Tag Archives: hotel

World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions Moved to Los Angeles – CardsChat.com

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The World Series of Poker is moving its Tournament of Champions a $1 million freeroll open to all winners of Circuit and bracelet events to Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. The Tournament of Champions will take place May 22-24, and is officially part of the schedule of the WSOP Circuit series at Commerce that starts May 10.

The first event of the 55th WSOP series in Las Vegas starts May 28.

The Tournament of Champions is open to anyone who won a bracelet or a Circuit ring in the 2023/24 season, which runs from May to May. That includes all the bracelet winners from the 2023 WSOP.

Last year, the Tournament of Champions was held as a kick-off to the Series in Las Vegas. Ronnie Day, who won his way into the Tournament of Champions by taking down a $400 Circuit event at Caesars Southern Indiana just two weeks before it was held, outlasted 741 other champions for $200,000.

The year before, which was the first time it was held, it was the final event for all the winners, making it a convenient end-cap for those who managed to snag a bracelet or two during the summer.

The move is part of a partnership both WSOP and Commerce announced last week.

For years, the Commerce has been the home of poker in Los Angeles and one of the leading card rooms in the world, said Ty Stewart, Senior Vice President & Executive Director of the WSOP. We look forward to kicking off our new strategic relationship with a special WSOP Circuit finale and the Tournament of Champions bracelet event. We also look forward to qualifying more players from Los Angeles for the WSOP Main Event than ever before.

In previous years, the Bicycle Club was WSOPs home to Circuit events in Los Angeles. That partnership seemingly ended last year.

We are ecstatic to merge our strengths with the World Series of Poker, said Spencer Villaseor, Director of Guest Experience at theCommerceCasino said in a press release. This collaboration marks the convergence of two giants in the poker world and presents endless possibilities. Together, we are committed to pushing boundaries and setting new standards of excellence in the industry.

Both the WSOP and Commerce promised the partnership will lead to more WSOP-branded tourneys and provide players with unparalleled access to the world of competitive poker.

Partnering with TheCommerceCasino& Hotel is an exciting milestone for the WSOP, saidTy Stewart, Senior Vice President & Executive Director of the WSOP in a press release. Commercesreputation as the biggest and best year-round poker room aligns perfectly with our desire to expand the brand while also promoting the growth of the summer festival. We look forward to delivering exciting events and experiences that grow interest in our resilient and resurgent game.

The Commerce and its poker staff have a lot of experience hosting larger poker series. It hosted World Poker Tour events from 2012 to 2020, and holds a full schedule of daily tournaments in its enormous poker room. With 20 tables, its the largest in the world.

Bob Pajich

Bob Pajich is a poker news reporter, creative writer, and poker player who never met suited connectors he didnt like. For any tips, corrections, complaints or kudos, please contact us.

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World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions Moved to Los Angeles - CardsChat.com

Boeing Whistleblower’s Attorneys Say They "Didn’t See Any Indication" of Suicide Risk – Futurism

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After Boeing whistleblower John Barnett's tragic death during his deposition against the company, the man's attorneys are speaking out about his alleged suicide.

The 62-year-old Louisiana-based whistleblower had traveled to Charleston, South Carolina to finally be deposed for his 2017 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) complaint against his ex-employer when, as his attorney Brian Knowles told the Corporate Crime Reporter blog, he failed to show up to one of the sessions over the weekend.

Knowles and his co-counsel, Rob Turkewitz, were unable to reach Barnett by phone and thus contacted the hotel he was staying at which was when the retired Boeing worker's body was found in his car.

In an initial autopsy report, as local and national news indicates, the Charleston County Coronoer's Office said that the 32-year Boeing employee appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound but his lawyers, Knowles and Tukewitz, are urging investigators to take a closer look.

"John was in the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which finally was nearing the end," the attorneys toldFuturism in an emailed statement. "He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on."

