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News July 19, 2010 Table games make debut at Harrah's Chester By JOHN M. ROMAN, jroman@delcotimes.com CHESTER — Table games officially debuted early Sunday at Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack. Steve and Cindy Ianni of Lansdowne and others didn’t seem to mind getting up early 12 minutes after sunrise for the 6 a.m. opening, eager to try their chance with Lady Luck. Cindy Ianni, a registered nurse at Taylor Hospital, left the roulette game table after losing $20, but her husband was still playing the wheel. “I’m going to have breakfast and read my Sunday Times,” she said, adding that they arrived early because the boyfriend of her daughter, Colleen, 18, is a cook at the casino and “my husband likes table games.” “This is much more convenient than going to Atlantic City or Delaware Park,” Cindy Ianni said. “We’re supporting the Chester revitalization. “I think it’s a little more interesting mainly because you can interact with a human being and do have some input into the outcome,” she said, comparing table games with slot machines. “You pick the numbers, have a little more control and input than the slots.” Steve Ianni, 51, a building engineer for the Philadelphia School District, said he thinks the opening of table games at nine Pennsylvania casinos is going “to hurt Atlantic City bad – it’s a shame.” Ron Baumann, general manager/senior vice president of the casino, said, “We’re excited; we just opened about one minute ago. “We have some really good crowds here already – much busier than we normally would be this time on a Sunday morning, and two or three great days of dry runs and practice with the state. “So we are ready to rock and roll, deal some cards here at Chester Harrah’s.” He said he didn’t think his casino would be getting any overflow from some casinos in Atlantic City that have been recently experiencing a breakdown of air conditioning. “I think some of the properties have their air coming back up, I know Caesar’s has some air coming back up,” he said. “I think today is mainly about the local residents around the area of Pennsylvania, the people that are familiar with the Total Rewards program.” There will be a “great symbiotic relationship between this property and Atlantic City,” he added. The most popular game usually is blackjack, about 40 percent, followed by craps, roulette and a slew of Asian card games, he said. “We expect all the games to be popular,” he said. “But it usually comes down to blackjack, poker and roulette.” “I know there were a lot of people waiting when the doors opened,” said casino spokesperson Monica Bersani. The parking lot off Route 291 wasn’t exactly crowded at 5:50 a.m., but picked up a little bit by about 7:30 a.m. Debbie Taylor of South Philadelphia said, “I’m very excited; you’re right here, don’t have to go to Atlantic City,” as she took an elevator up to the fourth floor gaming area. She admitted she doesn’t usually go to the casino this early and “was just here for the opening. I think it’s very safe here. I always come here.” She planned to play blackjack. George Matzuras, of Aston, who turned 21 in April, said he was waiting for a table to open up a spot for him to play blackjack. He said the minimum play was “a lot more affordable” than Delaware Park in Delaware. Edwin Howard, 39, of Yeadon, a blackjack player, came with his buddy, Anthony Griffith of Yeadon. “I come often because it’s close by, it’s convenient,” Howard said. On the third floor, in the World Series of Poker room, adjacent to the simulcast horseracing area, four tables were filled to capacity, but six other dealers were sitting at empty tables as of 7:30 a.m. The blackjack and roulette tables appeared to be the busiest about an hour after opening. Shaun Kane, 25, of Tinicum, was waiting for a seat at one of the four poker tables having action. “It’s great – I waited a long time for it,” Kane said. “It definitely beats the drive to Atlantic City.” It only took him five minutes to drive to the casino at about 7 a.m. As of 7:25 a.m., he was waiting for a table and minutes later was called to grab a seat. “I feel safe here,” he said, when asked about the recent curfew imposed on some sections of the city following several shootings, including the murder of a 2-year-old boy. “I’ve never had any problems here,” Kane said. “I’ve been here a lot for slots or video roulette or video blackjack.” Jim Watt, 49, of East Norriton, Montgomery County, had stepped away from a 1-2 Texas Hold ’em table about an hour after the section opened. He said he doesn’t go to casinos often, but wanted to check out Harrah’s table games. “It took about 40 minutes, about an hour less than going to Atlantic City,” where he’s played poker at the Taj Mahal, Watt said. “I felt safe here — of course, it is early morning. It seems very well organized and I see no problems at all. “The dealers seem friendly and accommodating, plus it’s good for Pennsylvania,” Watt added. “It helps balance the budget for ‘steady Eddy’ Rendell.” Curt Klinger, of Woolwich Township, Gloucester County, N.J., said it only took him about 10 minutes from home using the Commodore Barry Bridge to reach Harrah’s. Klinger, who was with his wife, Lora, said they just came back from Las Vegas a few weeks ago and only had visited Atlantic City twice in the same time period. He was waiting to play roulette about a half-hour, as of 6:30 a.m. “It’s so much easier to park than Atlantic City,” Lora Klinger said. “It’s a really bad time to go there now this time of the year because of seashore traffic.” Delaware County and Chester will each receive 2 percent of Harrah’s table games’ profits. The city already receives $10 million per year from slots and the county more than $6 million. The city plans to use some of the revenue to finally make Chester Upland School District a sponsoring district of Delaware County Community College, which allows residents to pay half the regular tuition rate. Harness racing was scheduled to kick off at 12:45 p.m. for the Ben Franklin Pace as the riverfront track seemed eerily quiet in contrast to the busy gaming tables inside the casino. Racing started the season in late April.

