New museum addition progressing nicely at the Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center

TUNICA, Miss. — A new blues museum will open this January as a part of an expanded Gateway to the Blues Vistor Center, when the center officially becomes the Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center & Museum, according to tunicatravel.com. 

The visitor center is located alongside blues highway 61 in Tunica Resorts. Just 20 miles from Memphis’s Beale Street and Elvis’ Graceland, the expanded vistors center and museum will serve as a great stop for tourists and music lovers searching for that authentic blues experience. 

The 3,500 square foot museum will feature the following galleries:

What Is Blues Music

Why Here? (Mississippi Delta)

Evolution of Style and Form

Mississippi Bluesmen

Evolution of the Guitar

Blues Lyric Interactive

Highlights of the museum will include videos from local historian Willy Beardon and blues artists Preston Shannon and Eden Brent.  Visitors will end their journey with local bluesman Memphis Jones in the Blues Lyric Interactive where he will assist you in the production of your very own blues song. 

Once recorded, the Gateway to the Blues Museum staff will email each visitor a copy of their song as a memento of their visit to Tunica and the Mississippi Delta. 

The name “Gateway” was given to this project because the Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center is truly the gateway to the larger blues and music product that can be found throughout the Mississippi Delta.  

Whether traveling the Blues Trail, visiting one of the many blues attractions in Clarksdale or attending an event at the BB King Blues Museum in Indianola, the Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center and Museum will serve as the perfect first stop and educate all on why this original music art form originated and flourished from this unique landscape.

The blues, born among the hot, humid and dusty Mississippi Delta fields makes this marketing tagline about as true and original as any that you will ever hear or read.

Arguably Mississippi’s greatest export; blues music has been experienced across the airwaves on radios and televisions the world-over.  Today however, millions of people from around the globe are taking the 18th century poet John Keats’ words to heart and visiting Mississippi where this truest form of experiential music was born.

The Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center and Museum will become real with visitors from around the world being able to experience this one of a kind music attraction in 2015.  Follow us on twitter @TunicaBlues and check in with www.tunicatravel.com for the most up to date and accurate times for the official grand opening of Mississippi’s newest blues music experience. For more gaming news, click here: Jackpot! Magazine.

Win a Ford F-350 at Southland Park Gaming & Racing

F-350 GIVEAWAY IN NOVEMBER!

WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Southland Park Gaming wants you to keep on truckin’ with its Duckin’ and Truckin’ Giveaway. Pick a duck for your chance to win a Ford F-350.

Ford F-350

Guests earn one entry for every 50 points earned daily. On Saturdays in November, ten guests will be drawn at 8 and 10 p.m. using Southland’s E-Draw System to draw a duck. The guest will receive the free play prize they draw along with a finalist ticket to bring back for the final drawing on Nov. 29, where one lucky winner will win an F-350 Truck.



CAR GIVEAWAY TONIGHT!
Tonight, Friday, Nov. 14, Southland will give away a car in the Ford 14th Giveaway. Player Rewards members are invited to swipe their card at a promotional kiosk beginning at 6 p.m. for a chance to win. On Nov. 14 at 10 p.m., one winner will be drawn for 2014 Ford vehicle. Southland will also give away another Ford car on Dec. 14, so mark your calendar.

Tunica's Casino Strip hosts three-casino $100,000 Slot Tournament Nov. 27, 28 & 29

Invitational and buy-in event at Hollywood, Resorts and Sam's Town casinos

TUNICA RESORTS — Tunica’s Casino Strip will be a slot players’ mecca when the casinos of Casino Strip host the $100,000 Invitational & Buy-In Slot Tournament in November. The joint tournament will be hosted by Hollywood Casino, Resorts Casino and Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall and is open to the public. 

Qualified players will receive a free invitation by mail or via promotional entry from one of the three properties. * 

All other players without an invitation may enter the tournament with a $200 buy-in fee. 