"We didn't see any indication he would take his own life," the statement continues. "No one can believe it."

Although Barnett did indicate that his time at Boeing, where he spent 32 years in quality control and multiple decades as a manager, resulted in stress after his superiors began retaliating against him for raising safety concerns at the company's SC plant, previous reports have not suggested that he had deeper mental health issues or experienced suicidal ideation.

To be fair, people who plan to end their lives don't always show visible signs of risk. But given that Barnett was, as his attorneys pointed out, nearing the end of his protracted battle, the circumstances surrounding his untimely death do indeed seem eyebrow-raising.

In statements to theBBC and other media outlets, Boeing offered condolences on Barnett's death and said its "thoughts are with his family and friends." We've reached out to the company to ask if it has a response to the lawyers' latest statement.

Charleston police, meanwhile, have said that they're "actively investigating this case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances" of Barnett's death, as sergeant Anthony Gibson told local broadcaster WCSC.

The whistleblower's attorneys said in their statement that they urge investigators to look into Barnett's death "fully and accurately," adding that "no detail can be left unturned."

"We are all devasted," Knowles and Turkewitz wrote. "We need more information about what happened to John."

More on Boeing:Pilot Lost Control of Boeing Jet Because Gauges Went Blank," Causing Nosedive

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Boeing Whistleblower's Attorneys Say They "Didn't See Any Indication" of Suicide Risk - Futurism

Truelove review: With the spirit of a police procedural, this isnt your typically mawkish euthanasia drama – Yahoo New Zealand News

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Resolve is a luxury of the years early months and our still attainable resolutions. But how do we stick with a promise when it becomes harder to keep, more unfathomable to fulfil? This is the question faced by a group of elderly friends in Channel 4s mercurial new mercy-killing drama, Truelove.

Attending the funeral of a mutual friend, old flames Phil (Lindsay Duncan) and Ken (Clarke Peters) find themselves reconnecting after decades apart. Hes spent a career in the shadowy world of the military, while shes retired following a successful stint in the police force. Over drinks at the pub alongside a few old muckers, the group find themselves drawn into a strange pact. If I get anywhere near that, take me out the back and shoot me, Phil says of the deceased who had fought debilitating cancer. And thats just what they agree to do: true love becomes their codename for a shared, half-joking obligation to put one another out of their misery. Ken can bump us off, says ex-doctor David (Peter Egan), and Phil can cover it. The perfect crime.

From then on, it is a case of Chekhovs suicide pact. One by one, the signatories of the pub agreement find themselves beset by ailments. First up is Tom (Hot Fuzzs Karl Johnson) who finds himself battling the full English of cancer diagnoses. But what friend would possibly risk their life and liberty to fulfil a drunken, semi-bantering promise? This is the question explored over four episodes by writers Iain Wetherby and Charlie Covell (no stranger to pitch-black scenarios after co-writing The End of the F***ingWorld). Its a premise that laces the potential mawkishness of a euthanasia drama with the spirit of a police procedural and the twist of a serial killer saga.

At Trueloves heart is Lindsay Duncan, who is on imperious form as a retired copper with little left to lose. She enters proceedings in a black convertible, puffing on a cigarette and wearing dark sunglasses a long way from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or any other fuddy-duddy depictions of older life. In the absence of a manufacturing industry or any natural resources, Britains greatest export may well be its older female actors. And Duncan is a consistently underrated part of that output. She is harder than Judi Dench, colder than Penelope Wilton, more taciturn than Maggie Smith, with the flawless ability to move between brittle and steely modes. Next to her, Peters a veteran American actor, best known for The Wire feels necessarily diminished.

