The World Poker Tour and Seminole Gaming announced Aug. 10 a five-year partnership adding a televised stop in Florida to the current WPT Season IX tour schedule, several additional WPT branded events and the development of official WPT poker rooms inside select Seminole Casinos. For the first time, players in Florida will be able to participate in a televised WPT tournament, which will be called the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown and will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood on April 27-May 3, 2011.
“A WPT tournament at a Seminole Casino in Florida is a perfect addition to our television season,” WPT president Adam Pliska said. “With the recent changes in its poker laws, this is a momentous time for the evolution of poker in Florida and we are proud to join forces with the Seminole Tribe to finally bring high stakes poker to Florida.”
Recent changes in state law have removed caps from poker games, including tournaments, and have relaxed rules on hours of play. As a result, Florida, the fourth most populous state in the country, appears destined to become one of the hottest poker markets.
“There’s no place like home!” said Ante Up’s 2010 World Series Player of the Year when asked what he thought of the WPT coming to Florida. “If you think they’re loud in Vegas wait till you hear them roar for Grinder here!”
Seminole Casino poker rooms, which are open 24 hours a day, offer 1,360 poker seats at six Florida casinos.
“World Poker Tour will bring a new level of sophistication and excitement to poker rooms at Seminole Casinos,” said Jeffrey Hook, senior VP of marketing for Seminole Gaming. “We look forward to combining the WPT partnership with no-limit poker and 24-hour play to maximize the action for our players.”
Stay tuned to Ante Up for more information as it becomes available.