Only one $200 buy-in fee will be allowed per person and comp dollars are not permitted for buy-ins. 

To be eligible, players must have or obtain a Hollywood Casino Marquee Rewards Players card, Resorts Casino Rewards Club Players card and a Sam’s Town B-Connected Players card. All players cards are free with a valid state or federal ID. One must be 21 years of age or older to participate in this event. Players eligible to receive one entry either by invitation or buy-in. 

The length of tournament play and scores will vary at each participating casino. At Hollywood Casino Tunica the round is three minutes.  At Resorts Casino Tunica and Sam’s Town Casino Tunica the rounds are five minutes.

Early registration will be held at Hollywood from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 27. Early registrants will receive 500 bonus points (T-shirt to first 1,200 registrants). Regular registration will be held at Hollywood on Friday, Nov. 28, from 3 to 8 p.m.

Sam’s Town will hold the Saturday, Nov. 29 morning check-in, score update and drawings.  Registration for the drawings will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the slot tournament area.  The drawing will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the slot tournament area. Twenty-one winners will receive $100 cash. Winners are not required to be present during the drawing to win. Cash prizes will be awarded at Sam’s Town throughout the day at the B Connected Club. Cash prizes will also be available for pick up at the awards banquet following tournament play. Cash prizes will again be available for pickup at Sam’s Town B Connected Club from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30. Any cash prizes not claimed by 10 p.m. on Sunday will be forfeited.

Resorts will host the awards announcement Saturday, Nov. 29, at approximately 9 p.m.

Each participant must play one round at each casino property. Tournament play will begin for Round 1 at each property at 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28. Tournament play will begin for Round 2 at each property at 9am on Saturday, Nov. 29 and tournament play will begin for Round 3 at each property at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29.

Each player will have three scores (one score per casino). All three scores will be added together to determine the final tournament score. At registration, players will be assigned his or her session times and locations.  Registration times and locations are final. 

All tourney prizes will be given out at the Awards Ceremony at Resorts Casino on Saturday, Nov. 29. Winners are not required to be present to win. Free Slot Play prizes will be downloaded to the player’s account. Prizes will be awarded in descending order based on the highest to lowest. Prize are:

First pays $10,000 Cash & $15,000 Free Slot Play. Second through 150^th place will be paid in Free Slot Play as follows: 2nd, $15,000; 3rd, $9,000; 4th, $7,500; 5th, $5,000; 6th, $2,500; 7th, $1,500; 8th, $1,250; 9th-15th, $1,000; 16th-30th, $500; 31st-75th, $250 and 76th-150th, $100.

The cash prize will be will be divided by three and will be available for pickup at the cashier counter at each participating casino until Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014.  Any cash prize not claimed by 10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014 will be forfeited. Free slot play prize amounts will be divided by three and will be valid at each participating casino. For example, 3rd place winner receives $9,000 free slot play — $3,000 will be available at each participating casino. The designated free slot play must be played at each participating casino and is not transferable from one casino to another. Free slot play prize amounts are valid for 60 days from Nov. 29, 2014. Any free slot play remaining after the 60 day time period will expire and be forfeited.

All rounds and final scores will be posted at the Awards Ceremony and posted at the Service Center/Club/Cage of each participating casino.

For complete rules and information on this tournament are available at participating casinos. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-888-777-9696 for help.

* If an invitation is received from multiple casinos, only one will be accepted and be valid. One entry per person regardless of the number of invitation/offers received.  No transference of entry and no substitutions.  Invited players cannot purchase a second entry.

Food Drive for Northwest Mississippi families

WALLS, Miss. — Food Drive for Northwest Mississippi families: Sacred Heart Southern Missions is providing holiday baskets and turkeys to 671 families this year. Help by donating non-perishable items by Nov. 18. Food can be dropped off at 6144 Hwy 161 North (Old Hwy 61) in Walls, Miss. Call (662) 342-3316 or 342-3184 for more information or to make a monetary donation.
Items needed include:
Canned vegetables, canned cream soups, mac & cheese, potatoes/potato flakes, sugar, flour, corn meal, cake mix/frosting, canned fruit, chicken broth, peanut butter, gravy mix, salt/pepper/sage/vanilla/cinnamon, marshmallows, french fried onions.

