Gold Strike to Host World Poker Open
The World Poker Open returns to Tunica for its seventh year and will be held exclusively at Gold Strike Casino Resort. Attended by both nationally and internationally renowned poker players, the Gold Strike World Poker Open begins Jan. 9 and culminates with the World Poker Tour’s championship event January 19-23. Considered one of the biggest and most successful poker tournaments in the world, Gold Strike is now the exclusive site for the World Poker Tour’s annual televised stop in Tunica.
The World Poker Open will include 10 tournament events, with buy-ins starting from $1000 up to $10,000 for the WPT championship finale. In addition, there will be 10 nightly no-limit hold’em tournaments with a $500 buy-in + $40 entry fee. The popular Ladies No Limit Hold’em tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 21 with a $300 buy in + $40 entry fee. All tournaments start with double chips, including $20,000 in Championship event.
In addition to a million-dollar prize pool, the winner of the final event will receive a championship bracelet and a $25,500 seat in the World Poker Tour Championship at Bellagio in April 2006.
The World Poker Open will be hosted by Jack McClelland, one of the world’s most respected tournament directors, and current director of poker tournaments at Bellagio. A 25-year industry veteran, McClelland spent 15 years with the World Series of Poker and was the director for the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles for nine years.
“We are thrilled to once again be hosting the high-stakes action of the World Poker Open,” said Kathy Santiago, vice president of casino operations at Gold Strike. “As one of the newest additions to the MGM MIRAGE family, and sister property of the Bellagio and Mirage, we plan to take the tournament to a new level this year. In addition to providing superior service and a first-rate event, by providing double the amount of chips with each buy-in, we are offering the players an opportunity to stay in action longer.”
“Gold Strike has hosted one of the largest events on the Tour each season,” said Steve Lipscomb, CEO and founder of WPT Enterprises, Inc. “We look forward to continuing to grow the poker phenomenon in the Southeast together.”