The Delta Gambler

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

It's always nice to see more fun added to the mix for winners. Look for the return of "Suitcase Man" at the Horseshoe Casino on Friday. When the rain just won't go away, we can always head to Tunica to play.

The Horseshoe Casino reports:
Horseshoe’s Legendary Jackpots Return April 4 - 5

Random slot jackpots up to $10,000 to hit April 4 and 5 with total prize pool at a staggering $100,000.

Guests are in for a surprise at Horseshoe Casino & Hotel on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5. Random slot jackpots will be hitting from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, April 4 and from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday April 5. Guests could win up to $10,000 on a “Legendary Jackpot” hit. The total prize purse over both days is $100,000.

When a Legendary Jackpot hits the party patrol and “Suitcase Man” will appear to pay to the winner 50% cash and 50% Free Slot Play. Every guest that is playing on the “winning” bank of slot machines when the Legendary Jackpot hits wins $25 in Free Slot Play.

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

Go to winnersbank200.com if you want to investigate a handly little gadget. There's no guarantee as to how much you'll go home with, but you will (using the device correctly) come home with some cash.
A few years ago this system was described to me by a lucky lady named Kay C. who was a colleague. Basically, every time that you win a certain amount of money, you put it in a pocket and do not touch it. Surprisingly, this is a very effective way to play casino games and come home a winner. WinnersBank200 guarantees by lock and key that you are not tempted to liquidate your cache.

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

The Gold Strike Casino was kind enough to host a media open poker tournament on Jan. 19. The experience gives journalists a better feel about how to write about games and players the World Poker Tour. Three from The CA participated, Gary Robinson, Sonnet Booth and the Delta Gambler. Congrats to Sonnet Booth, who finished at the final table. The person to my left, Pete James of Cuthbertson Media, was ultimately to come in second. He was so pleasant, and relaxed – it's no wonder he did well. Thanks to Gold Strike who were superb hosts.

World Poker Tour ends on Jan. 24 to be broadcast later on the Travel Channel. Stop by the Gold Strike to catch the poker stars grand finale.

Photo by Stan Carroll
Left to right: Sonnet Booth, Gary Robinson, Penny Wolfe

Gold Strike reports:

Our thanks to everyone who attended the Gold Strike World Poker Open Media Tournament on Saturday, January 19. After more than three hours of competition, the final table concluded with the following:

1. Aaron Hendrix Pokerworks.com first place
2. Pete James Cuthbertson Media Group second place
3. David Sasseman Rounder magazine third place
4. David Garrison Mid-South Gaming Guide fourth place
5. Joe Giron Image Masters fifth place
6. Daniel Pesce Flinn Broadcasting Corp. sixth place
7. Anne McDonald Rounder magazine seventh place
8. Gary Sommer Entercom Radio eighth place
9. Greg Sullens Benne Media Group ninth place
10. Sonnet Booth Commercial Appeal tenth place

Harrah's reports:
Harrah’s to be the first gaming company in Tunica to “go green” with the largest effort of its kind ever in Tunica.

Tunica, Miss. – November 15, 2007 – In conjunction with America Recycles Day, Harrah’s Entertainment Mid-South Region announced today the implementation of a recycling and conservation program for their three casino and hotels in Tunica, Mississippi; Grand Casino Resort, Horseshoe Casino & Hotel and Sheraton Casino & Hotel. Harrah’s expects to divert 150 to 200 tons of waste per month from landfills with the implementation of this program. Money received in the sale of recycled items will help fund Harrah’s Heart Fund which is available to Harrah’s employees in times of crisis.

The launch of the largest casino recycling program to date in Tunica coincided with a news conference held behind the Horseshoe Casino in front of some of Harrah’s new industrial recycling bins that will be used to for recycling cardboard. Four hundred Harrah’s green team members were on hand to kick-off the program by filling the compactors up with paper and cardboard.

“We are excited to begin our new recycling program here in Tunica,” said Bill Wright, general manager, Grand, Horseshoe and Sheraton Casinos Tunica. “We hope our efforts within our three casino properties will positively impact the quality of life for generations to come and be a model for our community.”

Plans are to implement the recycling program in three stages. Stage one beginning November 15 includes: recycling corrugated boxes; cardboard; employee recycling of paper, glass, plastic and cardboard as well as instituting Hotel conservation at Horseshoe casino. Hotel conservation includes guests’ voluntary conservation of natural resources by the guests opting to reuse linens and towels rather than having them laundered on a daily basis.