World Twinkie Eating Championship at Bally's Casino Tunica Saturday, Nov. 8

 Joey Chestnut to defend his title in TV event 

TUNICA RESORTS, Miss. — A world championship will take place at Bally’s Casino this weekend in a televised live event that is guaranteed golden… and cream filled.

World Twinkie Eating Champion Joey “Jaws” Chestnut will seek to defend his sponge cake supremacy as he battles arch rival Matt Stonie and other competitive eating titans at the 2014 World Twinkie-Eating Championship taking place on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m. at Bally’s Casino.

Winning is golden and cream-filled at this event.

Last year, Chestnut set a Twinkie-eating world record by consuming 121 Twinkies in six minutes – about one every three seconds. However, the 30-year-old veteran narrowly held off a fearsome challenge by Stonie, the 22-year-old known as Megatoad, in the annual hot dog eating competition and lost in back to back battles over poutine and pumpkin pie during the 2014 season. Looking to pull off an upset against – and take home the top prize of $5,000 – will be Adrian “The Rabbit” Morgan and Badlands Booker.

The Twinkie mascot is a popular fellow.

“It is an honor to host this world-class sporting event, and we are confident that Joey Chestnut will again make history, besting his 2013 world record performance of 121 Twinkies in six minutes,” said Eddie Llambias, vice president and general manager of Bally’s Casino. “The Bally’s World Twinkie-Eating Championship is the fastest six minutes in sports.”

ESPN3 will broadcast the event live from Tunica. ESPN also airs the Nathan’ Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, held every July Fourth on Coney Island. This year’s contest delivered a 1.6 HH US rating and 2.8 million viewers on ESPN2, making it the highest-rated and most-watched contest telecast ever on the ESPN networks. ESPN3 also carried the U.S. National Buffalo Wing-Eating Championship this summer for the first time.

“The Twinkie is acknowledged throughout the competitive eating world as the most elegant possible delivery system for snack cake satisfaction, and our eaters are honored to participate in this contest,” said Major League Eating Chairman George Shea. “If it were up to MLE, the United States would adopt the Twinkie as a unit of measurement for deliciousness.”

CaesarsCasino.com Invites Residents and Visitors to ‘Live Like a Winner’

Promotion Woos Customers And Offers Premier Prizes, Including Dinner With A Boxing Legend

Atlantic City, N.J. — August 8 through August 28, CaesarsCasino.com will be hosting its most unique online gaming promotion to date. With this unusual and exciting promotion comes a great opportunity for any visitor or resident of New Jersey, age 21 and older, to win truly special prizes. The idea that the prizes can enable people to “Live Like A Winner” is clearly demonstrated by the prizes which are up for grabs.

With online casino gaming in New Jersey growing in popularity every day, few promotions have the ability to create the excitement which this one has inspired. As any  online casino games player will tell you, money is never a bad prize, but some of the treasures on the table in this promotion are not even measurable in terms of their real value to the lucky winners.

Prizes include a one week home butler service, a red carpet experience at a New York City movie premier accompanied by a two night hotel stay, a VIP High Roller Weekend in Atlantic City including a Macy’s shopping spree with personal shopper, and many more tasty prizes.

One of the main attractions for many entrants will be the lure of winning a dinner engagement with one of the greatest boxers of all time. For that particularly appetizing prize, the mystery identity of the boxer acts as an even bigger draw, especially for die-hard boxing fans looking to enjoy what is certain to be a once in a lifetime experience for the winner.

