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Vegas-Style Slots Officially Launch

Tribune photo by JULIE BUSCH

Hard Rock president John Fontana talks about the new slot machines Wednesday.

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By TED JACKOVICS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 1, 2008

TAMPA - The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa celebrates its official launch of Las Vegas-style slot machines today.

But Mary Vandewateringen of St. Petersburg has already paid a couple of visits to the casino since the new slots began to be phased in last week.

"I like playing the new machines because you can spend less money," said Vandewateringen, who plays low-stakes slot games at 2 cents a line, or about 40 cents a game.

She's not alone. The casino does not provide details of payoffs and has not yet established just how much business has improved. But John Fontana, president of the Tampa hotel and casino operations, said Wednesday that the early feedback shows customers "love it."

"In terms of numbers, it looks like they are well-received," Fontana said.

The new Class III slot machines are set up to allow the player to play against the house and get higher payoffs. The Class II machines, which have been in use at the casino for years, are set up for players to be play electronically against each other.

"In addition, the new games like 'Wheel of Fortune' enable players to play for national 'megabuck' payoffs," Fontana said. The new slots offer many titles of games, Fontana said, enabling customers to develop and play more favorites.

The new machines offer opportunities to play for denominations from 2 cents to $100, the first time a $100 denomination has been offered at the Tampa casino.

The 660 new Class III machines in use Wednesday were identified by special signs and mixed in among 2,500 Class II slots. Most of the new Class III games appeared to be in use late Wednesday morning.

The Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa expects to have more than 700 of the Class III slots in action today for the ceremonial opening that will draw Seminole Tribal Council officials from South Florida.

The Seminole tribe has ordered 15,000 new slot machines for its seven casinos in Florida. By the end of May, 1,674 Class III slots will be in play at the Tampa casino, more than half of the casino's 3,100 gaming machines.

The Seminole Hard Rock Casino leases the Class III machines, which are worth about $14,000 each.

In addition to the upgrade in slot machine play, the casino - under a federally-approved compact between the state of Florida and the Seminole tribe - will be permitted to offer blackjack, baccarat, pai gow and other house-banked games.

No dates have been set for the Tampa casino to offer blackjack and the other games, but they are expected to begin by late summer or early fall.

The Seminole tribe has said equipment for the games is on order and hiring and training of dealers is under way.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at tjackovics@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7817.

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