Tunica, Mississippi

Winning. It happens here. That is the slogan Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Miss., uses to brand its property, and that is exactly what guests get when they stay and play at this gamer’s paradise. Not only is the 31-story, 1,133-room hotel tower the first casino you see on the horizon as you are driving into Tunica on I-69, but from the moment a guest arrives, they will be overwhelmed by the emphasis of excellence around every corner. Whether you are on a day trip looking for hot gaming action or staying overnight in one of the property’s recently renovated rooms, you will find the customer service is second to none, and the amenities rival any property in the South.

Winning arrival. From the moment guests arrive at Gold Strike, they are greeted by an elaborate marble lobby that gives an immediate confirmation that they are in for a great experience. Centered by a large, fresh-flower arrangement, the lobby serves as the hub for the entire property. To the left, just past the reservations desk, you will find the elevators to whisk you away to your room or a separate hallway leading to the spa and pool areas. The lobby also feeds directly into the atrium area, which features an array of quick eateries where you can grab anything from burgers to pizza. The first impression is vital when it comes to a guest’s outlook on their visit, and Gold Strike hits a home run with theirs!

Winning hotel. As previously mentioned, the towering hotel can be seen for miles and is one of the tallest hotels in Mississippi. In the fall of 2008, the casino underwent a multi-million-dollar room and property renovation that featured updates to all of the rooms and suites. Now, guests can expect a whole new experience on their stay at Gold Strike. Each guestroom has wall-mounted Phillips LCD flat screen televisions, Internet access, marble baths and chic furnishings throughout that reveal the signature luxury of the property. The two-bedroom suites offer a large sitting area with a couch, chairs, wet-bar, refrigerator and an additional wall-mounted LCD flat screen. The company wanted to change the overall brand and appearance of the property, and the rooms definitely show they accomplished that goal.

Winning restaurant. Casinos around the world pride themselves on their fine dining, and Gold Strike is no exception. Chicago Steakhouse continues to win accolades and awards from a number of outlets (including Southern Gaming), and the team that is in place to deliver the fine-dining experience is certainly an all-star cast. “We buy the same products as most fine dining restaurants. There are only so many ways to cook a steak. But, with our creative chefs and quality staff, we feel that in addition to the high quality food, guests can expect great customer service, and that is exactly what we strive to deliver,†says restaurant manager Andreas Karaminas. “By keeping the menu fresh, we can continue to offer a superior selection for our guests.â€

On a recent visit, Southern Gaming enjoyed appetizers of Escargot ($12) sautéed in toasted garlic and served with wild mushrooms with a soft herb black Truffle butter in a puff pastry and the New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp ($16). Both selections were the perfect blend of ingredients and set up nicely for the rest of the meal. Other appetizers included Seared Scallops ($15), Lobster & Fried Green Tomato Stack ($17) and a big guest favorite, the Chicago Sampler ($17) that includes Kobe short ribs, iron steak and grilled Szechwan baby-back ribs. For the entrée, the 14-ounce New York Strip ($36) (medium rare) and King Crab legs served with drawn butter was a hit. Cooked perfectly and served with sides of Au Gratin Potatoes ($7), Sautéed Maui Onions ($6), Sautéed Wild Mushrooms ($6) and Asparagus ($7), this was certainly a winning meal. If you save room for dessert, the tableside crème brulee is phenomenal, and the selections of other tasty treats for the sweet tooth are bountiful.

Winning casino. What would a gambling trip be without a great casino? Well, be rest assured that Gold Strike has you covered here, too. The resort’s 50,000-square-foot casino features more than 1,400 reel and video slot machines and almost 60 table games and a 16-table poker room. There are several different gaming areas with different betting levels, including the high-limit area with blackjack, baccarat and slots serving as the main games. While in reality you are on a gaming vessel sitting on the Mississippi River, this casino makes you feel like you are doubling down on the strip in Las Vegas. Regardless of what you are looking for on your next gambling adventure, Gold Strike is sure to deliver a winning experience because … it happens there!

For a Winning Stay in Tunica, call 1-888-24K-PLAY or

visit goldstrike.com today!

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By G. Douglas Dreisbach

To be successful in the game of poker, players need to encompass a variety of talents from the basics of knowing pot odds and probabilities to being able to identify when an opponent is bluffing. In recent years, poker has settled into a comfort zone of mainstream entertainment with record participation levels at the game’s biggest tournaments and aired on multiple television stations around the world.

