First WORLD POKER TOUR(R)-Branded Poker Room to Debut at Foxwoods Resort Casino
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Now you can not only watch the WORLD POKER TOUR® on television, but when you go to the casino you’ll be able to play in a WPT-branded poker room. WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE - News) and Foxwoods Resort Casino, the word’s largest casino, announced today that Foxwoods’ newly expanded poker room, set to open in late March, will bear the WORLD POKER TOUR name.
"It’s a very exciting landmark for the WORLD POKER TOUR," said Steve Lipscomb, Founder and CEO of WPT Enterprises, Inc. "This is the point when our brand truly moves into the casino in a major way. We’ve licensed our name to slot machines and gaming tables, and this is the next significant step-the evolution of the WPT brand at the casino level. Poker players will experience the WPT excitement first hand in an environment that evokes the cool, classy, charismatic character of our show. We applaud our partners at Foxwoods for continuing to expand the benefits of our mutual relationship."
A charter member of the WORLD POKER TOUR, Foxwoods has staged some of the largest events in WPT history over the Tour’s four years. In fact, Foxwoods was the very first casino to sign onto the Tour. Slated to debut in late March, the WPT World Poker Room at Foxwoods will boost the number of poker tables at the resort to 114 from its current total of 76. This is a more than 40% increase in the capacity of the existing poker room. The expansion will allow expanded tournament offerings, which will result in greatly increased prize pool totals. It also solidifies Foxwoods as one of the largest and most prestigious casino poker rooms in the country and the only venue for poker in New England.
"This is a significant step for poker and further proof that the WPT and Foxwoods are a formidable team," said Kathy Raymond, Director of Poker Operations at Foxwoods. "We continually strive to lead the way when it comes to poker, and this new expanded state-of-the-art room will give our players a truly memorable experience."
The new WPT branded poker room at Foxwoods will move to a more expansive space located near its current poker area. New poker technology will also add to the player experience, including use of LED table components, automatic card shufflers and a state-of-the-art seating system. The poker room will be smoke-free and will offer a new 100+ seat restaurant, adjacent to the poker area.
For more information on WORLD POKER TOUR-brand poker rooms, contact Lawrence Kalinsky (323) 330-9850.
WPTE launched the poker phenomenon when it first aired the WORLD POKER TOUR® on the Travel Channel, March 30, 2003. It continues to lead the way in developing poker as a major international sport. The highest rated show ever on The Travel Channel, the WPT is now seen in 130 countries and territories worldwide. WORLD POKER TOUR® airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on the Travel Channel in the U.S.
About Foxwoods Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino, owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, is the world’s largest casino resort with nearly 5 million square feet of exhilarating entertainment, gaming, dining, shopping, and resort experiences, all under one roof. Honored with 47 "Best Of" Awards by the readers of Casino Player Magazine as well as AAA 4-Diamond Awards for both its Paragon Restaurant and Grand Pequot Tower Hotel, Foxwoods is recognized as an incomparable entertainment destination. With more than 50 restaurants, retail shops and nightclubs throughout its airy glass enclosed concourse, every imaginable amenity is available for leisure and business guests. Foxwoods features 1,400 luxury hotel rooms and suites, 55,000 square feet of superior meeting space as well as world class entertainment in its 1,400 seat Fox Theatre. Six distinctive casinos with over 7,400 slot machines, 380 table games, the largest poker room on the East Coast, High Stakes Bingo and the Ultimate Racebook offer visitors the gaming experiences of a lifetime. Foxwoods is the premier resort destination in the Northeast and recently completed a $300 million expansion adding a visually stunning Hard Rock Cafe, a world-class golf destination, Lake of Isles, featuring two Rees Jones designed courses as well as clubhouse facilities and private villas, and additional gaming, retail, nightlife and dining experiences. An additional $700 million development project was recently announced that will add a new 825 room hotel tower with an expanded spa, 115,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, more restaurants, nightclubs and retail, as well as a new 4,000 seat Performing Arts Theater. The development project will be completed during the summer of 2008. Conveniently located only 8 miles from Long Island Sound and Mystic, Connecticut, Foxwoods is easily accessible from Boston, New York, Hartford, Providence and Newport, R.I.
