This was a bit of a needle, and came off a little sarcastic. Apologies for that.

It can be controlled, and we use data to predict levels. Our only frame of reference was New Years Day. Obviously, it wasn't enough...

It helps to have an operations manager accustomed to directing 2,000 player tournaments in a 65 table tourney room. Eric, Dave and the rest of our staff did a great job today with what they had. We are now full spread and the long lists have been substantially reduced.

Thank you. We will continue to improve, and I use the constructive criticism I get here and on the floor to make those improvements.

just pray the government doesn't do another furlough.....

Can you give us statistics about the tournament today? How many entered? How many tried to enter? How many total entries (including re-entries)?

How long did it last? Was the tournament held upstairs to allow more entrants?

Also, do you plan on having big tournament series or guarantees in the future like Borgota? Or mainly focusing on strictly cash. I know every room hopes to have huge tournaments but I'm curious what upper management has said about tournament series in the future since space is extremely limited.

Thanks in advance

All this info is available for free on the mobile app "bravo poker". I would highly recommend it. 155 total runners. $15,500 prizepool after rake. Not sure about the # rebuys but I would imagine it was very small if not zero. Since there were so many alternates they made an announcement that rebuys would have to go to the back of the list. There were well over 100 alternates. for those wondering the tournament started with 9 tables....


JGrooms - hope we get a nice tournament series when things settle down!

I'm aware of bravo and use it. Took the day off from playing so I'm not looking at bravo today. With as much work as Johnny has, I didn't think he would put that info on Bravo so quickly. Kudos to him.

Someone told me the tournaments will be held upstairs in a conference room or somewhere besides the 39 cash tables? Is this true?

We will eventually have a major series, and It will be in a separate location. Daily/weekly events will be in the poker room. All the info above is correct.

A little needle here and there is perfectly in keeping with the spirit and ethos of this entire forum. Your tact and professionalism in this thread is admirable.


I'm glad you consider it constructive because I think that's exactly how most posters intend it. Your room has had a great first month and in spite of the opening-room issues, I've consistently found your floor personnel to be professional and polite even when things are getting stressful (e.g. a full room with 100+ names on the list).

I've played at MGM eleven times now, and the one thing that really stands out to me as somewhat of an issue is the whole check in process and the small (some would say inadequate) check in area. It amounts to a small lectern with a laptop. I can't think of any other poker room I've ever been to which has such a minimalist approach. Is this how you did it in Biloxi? Do you foresee any upgrade in the future?

JG has said here several times the small podium and laptop are going to ve upgraded. Has been said alrrady in the works. I suspect between other opening tweaks and the holidays the staff for these projects has been strdtched. But these improvements will come.

It is woefully inadequate for our business volumes. Prior to opening, we identified this as an issue, but were unable to address. We have something coming about 2 1/2 times the size of the one that's there. It will have 2 full workstations and more than adequate space for the supervisors who work that area.

Is the the corner of the room with the chairs, left from the check-in desk's POV, in jeopardy? If so, will there be an effort to keep that sort of thing in some respect somewhere?

I appreciate having it and it really beats hoping for a seat at an empty pit table when you're too close on the list to leave the poker area.

No. It is not in jeopardy. We will be making some positive changes to that area as well...

Johnny, MGM isn't different, it's just a new beachhead on the Fed-holiday-poker storm. Before MGM opened, MDL always was full spread on every single Federal-only holiday. Guess the peanut gallery didn't make that explicitly clear enough (although I do remember at least one post stating "are you really going to have the first tournament on MLK day?") but you can't say you weren't warned a little... Also consider NYD a poor data point, since that was coming off of the "don't come here if you're not rich enough to pay admission" weekend, so many (including me) wrote off MGM for that weekend.

In one month's time, I think the reality of the MD-VA poker economy is that MGM has:
1) Taken a big chunk of the "southern-based" player pool from MDL.
2) Taken a big chunk of the government-employed player pool from MDL.
3) Opened a new market for the NoVA non-degen player that wouldn't drive >30 minutes to play regularly.

Note that if these were in a Venn diagram, #1 and #2 may have a significant overlap zone. #3 is off on its own by definition (non-MDL patrons) and apparently quite large.

Lesson: All hands on deck for Monday Fed holidays.

Johnny,

I started liking it very much at MGM
1 - One will get comps depending on the number of hours you play. I guess it is $2 per hour. Charles town WV does not do this. I used these comps for my dinner two times at MGM
2 - They increased the number of food runners . When I was there first time I saw only two of them.This time I saw 4 to 5 persons handling food.
3 - One can go and make their own coffee , Tea or Chocolate milk for free. It's faster than ordering from table and waiting for it to come.
4 - One can get chips at the table first time you join the table.
5 - Chargers at every seat
6 - Super clean bathrooms with dryers next to the tap

Johnny,

My first time down to MGM this weekend-great action, some things need to be ironed out but that's to be expected at first. One thing that seems pertinent and an easy fix, you've got to put a lock on the door for the safety deposit box room. Hope to be back soon.

Any tips for catching uber at the casino? I've heard some horror stories when the casino first opened so I thought I would check before I plan on using uber.


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Funny that you mention a Venn diagram.... when I presented my marketing info, I can see that diagram in my head... didn't look too good, as I drew the 2 dots in the center to represent the casinos... not a great look.

We have a new door on the way with an inside lock...

To be fair I think the federal holiday phenomenon is pretty much a local thing and every local room has fallen prey to it. Hell I think CT kept falling prey to it years after they opened.

Federal holidays - specially the ones that not every non govt employee is going to get off like MLK, president's day, Columbus day tend to be huge days at the casinos - or at least the poker rooms. Just seems like a lot of guys have the day off, no family obligations and the wife might be working so she doesn't care if he spends all day playing poker.

I'd also disagree that MGM has taken away a ton of business from ML. Aside from the higher stakes games which all seem to have shifted ML is doing just fine and MGM has largely grown the pie which is awesome for all of us.

How hard is it to get a box?

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...postcount=1223

I agree ML is doing fine. If you're a 1-2, 2-5, or 4-8 donkey (and I can say that because I am one) all is well, and better than ever if you like chasing jackpots.

I may even agree with the qualifier that it's not a "ton"... they've definitely taken business though. The 2-2 PLO action is about half off (can just keep 2 tables going; used to be 4 easy on weekend) and for a holiday weekend, having the upstairs on Friday night be nearly half empty is certainly a change from pre-MGM. That's a good 10+ tables not pulling rake, or $1200/hour (give or take) of revenue siphoned away.

Can't say it really "hurts" them... instead of being insanely profitable, they're just crazy profitable.

And it certainly doesn't hurt us players - great options all around if you live on the 295 corridor. I will not look that gift H.O.R.S.E. in the mouth.