Derby Lane to host Florida’s first Ante Up stop.
By Scott Long
It’s fitting that a poker room less than 14 miles from Ante Up headquarters will be the first to host an Ante Up Poker Tour event.
Derby Lane, one of the oldest parimutuel facilities in Florida and one of the state’s largest poker rooms, will host the Sunshine State’s first Ante Up Poker Tour championship event Aug. 21-31 in St. Petersburg, Fla., part of the Tampa Bay metro area.
“Derby Lane has a long history with Ante Up, going all the way back to the early days of the Ante Up PokerCast well before Ante Up magazine’s first issue,” said Jeff Gamber, director of poker operations for Derby Lane. “We’re excited to be the first Florida poker room to host an Ante Up Poker Tour event.”
Look for full details on the AUPT event in Ante Up’s July issue, but Derby Lane has proved its mettle in hosting tournaments ever since they were first allowed in Florida. It previously hosted World Poker Tour Regionals, annually hosts a number of other series and co-branded events and runs up to four tournaments a day when a series isn’t on the schedule.
“Players know that Derby Lane is always innovating with our tournaments and looking for new and exciting ways to freshen up events,” Gamber said. “We’re looking forward to raising that bar with our Ante Up Poker Tour event.”
The stylish, 54-table room wraps around a bar area, giving most players a picturesque view of the greyhound races as well as a comfortable playing area. Food and beverage service is a priority in the room, with several options for players who want a quick, quality and inexpensive meal to those who want to enjoy a leisurely, gourmet meal in the Derby Club.
Derby Lane also has staked itself out as an innovator in daily promotions, constantly tweaking them to stay ahead of the competition and responding to player requests.
“Promotions are a critical element of running a successful Florida poker room,” Gamber said. “We take pride in creating new ones that reward our loyal players, attract new players and keep players coming back so they know there’ll always be action when they come to play at Derby Lane.”
Palm Beach Kennel Club to warm up winter
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There’s no better place to be in December for poker players (or anyone, really) than Florida, and the Palm Beach Kennel Club is giving players a reason … an Ante Up Poker Tour championship event.
“We expect some great fields and, of course, player-friendly structures. That time of year in the Palm Beaches brings in people from all over who like to enjoy warm weather and hot poker,” said Noah Carbone, director of poker operations for Palm Beach Kennel Club, a 71-table room in West Palm Beach, Fla. “We feel that the Ante Up Poker Tour has a great draw in the local market. Ante Up is a brand all Florida players have grown to love.”
Palm Beach Kennel Club is well-known to poker players nationwide, as it draws some of the largest World Series of Poker Circuit crowds every February, and is adding a second circuit event in August. Dates and details of its Ante Up Poker Tour event will be announced later.
“We take pride in providing professional service. Consistency is priority No. 1 at PBKC,” Carbone said. “Players know they are getting a friendly, safe and secure environment to play the game that they love.”
The West Palm Beach area, as well as nearby Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, allows AUPT players plenty of distractions when not at the tables and PBKC always has a large number of cash games running with great promotions.
“Our cash-game action is second to none,” Carbone said. “Our famous Christmas promotion will be running during the entire event. When you are finished playing the Ante Up Poker Tour event, you can win yourself an iPad, laptop or one of many great prizes.”
Stay tuned to Ante Up in the coming months as we will announce dates and more details for our 2014 AUPT series at Palm Beach Kennel Club.
