Coconut Creek starts blackjack Aug. 13, Seminole Tribe announces
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek will deal its first hand of blackjack at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13, the Seminole Tribe of Florida announced today.
According to the press release, Seminole Tribal Council members, Partridge Family TV star David Cassidy, former New York Yankee Roy White and Met Ed Kranepool, plus local media celebrities will play the ceremonial first hands at the casino’s 12 new blackjack tables.
"We’ve been anticipating this day for years,” said Steve Bonner, general manager. “Our players want real blackjack and we’re excited to be able to finally provide it to them for an even greater gaming experience.”
Plans call for Seminole Casino Hollywood to also introduce blackjack soon. Seminole Casino Coconut Creek has hired 90 blackjack dealers, 74 from Florida, plus 24 managers and supervisors, the majority of whom are also from in state. In the poker room on the second floor of the casino, 55 other dealers work, bringing the total number of dealers employed to 145.
The tribe will pay $1 billion for the right to have blackjack and other games for five years.
It also gives Coconut Creek another edge in its battle with the Isle Casino & Racing in Pompano Beach, which competes for Palm Beach County gamblers. Isle officials declined comment.
So, will you play at Coconut Creek? Why or why not?
NICK SORTAL began playing 3-card "gut" and "Indian poker" on high school band trips, moved on to "night baseball" and "pass the trash" during a Dr. Pepper-infused midnight game in the 1980s at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and now play in a regular neighborhood Hold 'Em game in Plantation. I have been given the assignment of writing about the gambling life in South Florida casinos for the Sun-Sentinel...which means sitting around watching poker on TV now counts as research.