News
July 19, 2010

Table games make debut at Harrah's Chester
By JOHN M. ROMAN, jroman@delcotimes.com

CHESTER — Table games officially debuted early Sunday at Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack.

Steve and Cindy Ianni of Lansdowne and others didn’t seem to mind getting up early 12 minutes after sunrise for the 6 a.m. opening, eager to try their chance with Lady Luck.

Cindy Ianni, a registered nurse at Taylor Hospital, left the roulette game table after losing $20, but her husband was still playing the wheel.

“I’m going to have breakfast and read my Sunday Times,” she said, adding that they arrived early because the boyfriend of her daughter, Colleen, 18, is a cook at the casino and “my husband likes table games.”

“This is much more convenient than going to Atlantic City or Delaware Park,” Cindy Ianni said. “We’re supporting the Chester revitalization.

“I think it’s a little more interesting mainly because you can interact with a human being and do have some input into the outcome,” she said, comparing table games with slot machines. “You pick the numbers, have a little more control and input than the slots.”

Steve Ianni, 51, a building engineer for the Philadelphia School District, said he thinks the opening of table games at nine Pennsylvania casinos is going “to hurt Atlantic City bad – it’s a shame.”

Ron Baumann, general manager/senior vice president of the casino, said, “We’re excited; we just opened about one minute ago.

“We have some really good crowds here already – much busier than we normally would be this time on a Sunday morning, and two or three great days of dry runs and practice with the state.

“So we are ready to rock and roll, deal some cards here at Chester Harrah’s.”

He said he didn’t think his casino would be getting any overflow from some casinos in Atlantic City that have been recently experiencing a breakdown of air conditioning.

“I think some of the properties have their air coming back up, I know Caesar’s has some air coming back up,” he said. “I think today is mainly about the local residents around the area of Pennsylvania, the people that are familiar with the Total Rewards program.”

There will be a “great symbiotic relationship between this property and Atlantic City,” he added.

The most popular game usually is blackjack, about 40 percent, followed by craps, roulette and a slew of Asian card games, he said.

“We expect all the games to be popular,” he said. “But it usually comes down to blackjack, poker and roulette.”

“I know there were a lot of people waiting when the doors opened,” said casino spokesperson Monica Bersani.

The parking lot off Route 291 wasn’t exactly crowded at 5:50 a.m., but picked up a little bit by about 7:30 a.m.

Debbie Taylor of South Philadelphia said, “I’m very excited; you’re right here, don’t have to go to Atlantic City,” as she took an elevator up to the fourth floor gaming area.

She admitted she doesn’t usually go to the casino this early and “was just here for the opening. I think it’s very safe here. I always come here.”

She planned to play blackjack.

George Matzuras, of Aston, who turned 21 in April, said he was waiting for a table to open up a spot for him to play blackjack.

He said the minimum play was “a lot more affordable” than Delaware Park in Delaware.

Edwin Howard, 39, of Yeadon, a blackjack player, came with his buddy, Anthony Griffith of Yeadon.

“I come often because it’s close by, it’s convenient,” Howard said.

On the third floor, in the World Series of Poker room, adjacent to the simulcast horseracing area, four tables were filled to capacity, but six other dealers were sitting at empty tables as of 7:30 a.m.

The blackjack and roulette tables appeared to be the busiest about an hour after opening.

Shaun Kane, 25, of Tinicum, was waiting for a seat at one of the four poker tables having action.

“It’s great – I waited a long time for it,” Kane said. “It definitely beats the drive to Atlantic City.”

It only took him five minutes to drive to the casino at about 7 a.m.

As of 7:25 a.m., he was waiting for a table and minutes later was called to grab a seat.

“I feel safe here,” he said, when asked about the recent curfew imposed on some sections of the city following several shootings, including the murder of a 2-year-old boy.

“I’ve never had any problems here,” Kane said. “I’ve been here a lot for slots or video roulette or video blackjack.”

Jim Watt, 49, of East Norriton, Montgomery County, had stepped away from a 1-2 Texas Hold ’em table about an hour after the section opened.

He said he doesn’t go to casinos often, but wanted to check out Harrah’s table games.

“It took about 40 minutes, about an hour less than going to Atlantic City,” where he’s played poker at the Taj Mahal, Watt said.

“I felt safe here — of course, it is early morning. It seems very well organized and I see no problems at all.

“The dealers seem friendly and accommodating, plus it’s good for Pennsylvania,” Watt added. “It helps balance the budget for ‘steady Eddy’ Rendell.”

Curt Klinger, of Woolwich Township, Gloucester County, N.J., said it only took him about 10 minutes from home using the Commodore Barry Bridge to reach Harrah’s.

Klinger, who was with his wife, Lora, said they just came back from Las Vegas a few weeks ago and only had visited Atlantic City twice in the same time period.

He was waiting to play roulette about a half-hour, as of 6:30 a.m.

“It’s so much easier to park than Atlantic City,” Lora Klinger said. “It’s a really bad time to go there now this time of the year because of seashore traffic.”

Delaware County and Chester will each receive 2 percent of Harrah’s table games’ profits. The city already receives $10 million per year from slots and the county more than $6 million.

The city plans to use some of the revenue to finally make Chester Upland School District a sponsoring district of Delaware County Community College, which allows residents to pay half the regular tuition rate.

Harness racing was scheduled to kick off at 12:45 p.m. for the Ben Franklin Pace as the riverfront track seemed eerily quiet in contrast to the busy gaming tables inside the casino. Racing started the season in late April.