395001.story
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Seminoles begin installing Vegas-style slots

By John Holland and Jon Burstein
Sun-Sentinel.com
January 24, 2008
HOLLYWOOD
The Seminole Tribe is installing Las Vegas-style slot machines at its Hollywood Hard Rock Hotel & Casino immediately, escalating an already contentious legal battle while adding another option for Broward County gamblers.

The tribe has started installing about 1,000 of the machines to replace older, less lucrative machines that are based on bingo odds and have been the tribe's hallmark for decades. The newer machines, registered as Class III by the federal goverment, go public on Monday and are identical to the popular machines found in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and, for the past year, at parimutuel tracks in Broward County.

The machines will open just three days before the state Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether they are even legal to operate.

In November, Gov. Charlie Crist and the Seminoles reached a deal, called a compact, that would allow the tribe to operate the slot machines, plus blackjack, bacarrat and high stakes poker tournaments. In exchange, the state would receive at least $375 million over three years, and a guarantee of at least $100 million annually thereafter. The Legislature argued that Crist needed their approval, beginning a legal squabble that has seen pleadings in courts in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.

"January 28 will be a historic day for the Seminole Tribe," Seminole Chairman Mitchell Cypress said in a press release. "This is good for our players, good for the Seminole Tribe and good for the State of Florida."

The annoucement comes a day after the state dropped a lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. federal court last month that sought to stop the U.S. Department of Interior from approving Crist's compact. The attempt failed, in large part because lawyers for the Department of Interior and a federal judge indicated that the compact would be void if the Supreme Court decides Crist acted improperly.

"If the Florida State Supreme Court decides ... that the Governor had no authority to bind the State, the Tribe has no greater rights to gaming than it did before the compact,'' Interior Department lawyers wrote in December while siding with the tribe.
Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

very smart move by indians...once the new machines are in it will take years and years of lawsuits to get them out.

5Team,

Any idea when we can expect to see table games?

Crooked games of chance!

That's what I want in my town! Machines that cheat people out of their money! COOL~!

Black Bart said:

5Team,

Any idea when we can expect to see table games?

Click to expand...

end of february

5Team,

Any idea when we can expect to see table games?

Click to expand...

I believe this will happen in Hollywood in the very near future first from what I see, the rest thereafter.

LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS JAN 3/ FEB 1.

Bart and 5TP, sounds like a road trip might be in order...

SheBar and I were down there in December, but it was like on Tuesday afternoon and kind of a bore for me on accounta I was the only gambler.

Would love to go with some folks that know Texas Holdem so I could watch.

Also would prefer to be there on weekday evening when the crowds are (hopefully) a bit less but the outside bars and music is going.

are those the only table gams being offered or will it be full games (3 card, 4 Card, let it ride etc.)

yes and no

You guys are so fucking joansing to bet that you will play BJ with continuous shuffle, dealer hitting on soft 17 and whatever other rules the Indians put in place. There is no casino commission to regulate the Seminoles and they don't deal a fair game. But the suckers will come.

What is the latest info? Any changes to Hard Rock in Tampa?

I doubt it bro.. Tampa might be run by a different tribe.. this has been in the process for a few years now.. last time I was there was around Memorial day weekend... smokin hot chicks everywhere at that place.. and only like 50 poker games.. 1/2 2/5 and sit n go I think..

those electronic poker games I think the automatic rake there is more then you would pay with a dealer!

i think tampa and hollywood are the same. check your sources.

Tampa might be run by a different tribe..

Click to expand...

SEMINOLES run both as well as 4 others 6 total.
I have worked there 5 years and have been dealing 15. The tribe is gearing up for class 3 trust me. It's in short order.

i never went to the one in Tampa.. but the the Hollywood one is a fucking gold mine... entire parking lot full.. when I was there last they were putting up a parking garage.. should've made it a few more levels the way things are going now..

they now have 800 vegas style machines in hollywood as of today.