As Adrian Bailey, Caesars Interactive Entertainment head of online casino explains, this promotion was a collaborative effort by Caesars and their agency, and is designed to excite participants like never before:  

“We are always looking for new ways to engage our existing customers and we felt the ‘Live like a Winner’ promotion would be a good way to achieve our goals.  At CaesarsCasino.com we love to celebrate our winners, of which we have many, so this promotion will be a great way to highlight some of them and add some uniqueness to our prizing”

With the entry closing date imminent and the draw schedule creeping ever closer, (AC High Roller Weekend and Macy’s shopping spree, 12 August, Dinner with boxing legend, 19 August, Butler, Red Carpet and Friars, 1 September) the excitement continues to mount and the entrants keep coming.

With plenty more exciting plans in the works for 2014, Caesars Interactive Entertainment does not intend this to be their last great promotion, as they look to deliver even more to customers. CIE are promising to raise the bar in New Jersey with unique and exciting promotions across all three of their platforms, HarrahsCasino.com, CaesarsCasino.com and WSOP.com.

Terms and conditions for any CaesarsCasino.com bonus promotion are to be read in conjunction with the CaesarsCasino.com Terms of Service www.caesarscasino.com/en/policies/terms-conditions/ (the “Terms of Service”) and CaesarsCasino.com Bonus Policy at www.caesarscasino.com/en/policies/bonus-policy (the “Bonus Policy”). In the event of a conflict between the Bonus Policy and the specific promotion terms herein, the specific promotion terms herein shall prevail.  In the event of a conflict between the Terms of Service and the specific promotion terms herein, the Terms of Service shall prevail.

Sam's Town Tunica now has draft beer at Smokey Joe's

Craft beer selections are available on tap at casino's popular restaurant

by David Grisham

Wanda Nesler at Smokey Joe's

TUNICA RESORTS — Smokey Joe’s has added a variety of draft and craft beers to its lineup at Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall. The restaurant, which opened last fall in the renovated and expanded space that once housed Snacks N’ Stuff, is giving beer lovers a lot to be happy about. Located on the ground floor near the entrance to the casino, Smokey Joe’s is open 24 hours a day and is now serving up frosted mugs of Bud Light, Budweiser, Miller Lite, Redd’s Apple Ale and craft beers Fat Tire from New Belgium Brewing and Ghost River Golden Ale, brewed at Ghost River Brewing in Memphis, Tenn. Draft beer prices run from $3 to $5.50.

“Whether you’re coming in off the golf course, dropping in for a late night dinner or grabbing a snack, Smokey Joe’s is a great place for a sandwich and a beer,” said Alan Handler, food and beverage operations manager.

It’s location near the casino entrance also makes it convenient for families. Diners don’t have to go through the casino to enter Smokey Joe’s.

In addition to adding the draft beer, Smokey Joe’s has also updated its deli meats to the premium Boar’s Head brand. 

The menu at Smokey Joe’s is posted above the order counter and near the entrance to the resturant and provides a big selection of breakfast items, sandwiches, apps and sides as well as salads and sweet treats.

Everything from fried shrimp to chicken wings to barbecue to pizza is available. Popular sandwich offerings include a turkey club, a Philly cheese steak, chicken salad and chicken tenders. Ready-made salads are also available. For those who haven’t visited the new Smokey Joe’s, you will be interested to know that the dining space was expanded from 44 seats to 72 and redesigned for a more open, inviting atmosphere when it was redone. Sam’s Town increased the space, opened it up and now offers a better seating area. The diner counter at Smokey Joe’s surrounds the hostess/cashier station as well as the cooking area and provides seating for a dozen diners. Sports fans will enjoy the wall-mounted flat screens on two of the restaurant’s walls. A glass display case near the entrance of Smokey Joe’s connects to the counter and showcases the work of Sam’s Town’s pastry chefs. Cheers!

Resorts Casino's 'Reboot' includes new Delta Blues Buffet, set to open in Tunica June 28

By David Grisham

TUNICA RESORTS — Things are changing at Resorts Casino as the gaming destination nears completion of its multi-million dollar renovation - which has been titled the “Resorts Reboot” at the property. 