Stage two beginning December 1, 2007 includes Grand and Sheraton hotels conservation and employee area recycling bins for plastic, glass and aluminum. Stage three beginning January 1, 2008 includes installing recycling bins in employee and office areas for paper recycling and public area bins for recycling of plastic, glass and aluminum as well as other efforts.

Harrah’s Mid-South current recycling and conservation efforts include technical optical reporting helping to conserve paper, power management settings implementation for computer and technical equipment, computer hardware recycling, use of eco-friendly vendors and lead free manufacturers and the switch from chemical treatment to ozone treatments for cooling towers conserving water, electricity and the environment. Harrah’s has installed paper conserving motion censored paper towel dispensers and water conserving sinks and toilets in bathrooms at their Tunica casinos. All five of Harrah’s hotels in Tunica have replaced incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs that conserve more energy. Harrah’s Tunica offices have been shredding and recycling office paper as well as purchasing recycled office products when possible.

Harrah’s Code of Commitment is a commitment to our communities to help make them vibrant place to live and work. Environmental recycling and conservation is a long term sustainable commitment to our environmental community.

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

Here's all the info that I have on the upcoming Montgomery Gentry concert at the Grand Casino. The band supplied biographical information and quotes which show a lot about the way in which Mongomery Gentry would like to align with the NASCAR fans and all they stand for. And I thought it was about fast cars.

The Grand reports:
Montgomery Gentry to play Grand Casino Tunica on Friday, Nov. 16

Montgomery Gentry is coming to Grand Casino Resort Tunica Friday, November 16, 2007 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $35 and $45 and are available through Ticketmaster at 901-525-1515 or at ticketmaster.com. Guests must be 21 or older.

Fans in the Mid-South can expect to hear hits like: “Something to be Proud of,” “Some People Change,” “She Don’t Tell Me To,” “Lucky Man,” and “My Town” just to name a few.

Provided
Montgomery Gentry's official bio:

"Montgomery Gentry has moved into elite territory. The high-powered duo is an integral part of a generation of rockers and country icons for whom music and boundaries simply don't mix. In 2004, the signs were everywhere. Troy and Eddie were part of the groundbreaking CMT Outlaws special, along with Hank Williams Jr., Kid Rock, Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, Tanya Tucker, Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings, and members of Metallica and Lynyrd Skynyrd. They joined Skynyrd for a roof-shaking segment of CMT Crossroads, and spent New Year's Eve rocking a sold-out Rupp Arena with the legendary group.

In the media, they have been featured on a wide array of TV's best showcases, from the CBS Early Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to ESPN2 Cold Pizza, Jimmy Kimmel Live and On Air With Ryan Seacrest. On record, the signs were just as unmistakable. The duo hit #1 with "If You Ever Stop Loving Me," and the CD it came from, You Do Your Thing, quickly went gold.

Through it all, Eddie and Troy have proven themselves heirs to the mantle of Haggard, Jones, Jennings and Cash, artists whose integrity and intensity blurred the lines between life and music. With You Do Your Thing, Montgomery Gentry sing songs that strip life to the marrow, that make passion and loss, pride and heartache into palpable entities. They are singers at the peak of their form, making music that is as raw and powerful as it is compelling.

"If this new album was part of NASCAR, it would definitely have a #3 on it, 'cause its running wide open," laughs Montgomery, and the analogy is fitting. Theirs is a world where muscle cars, honky-tonks and hell-raising are the hard-earned rewards for the toil and struggle that make up the working-class landscape. It is a world they know well.

"We still look at life the same way we did when we were working two jobs and playing music at night in the clubs to make ends meet," says Gentry. "I don't think we've changed."

The upshot is that they maintain a seamless connection with their legions of fans, voicing their triumphs and frustrations, sharing their love of family, community and country, spending time with them after concerts on their "honky-tonk on wheels." It is a camaraderie that grows out of their fans' perceptions that these are not guys chasing trends or singing songs that are more craft than substance, but two men who sing the truth and let the chips fall where they may.

On You Do Your Thing, that truth includes straight-up heartache in "Gone" and "All I Know About Mexico," the redemptive power of love in "If You Ever Stop Loving Me" and "Talking To My Angel," pride and tradition in "Something To Be Proud Of," and pull-out-the-stops escapism in "I Got Drunk."

For You Do Your Thing, Montgomery Gentry expanded their growing relationship with two of modern country's songwriting titans, Jeffrey Steele ("Hell Yeah," "My Town") and Rivers Rutherford ("Real Good Man," "If You Ever Stop Loving Me"), who wrote and produced several of the CD's tracks."