That said, there is something a bit weird about Trueloves premise. Last festive season, we were treated to a BBC adaptation of Andrew OHagans novel Mayflies, about a friendship that ends with a trip to Switzerland for an assisted suicide. Where that was an emotionally brutal but deeply conventional look at end-of-life care, Truelove is far pulpier and commensurately less affecting. The tonal shift between the first episodes opening act and its closing one will leave some viewers with whiplash. As the series progresses, the role of a young police officer, played by Scottish actor Kiran Sonia Sawar, becomes more important, and the question changes from whether you should offer a painless death to someone begging for help, to whether you can get away with it if you do.

Still, with its excellent cast and unusual, if scattershot, tone, Truelove has a lot more to say than most of the limited-series dramas we were served over Christmas. On the subject of ageing, it is unsentimental in a way that few shows are. Everybody knows it goes, Phil tells her husband (Phil Davis), counting off the stages of geriatric life. Bungalow, hospice, crematorium. When she visits the dreaded bungalow of an old friend, he warns her against downsizing. You start moving into smaller and smaller boxes, he says. Soon theyll be measuring you up for your wooden overcoat. Whether it is surreptitious fags in the garden, half-cut flirtations, or embarking on a spree of mercy killings, Truelove is about raging, not going gently, into that good night.

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Truelove review: With the spirit of a police procedural, this isnt your typically mawkish euthanasia drama - Yahoo New Zealand News

The New CEO of Sofitel and MGallery Hotels Says Deliberate Hedonism Plus Mindful CSR Are What Todays Luxury Is Made Of – Travel + Leisure Southeast…

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The Reimagined Lobby at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Thailand

FOR YEARS, there was one choice along Bangkoks buzzing Sukhumvit strip for those looking for a contemporary luxury homebase. Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit had it all: great location, French sophistication, a rooftop bar with all the views yet none of the faff, a verdant lazy-days photo-worthy pool, and the sumptuous rooms and suites wed come to rely on from this storied brand including the famous Sofitel MyBed.

Sensing that not just the hotel but also the neighborhood needed some exciting new life, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit underwent a massive renovation that maintained all the elements we always loved but supercharged them. Rooms and suites are brighter and softer, there are two exciting new restaurant and bar concepts off the stunningly soaring lobby upping the F&B game, and theres a new skybridge offering direct walking access to the BTS and the heart of the city. The hotel has reemerged as the neighborhood grande dame it used to be, version 2.0: an anchor, a hub and a nurturing cocoon. You might say the same about the Sofitel brand overall, these days. And for that, much credit is due to Maud Bailly, who took over as CEO of Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems brands worldwide in January 2023, just as Accor solidified a strategic reshuffle.

Quick primer for you hotel nerds: Accor is now divided into two empowered divisions supported by corporate functions and a shared platform. First, the Premium, Mid-scale & Economic Division, whose properties are organized by region. Second, the Luxury & Lifestyle Division, organized by brand, in which the former is represented by Orient Express, Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel/Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems, and the latter includes Ennismore.

Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems find themselves in the same umbrella under Bailly because, despite having different styles, they each offer guests collections of unique places to find luxury that incorporate local soul while affirming their French roots. We asked Bailly, featured on the cover of Forbes France this July as one of 40 influential women shaping France, to share her vision of the Sofitel and MGallery brands (which comprise 240 hotels in 58 countries), what exciting evolutions lie ahead for them in Asia (there are 10 properties in Thailand alone!), and some packing tips because we can never get enough travel advice from women always on the go.

Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia: Whats your interpretation of the Sofitel DNA? What was exciting about the brand when it launched 60 years ago? Why does it matter now? And where is it going?

Maud Bailly: Sofitel is the only French global brand, the second-largest brand in the luxury hospitality industry with 123 hotels, about 31,000 rooms, and 49 countries by the end of 2023. We have a large diversity of top locations, from urban historic centers like Sofitel Barcelona Skipper, to airport locations, to mind-blowing romantic resorts, and six gems of Sofitel Legend hotels like the one we opened this year Sofitel Casco Viejo in Panama.