One of the shining stars of poker is Vanessa Rousso, who has cashed for over $3 million in both online and live-game tournaments. Rousso has reaped the benefits of her stardom through endorsements from companies such as GoDaddy.com and PokerStars.net, and the end is nowhere in sight. She recently signed on to host and play in two tournaments at Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica that took place in August, and the Gulf Coast Poker Championship Sept. 3-14 at Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Rousso and her husband, Chad Brown, will play in the events and host a high-end players party prior to the main event on Sept. 11 as well as “The Art of Poker,†a poker training class where she will teach students her game theory and poker strategy in an instructional workshop for just $499 per person.
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$2,500 Buy-In Main Event Brings Top Players to Tunica for First Tournament in 2009 Series

TUNICA, Miss. – Feb. 19, 2009 – Poker action returns to MGM MIRAGE’s Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica with the Spring Poker Classic March 5-March 16. Nineteen tournament events will be spread out over twelve action-filled days with buy-ins from $100 up to $2,500 for the Spring Poker Classic Championship Event on March 15.

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TUNICA, Miss. – October 15, 2008 – The 2008 World Poker Open Tournament at Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Miss. gives amateur players an opportunity to sit down at the table with the world’s top poker stars and a chance to walk away the big winner.  With an estimated $1 million in total prize money, the World Poker Open gets underway at Gold Strike Oct. 16, 2008.

Buy-ins for the World Poker Open Tournament at Gold Strike start at $340.  Players can win their way into the main event through daily mega satellites which will take place each afternoon.  Once a player is in the main event, the pot is up for grabs to pros and novices alike.  Many of poker’s best-known players – including Robert Williamson III and Clonie Gowan – will participate in this year’s World Poker Open Tournament. 

For the first time, Gold Strike has opened a special nightclub, Red Door, which will be located in Gold Strike’s Millennium Theatre during the World Poker Open Tournament.  With three VIP sections and music by DJ Mark Anderson of Senses, Red Door offers an upscale, exclusive environment where guests can relax and enjoy themselves in a private, comfortable setting.  Red Door showcases contemporary Asian décor with hints of Feng Shui and is themed around the elements – water, wind and fire.  Red Door, which has a dress code, will be open from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. on Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25.

The World Poker Open Tournament begins Oct. 16 and continues through Oct. 28 at the newly remodeled Gold Strike Casino Resort with mega satellites daily at 4 p.m. and poker tournaments nightly at 7 p.m.  The 31-story Gold Strike, one of the most recognizable buildings in Mississippi, just completed a multi-million dollar renovation project – the largest in Gold Strike’s history.  All guest rooms were updated and 50 new suites were added.  Gold Strike offers special room rates during the World Poker Open Tournament.

MGM MIRAGE, one of the world’s leading and most respected development companies with significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 17 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has 50 percent investments in four other properties in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois and Macau.  MGM MIRAGE is developing major casino and non-casino resorts, separately and with partners in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, the People’s Republic of China and Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

MGM MIRAGE supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its properties. MGM MIRAGE has received numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative and its community philanthropy programs.  For more information about MGM MIRAGE, visit the company’s website at http://www.mgmmirage.com.

The Rapid Fire Jackpot, the Quick Fire Jackpot and the Sure Fire Jackpot are the hottest things in Tunica.  Rapid Fire Jackpots start at $500 and are guaranteed to hit by $1,000.  QuickFire Jackpots start at $5,000 and are guaranteed to hit by $10,000.  SureFire Jackpots start at $150,000 and are guaranteed to hit by $200,000.
If you are playing with your Players Club card when the jackpot hits and your machine is the winning one, you win! Membership in the MGM MIRAGE Players Club is absolutely free. Additionally, every Players Club cardholder playing slots at Gold Strike wins when the Sure Fire Jackpot hits.  Sure Fire not only awards up to $200K in freeplay to one person, it also awards every cardholder playing slots with their card at the time of the jackpot $10 in freeplay.

Property Review: Gold Strike
Tunica, MS
1-888-24K-PLAY
www.goldstrikemississippi.com
Published March 2008

Tunica, Mississippi, is to the South what Las Vegas is to the world. An adult playground of nine casinos sits among fields of cotton just minutes south of Memphis and serves as the “Casino Capital of the South.” One of the largest and most prominent properties is the MGM Mirage-owned Gold Strike Casino Resort, boasting 31 stories and 1,100 rooms, most of which have impressive views of the winding Mississippi River.

With recent renovations, it’ll give those who haven’t visited recently a reason to check it out again soon. The changes encompass everything from the lobby and rooms to the spa and buffet. “So far we have made some significant changes to our lobby, the Courtyard Buffet, the entire convention level, the Poker Room and High Limits and the spa and fitness area,” says George Goldhoff, VP of Hotel Operations at Gold Strike. “We are also making some wonderful changes to the back of the house specifically for our employees.” While several of the projects will be worked on throughout the year, there are noticeable changes that will enhance a gamer’s overall experience.

