On August 20th, 2008, the state lottery officials finally gave the Tri-State Racing Track and Gaming Center the go signal to manage casino style table games on Wednesday. The establishment in Nitro is expected to open its poker tables to customers for the first time. The racing track staff held two charity poker events on Monday and Tuesday night to give their dealer two last practices and to make sure their security and cash handling practices met with the requirements of the Lottery Commission.
Nancy Bulla, a spokesperson for the state Lottery Commission said that they have assured Lottery Director John Musgrave that they have met every regulation under the statute and that they are willing to follow additional instructions. Dan Adkins, the vice-president of Hartman and Tyner Incorporated, which owns the racing track said that this just one more step towards their main objective.
The regular hours for the poker games will be from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. everyday. Linda Sutton, who has lending a helping hand on coordinating dealer classes through the West Virginia State Community and Technical College, commented that 71 out of 72 people who signed up for local poker classes offered in the college passed the course. The community and the college are offering blackjack classes for 110 students. Sutton said that the classes for roulette will start next week.
Dan Adkins commented that the racing track owners originally had planned to open blackjack and other casino table games by next month but decided to move back the opening a week or so. He added that will give them more time to modify their surveillance system. Adkins said that the track should begin offering other casino games like craps by September 30th, 2008. County voters approved the expansion of casino table games at Tri-State last August 2007.
Legislators approved a law last year giving permission to voters in the four counties that have licensed racing tracks to vote on whether or not to expand gambling in those four counties. In exchange for a $2.5 million yearly licensing fee and a part of their profit, the racing tracks can offer poker and other casino games. Part of the money from the licensing fee will help senior citizens in the state.
09/02/2008 05:55 PM