In a luxury world with very similar codes,we believeSofitel brand can differentiate itselfby a specific positioning on quiet and committed luxury,reconciling quality and discretion, with a very recognizable signature: the French zest for life that is based on four brand markers that we are deploying across our entire network:

Pool at Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama

Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama

The Sofitel promise also stands in its logo, the symbol of cultural link: two interlocking rings, reflecting the encounter of the French and the local culture of each hotel. All Sofitel hotels embody this union of two cultures, proving that they are also, and maybe first, places meant for their local communities.

And finally, the last and the most important brand marker: Sofitel is meant to be heartful, it should lead the way in sustainable luxury, with a strong CSR commitment.

T+L SEA: What CSR activities are you most passionate about?

Maud Bailly:

1. Promoting diversity and inclusion

2. Giving back to local communities by strengthening local anchorage and solidarity

3. Fighting against food waste especially by leveraging AI

To change the perception of a sector that can sometimes be perceived as a predator we developed a demanding CSR roadmap. Our ambition is to demonstrate that our brands can be sustainable places and can have a positive impact on the local communities, that we can combine beauty, experience and eco-responsibility.

Our 7-pillar roadmap is:

Im convinced that the power of a brand, no matter how fascinating it is, is no longer enough. We decided to stand for a committed luxury, inclusive, diversity-promoting, luxury that gives back to our local communities and serves something bigger than ourselves.

It has to be rooted in a genuine purpose, a value system and a positive societal impact. For me, this is the most powerful lever of attraction and retention.

T+L SEA: Glad you brought up RiiSE. The hospitality industry has long been dominated by men, but more and more women are becoming luxury GMs and taking on other important leadership roles. How is Accor/Sofitel working on gender parity?

Maud Bailly: The group has been a pioneer on the diversity and inclusion subject, long before Rixain French law appeared in 2021. With 300,000 people working all around the world, diversity is obviously at the heart of our DNA. Diversity of cultures, backgrounds, educations, skills, jobsthere are 138 different kinds of jobs in hotels, where you can find up to 25 different nationalities, and this is a real gift. And we value diversity as an immense lever of collective intelligence, with strong KPIs to monitor it, notably through our RiiSE diversity network, with 20,000 members all around the world.

I am against quotas, but for quotas until we dont need them anymore. I believe the sum of individualities is greater than collective individualities.

When I started this new role on the first of January, we were counting 26% of women as general managers in our hotels; they are now 29.5% and we hope to reach 32% by the end of the year.

With RiiSE we are also fighting against all forms of violence and are very involved with several NGOs to help women victim of violence: finding them a place to stay with their children, conducting webinars with testimonies, and even training our teammates within Accor to detect early indicators of violence.

Finally, I am very involved in mentorship to help women both within and outside of Accor. I am trying to help every woman to embrace their sensitivity as a form of freedom and truth towards others. As Gustave Flaubert said, I am endowed with an absurd sensitivity; what scratches others tears me apart. Being a woman in this industry and more globally is finding the right balance between intellectual and emotional quotients, which is a combination for success.

T+L SEA: Wellness is huge right now. What new, interesting things are Sofitel and MGallery in Asia doing to meet guest needs in spa, health and wellbeing?

Maud Bailly: We are always listening to our guests, and studies have shown that 80% wish to focus on their wellbeing. Guests are now seeking more personalization, as well as a reconnection to oneself and others. Desires for nature intertwine with a strong attraction to new technologies, and, hence, to sustainable results. This is how our new holistic wellness concept The Purist Retreat & Spa was born. An innovative offering centered around four pillars of wellbeing: care, sleep, nutrition, and movement. It provides a means to live better, find balance, and establish new lifestyle habits.

The very first The Purist Retreat & Spa is opening its doors in December 2023 within the MGallery in Trouville, Normandy, in France, an ideal destination for its fresh air and seawater. Here, the offering is reinvented, modernized, and tailored to a guest seeking a holistic experience. The treatment menu has been enriched with exclusive novelties and complemented by a 360 wellness offering.