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

5:36 p.m.
41 laps to go
23 cautions

37 laps to go
33 laps to go 23 cautions
26 laps to go

5:45p.m.
17 laps - 24 caautions

12 laps, 11 laps to go

5:55 6 laps to go
4 laps and Car 99 in the lead. 25th caution!
Green light at 2 laps togo
1st place to Reutimann in car 99, his first win in 63 starts on October 27, 2007 at Memphis Motorsports Park in Millington, TN.
2nd to Bliss

and that's all I can see.
After my 1st race, I am surprised that it's all so slow. Everyone around me says this is not typical. Lots of fun, though. Many people were friendly and happy to explain how it all worked.

Thanks to Sam's Town for hosting this super event

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

4:28 p.m.
Seven of the ten drivers under the age of 21 have been involved in the 15 cautions so far. We're now under a red flag condition.

4:54 p.m.
A few minutes ago the race started up again with the roaring of engines. after only about 10 laps, there's another caution. That makes 16, and it is the record number of cautions at Memphis Motorsports Park. Somehow that's not much of a thrill because the race slows down again after hardly getting going. "Caution begets caution," said a photographer to me before the race. He was right.

The jokes are flying thick and fast about the most number of cautions ever in a race (26) and the most laps driven under caution. I think I heard it was 132?

The weather is perfect, though, brilliantly sunny and cool. People all seem to be laughing and having a good time. Shadows are lengthening. We have 79 laps to go.

5:08 p.m.
The number 7 car, the number 88 car spins, and with 72 laps to go – it's a caution. Carl Edward's car, number 60 is looking rough. Car 99 is leading, Reutmann's, but to see the cars roll slowly around the track is painful. 69 laps – green light.

19 cautions. Bobby East blocking the track.

5:19
62 laps to go. Car 77 and Car 42 have a smack up. 42, Franchitti pulls in and his crew attempt to bend the hood of the car back so he can re-join the race.Franchitti has a strange swerving style of driving, looks pretty odd with the banged-up car. 77 is towed off the track.

5:27 p.m.
52 Laps to go
102 laps under caution. We are sneaking up on the all time record of 132.
47 laps to go.

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

3:05 p.m.
Lap 29 of 250
The fans in the stands are in rapt attention. Most of them are standing on their feet.

3:09 p.m.
Third caution. 25 and 41 in some kind of mix-up. I am surprised at how the roaring rhythm suddenly interrupted by cars smacking together is such rich drama. But, why wouln't it be? This is much better than watching on TV.

3:14 p.m.
Caution number 4. The 14 car, then another car, the 28 are in trouble. Gotta get up and walk around to break the tension.

By Penny Wolfe
wolfe@commercialappeal.com

Under caution as Bobby Hamilton, Jr. seemed to be driving for quite a while the wrong way after a two-car incident that damaged his car. Quite an amazing sight to see the oncoming cars hugging the inside of the track as Hamilton limped in the opposite direction.

The Working Man’s Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd to Rock Grand Casino Labor Day Weekend

Legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd is coming to Grand Casino Resort Tunica Saturday, September 1, 2007 at 9 p.m.Tickets are $60 and $70 and are available through Ticketmaster at 901-525-1515 or at ticketmaster.com. For upcoming show information call 1-800-WIN-4-WIN. Guests must be 21 or older.

Original band members, guitarist Gary Rossington and keyboardist Billy Powell have endured many years of hardships, death and disagreements to keep the Lynyrd Skynyrd name and music alive. Rossington heads the veritable guitar army with ace axe man Ricky Medlocke (formerly of Blackfoot) and 2006 addition Mark Matejka (formerly of The Charlie Daniels Band). Rossington has created some of rock’s most memorable licks of all time and not surprisingly, has been honored with his own signature model Gibson Les Paul. Powell is said to play perfect fills and aggressive solos as he pushes the tunes higher and higher.

Johnnie Van Zant, the younger brother of founding member the late Ronnie Van Zant has taken over for his brother fronting the band. Johnnie Van Zant sings with power and conviction and talks to the crowd like they were family friends over for a barbeque.

Fans can expect to hear such tunes as: “I know a little,” “Give Me Three Steps,” “Simple Man,” and the classic southern anthem “Freebird” when Lynyrd Skynyrd takes the stage at Grand Event Center on Saturday, September 1.

“I think we capture the spirit of the old guys who aren’t with us anymore,” says Rossington. “They’re up on stage with us in heart and soul--I think the people feel that. We’ve tried through the years to keep original all the music, the spirit, the sense of the story.”