Almost anything that involves gambling has to by approved by the PA Gaming Commission. This includes tournaments, amount of tables, games spread, etc.
I'm thinking 6-9 months before the room is at full operation.

Made my first trip to the Sands after two visits to Mt. Airy. I have to say the Sands is a step up from Mt. Airy. I arrived at 5pm. Got mySands card and went to the poker room. I put my name on a 1/2 list (there were 34 names) and sat immediately in a 3-6 game. The room is not really a room, but a gated off area. Kinda like Caesars in AC. I guess I've gotten spoiled by The Borgata, Taj, and Venetian. But I prefer an actual closed off area from the rest of the casino. There is plenty of space to move around and even sofas in the center of the room. After about 45 mins of 3-6, my name was called to 1/2. I moved with my $70 profit (yay me). Dealers were good. Management was good. Players were for the most part better than Mt. Airy players that I've seen. There were 2 LAGs and a couple of players who were just plain bad...one of which sucked out on my top two pair when he rivered a four outer boat with his bottom two.

One definate difference between the two casinos, the Sands is so much calmer than Mt. Airy. So far the two times I was at Mt. Airy it was a circus. Not so at the Sands, everything seemed to be handled smoothly.

Both casinos are the same distance from my home in Morris county. Exactly 60 mins drive today. So, I have to give my nod to the Sands right now.

Still , I prefer higher Limit holdem to NL (I'd love to see a 10/20 game started) and if an Omaha H/L game ever gets started somewhere, they will get my business!

Until the next time...

The players were good and more than a little overaggresive and the dealers were a mixed bag. The casino is very nice. The players are above average no doubt.

Thats good to hear espo. I live in summit, and was planning on taking a ride out there possibly friday night but most likely saturday afternoon after work.
Thanks for the info

Does anyone know the Poker Room hours? Is it open 24 hrs?

24hrs

Thanks. Going there Saturday morning then around 8 or 9.

Just wondering if 11am monday would be a good time to "miss the rush".If this is the case, I'll see ya monday

How many 2/5's?
How many 1/2's?
How many 1-5 stud??
Drinks free? (stupid I know but apparently harrahs chester is COD)

Drinks are free. Usually 8, 1-2. 2, 2-5. No stud.

Ty Tom.In the time since my post I decided not to be lazy and read a little.. lol It certainly looks as though a game would be easily gotten monday AM.From what I read poker players dont wake up til' after lunch!! lol .

I'll have my golf hat and villanova tee on, and only open J's or better preflop

I think it is really possible to get a 6/12 limit going if they try on the weekends, not sure 10-20 will fly.

I was there on Monday, I agree with Espo72's assessment of the room. Although there are a few VERY green dealers that certainly will benefit from more experience.

And they need to prohibit the smokers on the rail, if someone is blowing smoke over my head, it's no longer really a non-smoking room.

Wait right now is:

1/2 nl- 10 people
2/5 nl - 5 people
3/6 he - 10 people

Thanks for the update freds, I should be there and donating around 5.

Just stopped in for a couple of minutes and made someone 100 lighter.

It's hard to call this a poker room. It's more of an area roped off in the the pit to play poker.

Not bad overall but I will hardy play here due to the high rake and lack of game selection.

I also have to note that it is silly that the cage, which is a short walk, will only sell you red and white chips. I said to the lady what if I want to stumple over to the craps table and she said sorry I can't sell u black or green chips. Just a stupid rule imho.

Lists right now...
8 for 3-6 (2 tables)
8 for 1/2 (8 tables)
1 for 2/5 (2 tables)

hmmmm seeing these waitlists it might be worthwhile for me to head over there every night after work during the week.

I am about an hour away and with 80 people deep waitlists, it wouldnt be worth it for me to get there at 6:30pm and have to leave about 11 or 12, but if i can get on right away maybe it will be

Even crazier is how they do a Fill. Our table's chip tray was running low on white chips. But they wouldn't change out bigger chips in the tray, so they bought $100 worth of red from a player with a deep stack. They gave him a $100 lammer but then said that it is NOT in play! The runner comes back with 100 white chips, gives them to the dealer, the dealer then gives the player $100 worth of red out of the tray and the player returns the lammer to the chip runner. Way to difficult if you ask me!!! And the fact that the lammer is not in play just blows my mind!!!

Lists right now...
4 for 3-6 (2 tables)
19 for 1/2 (8 tables)
7 for 2/5 (2 tables)

Thanks for the updates brodie, seems like the lists are getting more reasonable I will have to check it out tonight or tomorrow night.

Lists right now..
8 for 3-6 (2 tables)
34 for 1/2 (8 tables)
2 for 2/5 (2 tables)

Does any one else agree with this? I find this hard to believe...

Hmm..this call for a corny quote.

Well, figure that you're only playing with people willing to wait 1-2 hours to play.

Lists right now..
15 for 3-6 (2 tables)
38 for 1/2 (8 tables)
16 for 2/5 (2 tables)

Obviously the sample size is small. What I saw playing 2-5 NL for 10 hours was players who were average or slightly worse than you would find in most of the rooms in AC. In fact most of the them play in AC.