The Purist Retreat & Spa is intended to be deployed worldwide, in each case emphasizing the expert hands of our teams and strong CSR commitments. In our spaces, guests regain control of their health, learn to understand themselves (better), and take daily self-care.

Globally, all Sofitel hotels have a dedicated luxury spa. We are also dedicated to the Art of Sleep, from jet-lag kits, to our pioneering Sofitel MyBed, to sleep rituals.

Our MGallery hotels offer signature treatments and local know-how in the wellness space, using local products inspired by the destination and ancestral techniques (for example, the farm within the hotel serving all organic ingredients at the restaurant in Legacy Yen Tu, herbs from the garden used in the spa treatments, etc). And we highlight outdoor experiences, from sunrise in Sapa at Hotel de la Couple, to mountain hiking at Veranda Chiang Mai, to personal wellness gurus at V Villas Phuket.

T+L SEA: What innovations should we be looking out for in Sofitel and MGallery food and beverage in Asia?

Haute Croissanterie at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

Haute Croissanterie at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

Maud Bailly: The French zest in all our hotels starts at breakfast! Sofitel will soon introduce a project around the art of the croissanta century-old true symbol of the French breakfast around the world. From mastering the traditional pur beurre croissant to perfection following the French pastry guidelines, to creating a cultural link in styling the croissant, Sofitel Croissants will let the guests taste the essence of different places, celebrating the diversity of global cuisine where unique flavors come together, ultimately linking the French culture with other cultures around the world.

At MGallery we aim to turn our hotels into lively destination places for locals with one of the brand pillars being Memorable. Memorable stands for memorable moments, design and mixology. We are creating a signature cocktail to tell the story of each hotel, its creativity, savoir-faire and local anchorage.

T+L SEA: Whats your favorite destination in Asia-Pacific?

Maud Bailly: Vietnam.

T+L SEA: How often per month do you travel? And can we get your most important packing tips, please?

I am traveling three to six times a month! My life could be summarized this way: from checked bag to carry-on, I became a worldwide expert of under 100mlbeautyproducts.

Travel tips: drink a lot of water, no alcohol, sleep as much as you can each time you can, dont eat too much on a plane, take some high hydration masks, and never forget yourflightsocks!

T+L SEA: What did you want to be when you grew up?

Maud Bailly: A hand surgeon!

T+L SEA: Haha! Wed say were surprised but actually you came to this job from operations in a totally different industry. How does running the Paris Metro Montparnasse station equip you to run one of the worlds most prestigious luxury hotel brands?

Maud Bailly: A principle has always driven me: to fully embrace each experience, whether its spending six months on the field at SNCF learning to couple TGV carriages, overseeing missions for NGOs in inspection, envisioning tomorrows solutions within Manuel Vallss economic and digital cell at Matignon, or over the past six years at Accor, alongside my wonderful teams.

Throughout all my experiences, I have remained true to who I am, my values, my drive to build powerful teams through diversity, my desire to empower those around me, and my commitment to the cause of women.

The expectations of the new generations have evolved significantly in their approach to work, that is why we are very focused on the purposehow we are serving something bigger than ourselves. I am deeply involved in the transformation of the hotel industry to make it more environmentally friendly by eliminating plastic usage, making our buildings cleaner, thereby reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizing food waste.

I am always guided by Ren Chars quote: There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.

The general manager of Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Oliver Schnatz, introduces us to his newly spruced-up grande dame The renovation of the hotel did not only cover all of our 345 guest rooms and suites, but we also have a put a very strong focus on enhancing all the public spaces in the hotel. This includes the bridge that was built to connect the Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit directly with the Asok BTS station, the Sukhumvit MRT station, and Terminal 21 shopping mall.

When we conceptualized the new food and beverage outlets for the hotel one of the key objectives was to create venues that would appeal to the community as much as they would appeal to our in-house guest. Judging by the number of local residents we are now welcoming on a daily basis, it seems that we were able to achieve this and become a meeting spot for the community.