A total renovation of The Buffet at Resorts is progressing nicely and a rebranding of the dining space will complete the transformation. The Delta Blues Buffet is scheduled to open Saturday, June 28, said Resorts General Manager Tony Scudiero.

The GM said the Delta Blues Buffet will feature new flooring, chairs, tables, countertops and serving areas. Fresh paint on the walls and ceilings and new artwork will add fresh new update look.

“The artwork will support the culture of the Delta and we will feature food from the region – home cooking,” Scudiero said, as he led a tour of the ongoing construction. He said that food quality will be emphasized, saying, “We will be offering items like crab legs, other seafood, and desserts prepared by our pastry chef for an unprecedented dining experience at Resorts.”

In the meantime, a temporary buffet remains available in Meeting Room A, across from the permanent buffet. The room has the capacity for 300 people and has been set up and decorated to provide a pleasant dining environment for guests while the Delta Blues Buffet is being readied. 

New buffet to open at Resorts Casino Tunica

Resorts’ TJ’s Steakhouse is also being rebranded. It will soon be known as “Highway 61 Grill.” The new Highway 61 Grill will open to the public on Sunday, June 28. A new menu and a more casual approach to fine dining are just some of the changes on tap for the restaurant. 

A new chef de cuisine is in the house. Anglius Thompson joined the F&B team a few weeks ago. His has worked at the Fitz and at Horseshoe Tunica - where he was a part of the opening team. Chef Thompson said he is eager to provide guests with a new dining experience. 

Another area of change: the casino floor. Hundreds of new games are in place and new machines arrive regularly. “We’ve rearranged the slot floor and have more carousels than before. It hasn’t looked this good in 15 years,” Scudiero said.

Resorts began rearranging the casino floor in mid-March and starting adding new penny slots at that time. New machines include such titles as Roman Tribune, Dynasty Riches, Bear Mountain, Fortunes of the Orient, Dragon’s Law, Roman Chariots and Mystical Pharaoh. Look for more new arrivals every week.

Along with the new slots, Resorts continues work on a new player tracking system, and it is supposed to be in place by June 27 as well. “It will have all of the bells and whistles,” Scudiero said. 

The people at Resorts are getting a makeover of sorts, too. A regional director of Service Excellence is in the house, emphasizing customer service through employee training. On the latest visit, the food and beverage team was preparing for a training session.

The hotel is also getting a lot of attention. The renovation of the inn’s third and fourth floors have been completed and work on the remaining floors is progressing nicely as new carpeting, paint, sheers and drapes are being installed. Hallways will feature new carpeting and tile, too. When all is said and done, all 201 rooms will receive a makeover. Scudiero said all rooms are scheduled for completion by June 27.

The guest restrooms on the casino floor have also been completely redone. Guests can expect to see new countertops, flooring, dividers, paint and more when they visit now. The largest of the first-floor bathrooms was the first one targeted and features a wood-like ceramic tile plank and an attractive blue and gray color scheme.

“We are proud to be a part of the Tunica casino market and thrilled to be able to invest millions to provide an exceptional experience for our guests,” said Scudiero. “It’s important for our future and really, a very positive note for the future of the overall Tunica market.” 

Redo at Resorts Casino Tunica

Renovations underway at popular Mississippi gaming destination

By David Grisham

Editor, Jackpot! Magazine

TUNICA RESORTS — Things are changing at Resorts Casino. Millions of dollars in renovations are taking place in the hotel rooms and hallways, in the bathrooms and on the gaming floor, and in the dining area.

A total renovation of the buffet is already underway. Soon, Resorts guests will be dining at the new Delta Blues Buffet. Resorts General Manager Tony Scudiero said the Delta Blues Buffet would feature new flooring, chairs, tables, countertops and serving areas. Fresh paint on the walls and ceilings and new artwork will add to the transformation.

