The Gold Strike Resort Casino in Tunica is one of the premier gambling destinations in the Southern United States. The casino houses one of the tallest buildings in Mississippi and has become a favorite destination of poker players from Memphis, which is located a half hour north of the resort, and around the world. Recently, Poker News Daily sat down with George Goldhoff, the Gold Strike’s General Manager, to learn about the local poker and casino industries.
Before the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or UIGEA, was passed at the tail end of the 2006 Congressional session, MGM Mirage, which is the parent company of the Gold Strike, had been actively studying online gaming. Goldhoff commented, “We had a division set up within our company that was investigating trying to open up an online site. We were pretty early into it and then the legislation came through, so we weren’t able to continue.”
The World Poker Tour’s World Poker Open, which had long been a staple of the first six seasons of the WPT, was discontinued for Season VII. In early 2009, the tournament will be renamed the Southern Poker Championship and head south to Biloxi, Mississippi, the home of the Beau Rivage Casino, which is also owned by MGM Mirage. Goldhoff commented on how the Gold Strike responded to losing its sole WPT event: “That was the decision by the World Poker Tour. We’re doing two smaller tournaments, one in March, and we did one in October. The one in October was really successful. We have great prize money and a good facility.”
The Gold Strike recently underwent a major renovation. Its 1,133 guest rooms were remodeled and new décor can now be found throughout the property. Also revamped was the poker room, which is located upstairs from the main casino floor. On how the new poker room fits in with the rest of the casino’s offering, Goldhoff explained, “We focus on poker. For example, we just put up artwork in the poker room. We commissioned an artist to do that. We put up draperies and bought four new 60 inch television sets. We’re looking at new layouts for the tables and bought all new chairs. We’re invested in poker.”
Goldhoff was on-hand when the Bellagio opened in 1998, working in food and beverage at the time. Las Vegas plays host to a completely different group of patrons than Tunica. For example, Sin City attracts tourists and gamblers from Asia, South America, and across Europe. In Tunica, 65% of its patrons hail from nearby Memphis, Tennessee. The casino has also worked to harness its regional market, which includes cities such as Nashville, Little Rock, St. Louis, Atlanta, Jackson, and Birmingham. The Gold Strike has recently launched an air program to attract gamblers from across the country.
The Southern poker industry has attracted a wealth of superstars, including Hoyt Corkins, a native of Alabama. Many attribute the modern poker boom to Chris Moneymaker, who is a Tennessee resident. Doyle Brunson and World Series of Poker November Nine member Craig Marquis both hail from Texas. Goldhoff commented about the importance of live poker, despite the proliferation of internet gambling and online poker worldwide: “Live poker has been around forever. If internet poker is legalized, I’m sure we’ll get a lot of traction, but it will never replace the real thing.”
Currently, the MGM Mirage brand is not necessarily focused on the Tunica market, especially after the major expansion that its flagship casino underwent. Goldhoff explained what his parent company is currently working on: “We have investigated trying to increase the size of our casino floor and that also would include poker. It’s a big project and we want to do it, but our company is really focused on City Center in Las Vegas and getting that up and running.” City Center consists of several different hotel structures along with entertainment and commercial space. In Tunica, all gaming floors must be over water in order to comply with Mississippi regulations.
Finally, poker players who visit Tunica to play in the Gold Strike will notice that the casino, along with all others in Mississippi, does not have sports book. This, according to Goldhoff, is because of a strategic decision made by the state: “The reason that Mississippi doesn’t have a sports book is because the legislators believe it would bring organized crime. The reality is that anytime a sports book comes into a state, it cleans up the illegal bookies. It really works the opposite way.”
Poker News Daily would like to thank George Goldhoff, General Manager of the Gold Strike Casino Tunica, for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us.