Our soul is in providing exceptional and personalized service.

There are indeed many new hotels coming into the market on a regular basis and with our renovated product we can definitely compete with them. But ultimately it is the service culture in a hotel that creates these memories that make you want to return. I truly believe that we have a very caring and passionate team and they are the ones creating the opportunities to set us apart from many other luxury hotels.

To find out more about the lovely new look and feel at Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, read here.

Article Sponsored by Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit. Images courtesy of Sofitel, unless otherwise noted.

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The New CEO of Sofitel and MGallery Hotels Says Deliberate Hedonism Plus Mindful CSR Are What Todays Luxury Is Made Of - Travel + Leisure Southeast...

Laughing Stock: ‘A liberal agenda’ may not be what you think – Tucson Weekly

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Once every quarter or so, Em Bowen holds forth at Crooked Tooth Brewery with a standup comedy show like no other in Tucson. It has what can only be called standards.

Theyre not the sort of standards some might consider censorship. The subject matter isnt proscribed; rather, Bowen is concerned with quality the quality of the composition as well as the quality of the joke. But their priority concern is how audience members, of any kind, will feel when they leave the show.

As for the name, Bowen said we should regard it as we do any other name Felix, say, or Amanda. Like a humans, the name contains multitudes.

A middle-school teacher by day, they are working toward an advanced degree related to community development. To that end theyre currently focused on publishing their research in learned journals.

For more than a decade, though, Bowen has enjoyed a leadership role in the rarefied company of Tucson writers and storytellers gifted in their craft.

Like Bowen, some are also gifted crafters of jokes, as intelligent as they are gut-busting. Their material is original and their delivery expert. They are comfortable on the stage. They love making people laugh, Bowen said, but There was a lack of spaces that I really wanted to perform in.

Then a friend made it easier. Bowen said. I had this one friend who was a rugby teammate who was working at Crooked Tooth, and I know the owners of Crooked Tooth very well. Ive been drinking the beer that Ben (Vernon) brews since before they were a brewery. So, my friend said, you should do a show on the Crooked Tooth patio.

Bowen considered it, considering all the competing demands on their time. They feared they might drop the ball unless, they speculated, they wanted to do it badly enough to make it sustainable. The No. 1 caveat: It couldnt be a regularly scheduled grind.

Tucson notoriously doesnt show up to things, Bowen said, so I thought, Well, Im just going to make it novel so you cant say, Ill just go next month because it might not happen again for four months.

The particular scene that I tried to create is one that is a bit more curated in terms of content. Comedians making vulgar jokes and jokes with sexual overtones thats still comedy. But I wanted a space in which I was asking people to do punch up comedy.

For example, Bowen said, If I am a white masculine person, Im making jokes about that, but Im not making jokes about black folks or disabled folks. Im not making disparaging jokes of any kind unless theyre in alignment with my own experience.

And I wanted to take it a step further, Bowen said, because, I wanted comedy that, when you walked away from the show, you felt a little bit better about the world, and better in some comedy spaces.

Then they mixed one more challenge into their vision. What if comedy was also being used to critique systems of power? What if this show were a place where we learned what it was like to do comedy that had a little extra stuff in it?

The success of Bowens comedy project can be measured in the fan-base it turns out. The crowd for The Liberal Agenda regularly ranges from 60 to 90 people.

Reflecting on their own standup sets, Bowen said, When I write comedy, it needs to give me a different perspective or make me look at a situation that is challenging and hard, and use it in a way that it creates another meaning, so I can hold it a little lighter and make joy.

I work with children, they said, and I need to have a particular presence of mind in order to go into a classroom with a bunch of 12- to 14-year-olds and hold a world view for them that is hopeful.

Its a writer-mindedness, an impulse. Its how I figure out what I mean and what life means to me.