In the lobby, guests will notice more of a warm and inviting appeal with updated wall coverings and soft, earth-tone paint. Completed in November of 2007, there are now new seating options that add a punch of color along with flowing drapes and wall art as well as an updated registration area to complement the lobby. The property also commissioned Mississippi artist John Whitt to create a unique stained glass sculpture that will be the one-of-a-kind focal point of the lobby. The lobby is the first and last impression of a facility, and Gold Strike made it a priority for their overall project list.

One thing casinos are known for are their magnificent buffets. The Courtyard Buffet at Gold Strike is no exception. “We wanted to create ‘atmosphere’ in the buffer,” Goldhoff says. “We added new carpet, wall art, buffet counters and furniture.” The new chairs are covered in a leathery soft fabric, and the booths also have plush seating. They have also upgraded and revised the food offerings, put in a complimentary wine and beer bar, and the chef creates international dishes that are featured in a “Gourmet Series” each month.

The convention areas of gaming facilities might not be for everyone, but they are attractive to companies and individuals who want to have seminars, receptions, parties or other events. Every detail – from the names of the rooms to the décor – was changed. For the room names, what once was named by letters A, B and C, now carry the names of great Mississippi trees like Dogwood, Magnolia and Cypress. Now when guests enter the meeting and convention foyer, they will experience a chic and contemporary facility with 30,000 square feet of meeting space. “We added new carpet, new wall coverings, new furnishings, new art, new restrooms … and we redesigned the space so we now have the capabilities to host large banquets or small meetings,” Goldhoff explains. In addition to the renovations, state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment was installed, and the staff received specialized event training via MGM Mirage Event Teams to insure a superior level of service. At Gold Strike, when you reserve a convention area room, you will get unprecedented service addressing everything from catering to technical support.

Every January, the property plays host to some of the best poker players in the world with a month-long series of tournaments for the World Poker Tour. The final table of the main $10,000 buy-in event is televised and aired on the Game Show Network. With this kind of exposure in the poker world, poker players from around the globe frequently make stops at Gold Strike. “The Poker Room remodel was completed just in time to welcome our guests playing in the World Poker Open,” Goldhoff says. “New fixtures, flooring, paint, wall covering, drapes, carpet, tables and chairs along with new flat screen televisions have been well received by our players.” With poker games usually lasting for hours, it is important to have an inviting and comfortable atmosphere, and they certainly did that.

What could a trip to a casino be without spending some time in the spa? The new and improved spa, indoor pool and exercise room is now a place where one can work out, refresh or relax. New, cool colors, comfortable seating, exercise equipment, flat-screen televisions and speakers all add to the ambiance and help guests both kick it in gear for the workout or prepare to unwind with a relaxing massage.

When you have exhausted the amenities of the property, top-notch gaming is waiting in the 50,000-square-foot casino. The high energy surroundings add to the excitement of the modern facility hosting more than 40 of your favorite tables games, a 14-table non-smoking poker room and 1,400 slot and video poker machines.

With a fresh feeling in the air at the casino, you will find it is definitely a great choice when visiting Tunica. Change is happening, and the results are in … Strike’s a winner!

Restaurant Review: Chicago Steakhouse:
Gold Strike Casino Resort
Tunica, MS
1-888-24K-PLAY
www.goldstrikemississippi.com
Published May 2006
Written By G. Douglas Dreisbach

The casino industry is more competitive than ever as more destinations compete to attract millions of gamers to their latest and greatest attractions and renovations. At any given time, the hotel rooms might be renovated, the gaming floor moved around or restaurants added or changed all to keep your gaming experience fresh and unique and most importantly, coming back!

Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, MS is one of the jewels of the Southern Gaming markets. You can expect a first-class experience from check-in to check-out. Standing as the tallest and largest hotel in Tunica, Gold Strike has a true resort atmosphere and world-class dining with the recently revamped Chicago Steakhouse.

Just off the casino floor, you will find some of the finest dining not only in casinos, but anywhere you care to compare. An intimate mahogany-paneled dining area with a fireplace and separate lounge area offers guests a quick getaway from the excitement of the casino.

Chicago Steakhouse has been at Gold Strike since it was built but was completely overhauled last year. “When MGM Mirage took over at Gold Strike Casino, we needed a restaurant we could showcase,” commented Rafael Torres, Executive Director of Food and Beverage. “Chicago was already a very elegant dining room but needed some long overdue upgrades in terms of china, glass and silver, as well as food product. The staff of Chicago was hungry for success and ready to learn to move forward.”

