Vegas-style slots made their official debut at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino today as expected, but visitors also got something to look for this spring: news that similar slots are coming to the two other Broward Seminole casinos, and much-awaited black jack and baccarat are likely to hit the Hard Rock this spring.

The Hard Rock has converted about 800 of its about 2,500 machines from Class II (bingo-style) machines to Class III Las Vegas-style machines, as part of its compact with Gov. Charlie Crist. The three racinos in Broward -- Mardi Gras, The Isle and Gulfstream -- already have Vegas-style slots.

“It’s a historic day for the tribe. We finally have a fair playing field,” Seminole Gaming CEO James Allen told visitors during today's media event. (The racino owners disagree, pointing to a 50 percent tax the state of Florida imposes on them; the Seminoles pay no taxes, but are paying up to $200 million under terms of the new compact, which is being challenged.)

Later, Allen talked about the next steps. The Vegas-style slots will be coming to Seminole Coconut Creek and Seminole Hollywood in mid-February or March and the casino is currently training blackjack and baccarat dealers, with a debut “roughly sometime in the spring.”

Class II machines play an instant round of bingo, with patrons going against each other. Class III machines are against the house. The Seminoles are not required to reveal their payout percentages, but say their machines pay out about the same as those on the Las Vegas Strip.
The machines usually take 12 to 16 weeks from order to delivery, but game manufacturer International Game Technology turned them around in two weeks this time, Allen said.

“Now that we know they can do it, we’ll expect it more often,” he joked. Some machines were up and running as early as Thursday, he said.

The conversion takes away the biggest complaint Seminole Hard Rock customers had, Allen said: the lack of Vegas-style slots, which he called “more exciting” and which customers have generally said they prefer.

Beverly Peterson of Port Charlotte, visiting her daughter, Tamara, of Southwest Ranches, accidentally played $5 on a nickel machine and won $200 on her first play on a Class III: “I’m a conservative and I know it,” she said. “But, yes, I like these better. When I played the other ones I couldn’t get over the thought that I’m just merely playing bingo.”

Bob Hansen, visiting from Boston, said: “I don’t care either way, actually, as long as they pay me back what I put in.”

But Dorise Figueroa of Hollywood said she prefers the Class II machines: “I liked the bingo better. I just feel like I have a better chance to win.”

Meanwhile, Allen said the tribe has no official position on Tuesday’s slot vote in Miami-Dade County.

“Although, yes, we like having as big a piece of the market as possible, if slots pass, we’ll wish them well,” he said.