The Liberal Agenda, Crooked Tooth Brewing Company patio, 228 E. Sixth Street, Tucson, 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, Em Bowen hosts Amie Gabusi, Morgan Kuehn, Allana Erikson-Lopez and Zo Thomas

(Hotel Congress/Submitted)

Matt Ziemak and Autumn Horvat host The Switch.

OTHER SHOWS THIS WEEK

Corbett Brewery, 309 E. Seventh Street, 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, free, touring comic Jonathan Gregory headlines, w/Nicole Riesgo, Tony Bruhn, Jordan White and Cory Lytle.

Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, http://www.hotelcongress.com

7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, free, The Switch, a curated cast of comedians makes up jokes around topics guests text in. Matt Ziemak and Autumn Horvat host. Reservations recommended.

Laffs Comedy Caffe

2900 E. Broadway Boulevard,

http://www.laffstucson.com

8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, $15, $20 preferred seating, Sean Finnerty, left Ireland for the United States as soon as he was old enough to drink here and became the first Irish guest of Jimmy Fallon.

Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, http://www.rialtotheatre.com

7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, tickets start at $30, Ali Siddiq; Saturday, Dec. 9, noon, tickets start at $22.50, Old Pueblo Holiday Radio Show benefitting Doctors Without Borders

Tucson Improv Movement/

TIM Comedy Theatre,

414 E. Ninth Street,

http://www.tucsonimprov.com

$7 each show, $10 for both shows, same night, free jam, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, Cage Match; 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, Improv Jam; 7:30 p.m. The Soapbox with Corey Seemiller; 9 p.m. Improv vs Standup; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, The Meeting and Shatfan; 9 p.m. Ugly Sweaters and Auld Laugh Syne

Unscrewed Theater,

4500 E. Speedway Boulevard,

unscrewedtheatre.org, $8. Variety of comics and shows.

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Laughing Stock: 'A liberal agenda' may not be what you think - Tucson Weekly

‘A long time coming’: Sports betting, craps and roulette debut in Florida, bringing gamblers, celebrities to Seminole … – South Florida Sun Sentinel

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The first dice were rolled, wheels spun and wagers placed as craps, roulette and in-person sports betting officially launched in Florida on Thursday.

The day began with an elaborate ceremony at the Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood featuring drumming, feathered dancers and cockatoos, and ended with the inaugural sports bet at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, where Mike Tyson, Rick Ross and other celebrities announced their picks.

Tyson bet on the Dolphins, saying, theyre going to win because I said so.

But for the Seminoles, Thursday was also a serious affair. It marked a turning point amid ongoing legal battles and another example of the tribes continued prosperity despite the obstacles thrown in its path.

Theres been a lot of Seminole Wars, said Chris Osceola, a tribal councilman who represents Hollywood, in a speech in one of Classic Casinos slot machine-filled rooms Thursday morning. And to me this is no different.

He was referring to the lawsuits that have sought to stop the gaming compact between the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe since the agreement was signed in 2021. The agreement gave the tribe the authority to launch mobile and in-person sports betting, as well as craps and roulette, at all of its casinos.

After the agreement was signed, Osceola recalled leaving Tallahassee hooting and cheering over what was to come. Then the lawsuits arrived, forcing the tribe to a halt.

Finally, last month, both the U.S. Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court ruled against suspending the compact while two cases continue, opening a tentative door for Thursdays launch. The Florida case could see a conclusion as soon as this month, but that didnt seem to deter anyone.

Once again, the tribe has prevailed, Hard Rock Chairman Jim Allen told the South Florida Sun Sentinel ahead of the ceremony Thursday. And we mean that with a very humble mindset.

Critics of the compact, including the betting companies challenging it in court, have argued that it gives the already powerful tribe an unfair monopoly on sports betting. The tribe and its executives, including Allen, have given millions of dollars to Gov. DeSantis, including tens of thousands towards his presidential campaign.

