pokeraddict
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- Aug 3, 2002
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This is in response to Paul in another thread but figured it needed its own thread.
For Paul and anyone else curious here is the scoop on Harrah's Cherokee poker room. For those unfamiliar with this casino it is at the base of the Blue Ridge Pky in western North Carolina. It is about 2 hours north of Atlanta and 45 minutes southwest of Asheville NC. It is the only casino in any state it borders as far as I know so it has a bit of a monopoly, to my knowledge there isnt a state that borders North Carolina that even has legal video poker so it has a good draw. In my opinion it is a disgrace to Harrah's name. It is all video poker, video keno, video blackjack, slots and a "never ever" craps machine that is in dire need of repair. The selection of video poker is terrible, as well as the payouts and many of the machines are broken in some way. It is literally the graveyard of now illegal machines from Georgia (banned video poker in 2002) and South Carolina (banned video poker in 2000) as well as some 20 year old IGT machines no longer desirable to "real" casinos. Most of the machines in the casino are manufactured in states with no gaming regulations. The main machine, the old Pot O Gold's are manufactured in Georgia, a state that doesnt even allow video poker anymore, mush less ever regulate the manufacture.
In October 2004 Harrah's Cherokee broke ground on a poker room with real cards, no games at this casino have been allowed to use real cards, they are all video. Harrah's felt this was covered under the bingo part of their gaming pact. This pact did not allow any games with cards, the games must require skill (although several of the new slots and the video craps dont seem to require any skill) and the game must otherwise be legal in North Carolina. North Carolina allows video poker across the state but the payouts are limited to $10 in merchandise per transaction. Something that is abused across the state but widely ignored it seems. There are Pot O Gold's everywhere with the famous Shamrock 7's as well as other low payout games, the exact same ones offered at Harrah's Cherokee. These Pot O Gold machines are not approved in any casino state.
The fact that the gaming pact forbids them from using cards and makes them have to offer games that are already legal in North Carolina makes the poker room not fit in to either category. There will have to be a law passed in North Carolina allowing poker for the entire state or the entire gaming pact must be renegotiated. This would require approval from the governor, the secretary of the interior as well as the chairman of the National Indian Gaming. I asked a suit there a couple of months ago and they said "we hope to have it open in 2006 as it appears the state will not approve it this year." Also keep in mind the powerful NC video poker lobby is against this poker room. The more of a draw Cherokee has the more money the video poker machine owners lose to Cherokee.
For Paul and anyone else curious here is the scoop on Harrah's Cherokee poker room. For those unfamiliar with this casino it is at the base of the Blue Ridge Pky in western North Carolina. It is about 2 hours north of Atlanta and 45 minutes southwest of Asheville NC. It is the only casino in any state it borders as far as I know so it has a bit of a monopoly, to my knowledge there isnt a state that borders North Carolina that even has legal video poker so it has a good draw. In my opinion it is a disgrace to Harrah's name. It is all video poker, video keno, video blackjack, slots and a "never ever" craps machine that is in dire need of repair. The selection of video poker is terrible, as well as the payouts and many of the machines are broken in some way. It is literally the graveyard of now illegal machines from Georgia (banned video poker in 2002) and South Carolina (banned video poker in 2000) as well as some 20 year old IGT machines no longer desirable to "real" casinos. Most of the machines in the casino are manufactured in states with no gaming regulations. The main machine, the old Pot O Gold's are manufactured in Georgia, a state that doesnt even allow video poker anymore, mush less ever regulate the manufacture.
In October 2004 Harrah's Cherokee broke ground on a poker room with real cards, no games at this casino have been allowed to use real cards, they are all video. Harrah's felt this was covered under the bingo part of their gaming pact. This pact did not allow any games with cards, the games must require skill (although several of the new slots and the video craps dont seem to require any skill) and the game must otherwise be legal in North Carolina. North Carolina allows video poker across the state but the payouts are limited to $10 in merchandise per transaction. Something that is abused across the state but widely ignored it seems. There are Pot O Gold's everywhere with the famous Shamrock 7's as well as other low payout games, the exact same ones offered at Harrah's Cherokee. These Pot O Gold machines are not approved in any casino state.
The fact that the gaming pact forbids them from using cards and makes them have to offer games that are already legal in North Carolina makes the poker room not fit in to either category. There will have to be a law passed in North Carolina allowing poker for the entire state or the entire gaming pact must be renegotiated. This would require approval from the governor, the secretary of the interior as well as the chairman of the National Indian Gaming. I asked a suit there a couple of months ago and they said "we hope to have it open in 2006 as it appears the state will not approve it this year." Also keep in mind the powerful NC video poker lobby is against this poker room. The more of a draw Cherokee has the more money the video poker machine owners lose to Cherokee.