ATLANTIC
CITY, NJ (July 10, 2008) – Continuing
its lead as a preeminent poker destination on the
East Coast, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa today
announced details of the sixth annual Borgata
Poker Open series. The 16-day tournament will begin September
3rd and will conclude with the $10,000 Buy-In five-day
World Poker Tour / Borgata Poker Open Championship event, September 14-18.
In an unprecedented move, Borgata will offer the
first-ever $5 million guaranteed prize
pool for
the 2008 WPT Borgata Poker Open Championship
event,
ensuring that the first-place winner takes home
a minimum of $1,424,500 cash, along with a coveted
Borgata Poker Open Championship bracelet. The event
marks the largest guaranteed prize pool ever offered
at a poker tournament by a land-based casino.
“
From the beginning, we have had a commitment to
the game of poker,” said Larry Mullin, President
and Chief Operating Officer for Borgata. “We’ve
strived to up the ante in the market by offering
innovative programs and initiatives designed for
true poker players. We are excited to once again
further stake our claim as a leading poker destination
on the East Coast with our 2008 Borgata
Poker Open,
while continuing to break new ground – attracting
more players than ever to our destination resort.”
Offering exciting live action games and some of
the best tournament structures, Borgata will continue
to raise the bar with the sixth annual Borgata
Poker Open series, drawing notable professional
and regional poker players to Atlantic City. First
place-winners from past Borgata Poker Open Championship
events include Noli Francisco, Daniel Negreanu,
Al Ardebili, Mark Newhouse, and Roy Winston.
This year’s event will again be held in the
Borgata Event Center, in addition to the 85-table
Borgata Poker Room, continuing to provide customers
with the largest variety of games and limits in
Atlantic City.
The tournament will include over 40 events with
16 main events, featuring No Limit Hold’Em,
Limit Hold’Em, Seven Card Stud, and a Ladies
No Limit Hold’Em event. The buy-in amount
for the Championship Event is $9,600 plus a $400
entry. Players are offered the opportunity to reserve
a seat in Main Events online from August 18 to
28. On-site registration for all Borgata
Poker Open events begins Monday, September 1.
2008 Borgata Poker Open complete schedule of events
is as follows:
About
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
Borgata is a joint venture of Boyd Gaming Corporation
(NYSE: BYD) and MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM). Located
at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City, it features
2,000 guest rooms and suites, 161,000 square feet
of gaming, 200 gaming tables, 4,100 slot machines,
12 destination restaurants, 12 retail boutiques,
a 54,000 square foot spa, 70,000 square feet of
event space, and parking for 7,100 cars. For more
information on Borgata or to obtain a copy of this
press release, please visit www.theborgata.com or use AOL keyword: borgata. Additional news and
information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com;
additional information on MGM MIRAGE can be found
at www.mgmmirage.com.
About WPT Enterprises, Inc.
WPT Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq: WPTE) is a company
engaged in the creation of internationally branded
entertainment and consumer products driven by the
development, production, and marketing of televised
programming based on gaming themes. WPTE is the
creator of the World Poker Tour®, a television
show based on a series of high-stakes poker tournaments
that airs on the Travel Channel in the United States
and more than 100 markets globally. WPT Enterprises
currently licenses its brand to companies in the
business of poker equipment and instruction, apparel,
publishing, electronic and wireless entertainment,
DVD/home entertainment, casino games, and giftware.
For show information, tools for improving poker
play, and other WPT news, fans may log on to www.worldpokertour.com The company is also engaged in the sale of corporate
sponsorships. WPT Enterprises, Inc. is a majority
owned subsidiary of Lakes Entertainment, Inc.,
a publicly held company. Photos and media information
can be found online at: www.worldpokertour.com
