Casino City Newsletter: Issue 302\Volume 5 Page 1



Issue 302	June 26 - July 2, 2006	Volume 6	page 1

This Issue

Gaming News

Casino City's June Sweepstakes

Beau Rivage Resort to Re-open in August

On The Strip: Room Rates Head Down

Pinnacle Plans Another Lake Charles Resort

Calgary Casino Construction Begins

Show Time Howie Mandel performs at MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre.

Column Devilfish and Hilger Add to Quality of Hot Poker Book Arrivals by Howard Schwartz.

Check out our entertainment highlights & upcoming tournaments

See the lucky winners

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Borgata Debuts Largest Poker Room in Atlantic City
Press Release

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey -- Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa will unveil the largest poker room in Atlantic City on June 30, 2006, further staking its claim as a premier poker destination.

Borgata's 85-table, 21,500 square-foot poker room will feature an eighteen-table High Limit Room offering food service; a nine-table tournament area offering bleacher seating for tournament viewing that can be partitioned off as a "reserved" poker area, and a 58-table Main Poker Room offering live poker action outfitted with plasma televisions. As an added convenience, a safe deposit box room is provided by Borgata for poker customers. Already known as the East Coast's preeminent poker hub, Borgata will offer the largest variety of games and limits in Atlantic City including all variations of Texas Hold'em, Seven-Card Stud and Omaha.

To celebrate the opening of the poker room, Borgata has lined up exciting events throughout the summer:

WIP Grudge Match Final Table: June 30, 2006

WIP Sports Talk hosts Angelo Cataldi and Howard Eskin have taken their dislike for each other to Borgata's poker tables in The WIP Poker Grudge Match. Throughout the month of June, Angelo listeners have taken on Howard listeners in weekly poker tournaments. The WIP Grudge Match Final table will be held at Borgata on Friday, June 30 in the poker room. Participants have a chance to win a share of $25,000 for representing Team Eskin or Team Cataldi in the poker tournament.

Borgata Holiday Weekend Tournament Schedule: June 30-July 4, 2006

To kick off Fourth of July weekend, Borgata will host daily tournaments in the new 85-table Poker Room.

-- Friday, June 30 - Noon, Buy in: $250 + $30 -- *$50,000 prize pool guaranteed

-- Saturday, July 1 - 11 AM, Buy in: $300 + $40

-- Sunday, July 2 - 10AM, Buy in: $150 + $25

-- Monday, July 3 - 10AM, Buy in: $150 + $25

-- Tuesday, July 4 - 11AM, Buy in: $50 + $10

-- Tuesday, July 4 - 6PM, Buy in: $50 + $10

Poker Opening Celebration Electronics Giveaway: July 1-4, 2006

Borgata will also host an Electronics Giveaway, July 1-4, for all My Borgata cardholders playing in the poker room. Borgata will announce one winner every hour from 11AM - 8PM. Giveaways each day include:

-- Saturday, July 1: SONY DVD RECORDER

-- Sunday, July 2: SONY CYBERSHOT DIGITAL CAMERA

-- Monday, July 3: SONY PORTABLE DVD PLAYER

-- Tuesday, July 4: iPOD NANO (2GB)

-- Additionally, all My Borgata cardholders playing with their My Borgata card July 1 - 4 have a chance to win a Sony 32" Bravia XBGR LCD Flat Panel Integrated HD Television. The winner will be announced July 4 at 8 PM. -- Plus, every My Borgata cardholder at the winning table each hour will receive $25 comp dollars.

Borgata Summer Poker Open Tournament: July 5 - July 20, 2006

The inaugural Borgata Summer Poker Open Tournament will open for play on July 5 and offer players a chance to participate in thirteen main events including Texas Hold'Em No Limit, Texas Hold'Em Limit, 7-Card Stud, and Omaha tournaments. The sixteen-day, forty-one event tournament will also feature super satellites, second chance cash, and sit-and-go tournaments. The tournament will culminate with the $5,000 + $200 No Limit Championship. The Championship is a four-day event, starting on Monday, July 17 and concluding on Thursday, July 20.

BORGATA AMPLIFIED

In addition to the Poker Room, Borgata's $200 million first-phase expansion will also feature three celebrity chef restaurants -- Bobby Flay Steak, Wolfgang Puck American Grille and SEABLUE, A Michael Mina restaurant; 36,120 square feet of casino floor space including 45 table games and over 500 slot machines; a second nightclub named Mur.Mur, and a multi-concept quick service dining option named The Cafeteria, which will include a number of beloved national and regional outlets such as Tony Luke's Old Philly Style Sandwiches, Fatburger, Panda Express, Hibachi San, Villa Pizza and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, as well as two original concepts, Lettuce Head and MiniBar.

The second phase of Borgata's two-part $525 million expansion is scheduled to complete in fourth quarter 2007 with the debut of a $325 million hotel tower to be named The Water Club at Borgata.

Beau Rivage Resort to Re-open in August

Press Release

BILOXI, Mississippi -- Fueled by the unyielding spirit of Biloxi and the resilience of its people, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino will open its doors for business August 29, 2006 -- 12 months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast. In addition to employing nearly 4,000 Mississippians, the opening will have an immediate, significant impact on the local economy while simultaneously helping to revitalize Biloxi tourism as the premier resort destination on the Coast.

"We're anxious to open our doors for our customers and to get our employees back to work," said Bobby Baldwin, president and CEO of Mirage Resorts, an operating division within MGM Mirage. "With the opening of Beau Rivage, we understand that we're not just putting 3,800 people back to work, we're helping to put 3,800 families back on their feet. This is one step, of many to come, back to normalcy for our employees and our community."

Supporting Beau Rivage employees has been the top priority for MGM Mirage. The company committed to rehiring all people employed at Beau Rivage during Hurricane Katrina when it opens in August. Following Katrina, the company retained its employees and provided full pay and benefits, as well as 401K matching contributions for more than three months. MGM Mirage also ensured employees and their families could receive medical care (without fees) in any community where they found shelter. Addressing current employee challenges, MGM Mirage is working with state and local officials to develop the most reasonable and affordable housing solutions for its employees.

Just as MGM Mirage has played a large role in Biloxi's initial success, the company is committed in its efforts to rebuild and renew the Gulf Coast. Beyond supporting the livelihood of its employees and their families, the company forecasts that gaming will be the catalyst for economic development in the region, spurring tax income and capital investments to benefit gaming employees, the local community and the entire state. When Beau Rivage originally opened in 1999, gaming revenue increased by 35 percent over the previous year, and MGM Mirage is determined in its endeavor to immediately impact the market once again. In the long-term, the company will work aggressively to help the region achieve a more prosperous status than ever before.

George Corchis, president and COO of Beau Rivage said, "We're confident in the future of the Biloxi market and we believe the Mississippi Gulf Coast has the potential to become a top travel destination by 2010. As a region, we have significant opportunities for economic advancement and overall growth, from the airport expansion and additional hotel rooms, to an expanded condominium base and enhanced infrastructure. "And," Corchis continued, "the opening of Beau Rivage on August 29 isn't the end of MGM Mirage's development in Biloxi. We'll continue our investment in the community with additions like our spectacular Tom Fazio-designed golf course, Fallen Oak, set to open November 6. Beau Rivage will continue its legacy as a strong community leader and the crown jewel of the Mississippi Gulf Coast gaming industry."