CHESTER, W.Va. (AP) - Gamblers will soon be able to play round-the-clock poker at West Virginia's two Northern Panhandle tracks.
Both Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort and Wheeling Island Racetrack & Gaming Center will be allowed to start offering poker games to the public starting Friday, state Lottery Director John Musgrave announced Thursday.
The decision followed days of strenuous review and observation by Lottery regulators stationed at both tracks, he said.
Mountaineer President and Chief Executive Officer Ted Arneault says the Chester track will open its River Poker Room at Mountaineer at 4 p.m. Friday. The Chester track will offer 37 tables, some in a high-roller area.
Wheeling Island's poker room, which has 20 tables, is to open at 10 a.m. Friday, said spokeswoman Kim Florence.
Additional table games -- including roulette, craps and blackjack -- will be offered at both tracks by the first of the year, Musgrave said.
The tracks both hosted charity events Monday and Tuesday that served as soft openings. This gave dealers a chance to practice and Lottery regulators the opportunity to review and observe the gaming activities.
'Our senior staff members have been on-sight for days,' Musgrave said, 'working with the tracks to ensure flawless operations.'
Musgrave says table games will not only create jobs but will help boost Northern Panhandle tourism.
The implementation of the games will also allow the tracks to compete with slot parlors in nearby Pennsylvania, officials with both tracks have said.
'We're excited, our associates are excited. It's a first step in really becoming a complete casino,' said Florence.
Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center in Nitro is also getting ready to offer table games, but a date for that opening has not yet been announced.
Voters in the three counties where the tracks are located -- Hancock, Ohio and Kanawha -- voted in favor of table games in special elections held over the summer.
Last week, the Lottery Commission unanimously approved 24/7 operation of the games.
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© 2007 AFX News