“The artwork will support the culture of the Delta and we will feature food from the region – home cooking,” Scudiero said. He emphasized that food quality will improve, saying, “We will be offering items like crab legs, other seafood and desserts prepared by our pastry chef for an unprecedented dining experience at Resorts.

In the meantime, a temporary buffet has been installed in Meeting Room A, across from the permanent buffet. The room has the capacity for 300 people and has been set up and decorated to provide a pleasant dining environment for guests while the Delta Blues Buffet is being readied, he said.

The all-new Delta Blues Buffet is scheduled to open by summer.

Another area of change is the casino floor. “The first wave of our hundreds of new games are in place and new machines are arriving every Monday,” Scudiero told us. “We’ve rearranged the slot floor and have more carousels than before. It hasn’t looked this good in 15 years.”

Resorts began rearranging the casino floor in mid-March and starting adding new penny slots at that time. New machines include such titles as Roman Tribune, Dynasty Riches, Bear Mountain, Fortunes of the Orient, Dragon’s Law, Roman Chariots and Mystical Pharaoh. Look for more new arrivals every week.

Along with the new slots, Resorts is implementing a new player tracking system, “It will have all of the bells and whistles. It’s like going from an old VW to a 2015 BMW."

The people at Resorts are getting a makeover of sorts, too. A regional director of service excellence is in the house, emphasizing customer service through employee training.

The hotel is also getting a lot of attention. The renovation of the inn’s fourth floor is progressing nicely as new carpeting, paint, sheers and drapes are being installed. Hallways will feature new carpet and tile, too. When all is said and done, all 201 rooms will receive a makeover.

The guest restrooms on the casino floor are also being completely redone. Expect to see new countertops, flooring, dividers, paint and more as everything is replaced. The largest of the first-floor bathrooms was the first one targeted and is currently being renovated.

The changes are the result of capital investment and commitment to the success of the property, Scudiero said. “This will keep us competitive and provide excitement for our players."

Resorts Casino is located just south of Memphis, TN in Tunica, MS. The Casino offers a selection of the newest slots and action-packed table games. In addition, there are delicious dining venues, including a buffet, snack bar and steakhouse, and a hotel with 201 comfortable rooms. Resorts Casino can be reached by calling (866) 706-7070 or www.resortstunica.com.

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Scenes from 2014 Crawfish, Corvettes & Camaros Festival at Fitz Casino & Hotel #Tunica

TUNICA, Mississippi — Fitz Casino & Hotel Tunica hosted a festival last weekend featuring lots of cool cars, great food, live music, vendor booths and a great view of the Mississippi River. Here are some scenes from the car show. Photos by David Grisham.

Classic Corvette looks great from any angle. 

The car says, "drive me!"

Love the side pipes! 

Camaro didn't come like this! 

Custom Camaro shows lots of attention to detail.

One of the coolest Corvettes at the event - lots of lookers! 

Red and white is a great color combination!

The first of the Corvettes!

Love the wire headlight covers!

Factory hot rod!

T-tops were all the rage at one time.

2014 Corvette was on the scene. It is basically a race car for the street.

Big crowd and lots of Vettes 

Lots of metal on display at the show - and not all of it was in the form of a car.
This little fellow could be had for $15! 

Show-stopper! This Vette sported a major custom paint job.

USA-1! Who could argue looking at this car?

The ultimate Steelers fan!

Black and yellow, black and yellow...

Crawfish was a big star at this show!

The festival didn't stop river traffic.

Have a seat and eat some crawfish.

Food tents were popular on this day.

For some, a spot overlooking the Mississippi River
provided the perfect vantage point. 

Break it open for a delicious prize inside! 

Potatoes, corn-on-the-cobb and crawfish - a perfect combination!

Custom grill adds some bling to this beautiful black Camaro.

Indy Pace Car version of a Corvette - very nice!

This tall Vette-lover was interacting with the crowd as he drove
through, radio up and engine purring. That's what it's all about.