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Copyright © 2006 Boston Herald
February 21, 2006
HEADLINE:
Foxwoods’ poker play growth Electra-fying
Author: Jesse Noyes
Body:
Foxwoods Resort Casino is cashing in on some pop-culture success,
building an acre-large gambling room branded with the World Poker
Tour’s moniker.
The popular television series of No
Limit Hold ’Em poker tournaments is expanding on its
existing relationship with the Connecticut casino — now
host to two annual WPT events.
The new Foxwoods poker
room, set to open in March, will feature 114 poker tables,
high-tech equipment and a restaurant.
Foxwoods is expected to announce the addition today, and the WPT
room will open for business on March 18.
A grand opening ceremony is slated for March 23 and celebrities
such as Carmen Electra, who will do a stint as a poker dealer,
are scheduled to appear.
In addition to increased seating capacity, the WPT room will have
LCD screens installed in the tables and shuffling machines to
make dealing faster, said Kathy Raymond, director of poker operations
at Foxwoods.
Foxwoods, which was the first casino to sign on with the WPT,
is betting on the mainstream notoriety of the TV show to bring
more customers to the table, including a younger generation of
gamblers attracted to the high-stakes game glamorized on the TV
screen.
“Poker provides
an adrenaline rush that is . . . very appealing to the younger
generation,” Raymond said.
Since launching nearly three years ago, WPT tournaments have become
the highest-rated program for cable broadcaster the Travel Channel.
WPT often airs celebrity specials featuring TV and movie personalities.
The success of those shows has generated a demographic of youthful
poker fans that casinos such as Foxwoods want to attract.
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