“Executive Chef Andrew Smith and I set out to contact numerous suppliers to identify a china line that would reflect the style and identity of the restaurant,” added Torres. “We decided to utilize the Bernardaud Naxos line and implemented various glass types of the Spieglau Vino Grande line because of the importance of reputable glassware in enhancing the wine drinking experience. For the silverware, we chose a Sambonet pattern that complemented the look of the china pattern and we dressed the tables with Dirona 100% cotton table clothes in ivory color.”

As for the furniture and upholstery, there were also some exciting new twists. “When we took over the room we found out that there was a shipment of new chairs already on the way,” said Torres. “This gave us the perfect opportunity to change the upholstery to an ivory-colored leather that created the contemporary element of the room. With all of the rich dark wood and red brick, the ivory leather provided the ideal contrast and brought an otherwise dark room to life.”

In addition to the hardware changes, the addition of a world-class maitre d’ was a vital part of the equation at Chicago. Gene Schnell, manager and maitre d’, was the Fine Dining Director at the world-famous Luxor hotel and casino in Las Vegas for six years. He immediately began training the staff and educating them on everything from wine to flambé. “I conducted an ongoing training program during our pre-shift meetings that included wine tasting and flambé seminars,” said Schnell. “After three months of training, I required every staff member to take an exam. I am very proud to announce the lowest test score was a 94%!”

Schnell and team even altered the service sequences and procedures down to details such as providing chilled forks for salads and cold appetizers. On Schnell, Torres added,

“A fundamental aspect of Gene is his personality and his guest interaction. Guests keep coming back to see him. He makes every guest feel important and that is what really matters. I don’t think any guest leaves without meeting Gene when they come to Chicago.”

On a recent visit to Chicago Steakhouse, the wine flowed and the flavors sizzled. In a display of professional service and appropriate wine pairings with the meal, it was obvious this restaurant was doing everything right, and considering the amount of guests waiting for tables…the word was out!

To start things off, the amuse was a Charred Prime Strip loin of Beef with Spinach puree and a Roaring Forties sauce, Seared Diver Scallops over Sweet Potato Mash with a Foie Gras Demi Glace and Pate of Beef with Candied Ginger over a Seaweed salad. Paired with the Duval-Leroy, Brut Champagne, NV, this was just a precursor of what was sure to be a remarkable dining experience.

As the evening continued, out came four appetizers and four new flavors of wine that were each as good as the last. There was the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Cajun Butter that was paired with a 2004 Leon Beyer, Alsace Pinot Blanc and cooked to perfection with a crisp golden crust and plumb crab meat exploding with flavor. Next was a steamy Cioppino “Chicago Style paired with a 2003 Cusumano, “Angiambe” Sicilia Insola/Chardonnay, followed by a perfectly prepared Capaccio of Beef with Lemon-Basil Oil, Reggiano Cheese. The Capaccio was served with 2004 Hill of Content, “Benjamin’s Blend” Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon. The finishing touch of the appetizers was Pork Tenderloin Rolled with Bacon with Foie Gras, Spinach with a Peppercorn Demi served with a 2003 Au Bon Climat, Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir.

The appetizers were complete and it was time for the main course. There was a fish and a beef dish and both had an excellent presentation with a collage of flavors. The Pan Roasted Red Snapper with an English Cucumber Crust and Forest Mushroom & Fennel Cream was served with a 2003 Weingut Heger, Baden Pinot Gris and the Coffee & Pepper Crusted New York Strip Loin with a 2002 Chambord Demi Glace was served with Luca, Mendoza Valley Syrah.

Soon after the table was cleared, the show continued with a table side performance of Gene’s Flaming Volcano Flambé by none other than the maitre d’ himself. This could be one of the most entertaining desserts ever as the mixture of Brandy, bread pudding and vanilla ice cream are engulfed in the flames of fire extinguished into a unique blend and presented in Brandy glasses. Served with La Spinetta, “Biancospino” Moscato d’ Asti, NV, the flaming volcano is a must when you visit the Chicago Steakhouse and a great way to wrap up a meal.

The overall dining experience at Chicago Steakhouse was relaxing and enjoyable with impeccable service and a very knowledgeable staff. If you have not tried the “re-born” Chicago Steakhouse at Gold Strike Casino in Tunica you are missing out! Whether it is a special occasion or celebrating a big jackpot, Gene Schnell and team will make your dining experience a winning one.