TRUMP
TAJ MAHAL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mary R. Moyer
Public Relations Manager
(609) 449-6437
mary.moyer@trump.com
United States Poker Championship Returns to Trump Taj Mahal’s
Legendary Poker Room November 2 - 24
Atlantic City, NJ – November 2, 2009; Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort is proud to
announce that after a one-year absence, the United States Poker Championship is
returning to national television. The Atlantic City casino has signed a five year deal with
Las Vegas based Compass Entertainment LLC to produce and nationally air the U.S.P.C.,
Trump’s ‘signature’ annual poker extravaganza that attracts players from around the
world.
The 2009 U.S.P.C. will run from November 2 – 24, 2009, culminating with a $5,000
buy-in No Limit Hold’em Championship Event beginning on November 20. Compass
senior executives brokered the deal with the Taj and put together the nationwide
cablecast with the edgy Spike Network that will serve as this year’s network home for the tourney. A Compass spokesman remarked, “We are ecstatic to be teamed up with Trump Entertainment and we look forward to delivering a top notch production”.
Tom Gitto, Director of Poker Operations at Trump Taj Mahal says, “It’s hugely exciting
to have the U.S.P.C. back on national TV. We knew that in order to ensure that the
U.S.P.C. would be more attractive to poker players, we would need a solid TV deal. The
entire Trump organization is firmly committed to doing something special each year to
make the U.S.P.C. sizzle, so this year we’ve added a $2,500 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha
Championship Event, which will be televised as well. The Taj is also organizing High-
Stakes Cash Games on Sunday, November 15 and Sunday November 22.
The public is invited to come down to Atlantic City and catch all the action in person.
National Television exposure is critical to the players,” said Gitto, “Where else can such
a leap of fame and prosperity take place virtually instantaneously, but in a nationally
televised poker tournament?” In fact, Gitto pointed out that many of the current
superstars of poker either began or furthered their climb to the pinnacle of the poker
world while playing at the Taj during previous U.S.P.C. events, including household
names in poker lore such as Ivey, Hellmuth, Hennigan, Men The Master, Seidel, Juanda,
Corkins, Phan, Liebert, Nguyen, and Feguson, just to name a few. The U.S.P.C. resided
on ESPN for many years until its previous long-term deal with the Taj expired. Past
U.S.P.C. championship events still air periodically on ESPN Classics.
Trump Taj Casino Manager, Frank Leone thought the new deal with Compass was a “nobrainer” and says “We look forward to a long and successful TV partnership with the
Compass Entertainment organization. They have the capability to capture the excitement of the U.S.P.C. in a fresh and exciting way, differentiating this marquee event from other televised poker tournaments”.
Compass CEO Greg McDonald, long time personal manager, concert promoter and TVFilm producer, has a long and wide-ranging track record across many aspects of the
entertainment industry. He actually first came to Las Vegas as an aide to Elvis Presley’s
legendary manager Col. Tom Parker in the 1960s. McDonald has had a hand in producing a number of feature length motion pictures, including the poker movie titled “Deal” staring Burt Reynolds. McDonald is the President and CEO of Compass Entertainment, as well as the Publisher of Rounder Magazine, the ‘Casino Lifestyle Magazine,’ which focuses on two of men’s favorite pastimes: poker and beautiful women. Rounder has become well known throughout the gaming industry for ‘spicing up’ poker tournaments.(see
www.rounderlife.com) with a bevy of its “Rounder Girls”. If the televised poker tournament is anything like the magazine, you can expect to see plenty of these fetching young ladies throughout the event.
For those players seeking a little extra excitement during the 2009 U.S.P.C. there will
also be several special events, including a charity, celebrity golf tournament. The 1st
Annual Boomer Esiason Foundation Cystic Fibrosis Fall Classic, will be held on
Saturday, November 14, at 10:00 a.m.
For further information on the golf outing, night clubs, private parties and complete
tournament details, please visit
www.trumptaj.com Players can reserve their tournament seats NOW on line at
www.ptseats.com
Daily flights are available into Atlantic City International Airport, visit
www.sjta.com/acairport/ for links to ACY’s available carriers. For hotel room
reservations at the Taj Mahal please call 1-800-72-POKER.
For special tournament rate hotel room reservations at Trump Taj Mahal, call 1-800-72-
POKER. Hope to see you at the 2009 USPC.
*** PHOTO AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE ***
About Trump Taj Mahal
As one of the most iconic casino hotels in the world, Trump Taj Mahal is recognized as one of America's most opulent and exciting gaming destinations. With the addition of the spectacular Chairman Tower, the brand new, $255 million hotel tower, features 782 guest rooms and boasts a newly-renovated casino floor and 1,250 newly appointed hotel room and suites in the Taj Tower. Trump Taj Mahal has recently undergone a total transformation through more than $100 million in renovations. In addition to the newly refurbished 150,000 square foot casino, the Taj Mahal has new dining, entertainment and shopping choices.
Certain statements that may be contained in this press release may be “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. Information regarding risk factors that could cause results to differ from those contained in the forward looking statements is available in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K and/or Form 10-Q.
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