Casino City’s Friday Five: Casino announcements edition
Let’s begin with the big winner:
5. Ramon Colillas wins $5.1 million at PSPC
Ramon Colillas was crowned champion of the record-setting PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship and took home $5.1 million.
Colillas won free entry into the tournament as part of a PokerStars global promotion that awarded 320 people a $30,000 Platinum Pass package, which in addition to free entry, covered travel and hotel accommodations at the Atlantis at Paradise Island Resort and Casino in the Bahamas.
Colillas topped a field of 1,039 players that produced a record-breaking total prize pool of $26,455,500 and attracted players from all over the globe. As part of the total pool, PokerStars added an extra $1 million to the first-place prize. The final table alone produced a total of six millionaires.
PokerStars awarded the 30-year old Spanish native a Platinum Pass after he topped the Campeonato de España de Poker leader board based upon his successful tournament play in a series of PokerStars-sponsored tournaments in Spain.
Players descended upon the Atlantis Casino Resort & Spa on 6 and 7 January and were registering up to the very last minute to participate in the historic event.
“This tournament has been in the works for over a year and it’s been super exciting to follow the journey of the many Platinum Pass winners,” said Daniel Negreanu, PokerStars Ambassador. “I had a chance to meet many of them, and their excitement for this event is truly what poker is all about.”
Final table results:
1 Ramon Colillas Spain $5,100,000
2 Julien Martini France $2,974,000
3 Marc Rivera Philippines $2,168,000
4 Scott Baumstein United States $1,657,000
5 Jason Koonce United States $1,304,000
6 Marc Perrault Canada $1,012,000
7 Farid Jattin Colombia $746,000
8 Talal Shakerchi United Kingdom $509,000
We have a champion! #PlatinumPass winner Ramon Colillas is the #PSPC champion, winning $5.1M! pic.twitter.com/C5w52JZCxs
— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) January 11, 2019
4. The Downtown Grand Hotel and Casino announces expansion
The Downtown Grand Las Vegas will expand by more than 250,000 square feet in 2020 with the addition of a new tower.
The Las Vegas resort’s third tower will have seven guest-room floors, which will add 495 new rooms to the current 629.
Guests will also experience a significant increase in the suite life, with a premier room list that includes 67 studio units, 20 one-bedroom suites and three Presidential Suites each boasting nearly 1,500 square feet of living space.
“We are advancing our progressive growth plan for the Downtown Grand development as the demand for our rooms has steadily increased since our opening, and our guests continue to share their positive experiences about the hotel, casino and restaurants. We believe that having over 1,000 rooms will allow us to meet that new demand and provide a Downtown Las Vegas experience visitors as well as locals are seeking,” said Kevin Glass, General Manager of Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino.
A grand expansion! Today, we're beginning construction on our third tower - an eight-story, 495 room project. Learn more: https://t.co/cTiB2w0YKF pic.twitter.com/9ajxbPHDp6
— Downtown Grand (@DowntownGrandLV) January 7, 2019
3. Borgata constructs a new sportsbook
On Wednesday, Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa announced it will begin construction of a new venue that will integrate an entertaining bar experience with sports wagering. Adding more than $11 million in development to Borgata’s resort, the destination bar will make its anticipated debut this summer.
Borgata made history in June when it became the first Atlantic City casino to accept a legal sports wager under new sports betting regulations in New Jersey. The historic wager came just three days after NJ Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill passed unanimously by the State Legislature creating a regulated environment where licensed casinos may establish legal sportsbooks.
“We are proud to have been at the forefront of legalized sports betting in New Jersey and look forward to advancing our product with an innovative gaming and entertainment experience for our guests to enjoy,” said Marcus Glover, President and Chief Operating Officer for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
SPORTS BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT: We’re excited to announce that we will invest over $11 million into the addition of a new bar and sports wagering experience. The destination bar will make its anticipated debut this summer! Learn more: https://t.co/697ukaaC0S pic.twitter.com/JkpqHCkfm1
— BORGATA (@BorgataAC) January 9, 2019
2. Derek Stevens reveals Circa Casino in downtown Las Vegas
The Fremont Street area is continuing to see growth. Derek Stevens has announced that Circa Resort and Casino is planned to open in downtown Las Vegas in December 2020. This will be the first new casino resort in the downtown area in decades.
The announcement of the new 777-room resort took place yesterday during Mayor Carolyn Goodman's annual State of Las Vegas address at City Hall. The resort will also contain a two-level casino and a stadium-style sportsbook. In addition, it will also include several pools throughout the resort.
“This isn’t the best pool downtown or the best pool on the Strip. What we’re doing is developing the best pool in the history of America. We’re building the best sportsbook in the history of America,” Stevens told the Las Vegas Review Journal.
The construction of the 1.25 million square foot property is already taking place.
1. Ocean Resort Casino is changing hands
Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City has announced that it will be acquired by an outside investor that is planning on adding $70 million to the property, according to a report by the Associated Press.
The change in owner comes just six months after the $2.4 billion resort reopened back on 27 June.
When the new owner is officially approved by the state regulators, they plan to enhance the casino floor along with adding more suites and rooms with a new buffet also making an appearance.
Bruce Deifik, who purchased the property for $200 million and renamed it Ocean Resort Casino, made the announcement and did not reveal who the new owner was.