But on Thursday, tribe officials described their success as championing over adversity.

Were going to create dreams for our great grandchildren of tomorrow, to live a better life than we live, said Seminole Tribe Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. in his speech. Thats a dream for each and every one of us in this world, is to have better for our children than what we had.

Local gamblers who also had waited for this day to arrive joined celebrities and members of the tribe at the Classic Casino about 10 a.m., then had to wait again for the ceremony to conclude before they could crowd around the new craps and roulette tables. Some said they had already begun sports betting on the new app; others were waiting for it to arrive in person.

Its been a long time coming, said Eric Sonnabend as he threw $400 on the newly inaugurated craps table Thursday, the first real game of the day.

Moments prior, Osceola Jr. had taken the first dice out of a white satin box at that table and rolled an eleven.

Sonnabend was waiting for craps to start in Florida so he didnt have to travel to Vegas to play, something he does often. As others joined him at the table, he became a sort of impromptu teacher, explaining the rules.

The convenience and lack of a need to leave Florida was a common theme among officials and attendees, including Miami Marlins coach Jon Jay, who echoed Sonnabends sentiments.

I dont have to go to Vegas anymore, he said.

The date of Thursdays launch was fitting, Osceola Jr. said. Nearly 44 years ago to the date, the tribes bingo hall opened where the Seminole Classic is today in December 1979 after the Broward Sheriffs Office threatened to shut it down, he said. The tribe had filed a lawsuit challenging the sheriffs authority and won.

For the Seminoles, guarding the monopoly on its most important income source might seem like a necessity as some Indian reservations have struggled to compete with major betting companies in other states.

Wed like to recycle the money here in the state of Florida with our people, Osceola said towards the end of his speech. Keep it here, not let it leave.

Other speakers included Holly Tiger, the vice-chairwoman of the tribal council and president of its board of directors, Mariann Billie, the councilwoman representing Big Cypress, and Larry Howard, the councilman representing Brighton.

Officials are optimistic that neither court case will force the tribe to reverse Thursdays launch, which involved hiring hundreds of new employees, rolling in dozens of roulette and craps tables and installing sports betting kiosks throughout all Seminole casinos.

We certainly believe in the legal theory that weve worked out prior to signing the compact, Allen said. We didnt just sign this on a whim; we did a lot of research.

The case before the Florida Supreme Court centers around mobile sports betting, he added, and even if the court decided against the tribe, he believes about 80 percent of the scope would remain, including all the new tables and dealers.

Thursdays crowds didnt only include gambling aficionados. Bill Condoulis moved to Hollywood from Brooklyn two years ago, so the casinos are in his neighborhood. He used to gamble in Atlantic City, though he doesnt consider himself a gambler, he said. He goes once a month because its nearby and allows himself to bet $500.

Similar launch ceremonies took place Thursday at the Coconut Creek casino about 1 p.m. and the Hard Rock in Hollywood about 4:30 p.m., concluding with the ceremonial sports bets, where select celebrities and tribe officials clutched golden tickets that read first bet.

Osceola Jr. bet on the Florida State Seminoles; Brooks Nader, a Sports Illustrated cover model, went with the Marlins for the World Series in 2024, and Ross went with the Miami Heat. By 6 p.m., the sports betting kiosks had fully opened to the public.

As players waited impatiently, dealers adjusted to the real-life game for the first time. Rebeca Ynde, who lives in Tamarac, became a dealer only a year ago. She handled the ceremonial roulette spin in the Classic Casino, also her first live game, doling thousands out to tribe officials as the crowd watched. Afterwards, she said she was a good nervous.

Later in the day at the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, a newly-minted craps dealer spoke casually with Gloria and Emilio Estefan, asking them if theyd stick around to play later, though they had to leave for the red carpet.

Other employees at the Thursdays ceremonies had been around for decades.

Sharon Carrero, 65, received a special shout-out in the morning for spending close to 44 years as an employee at the Classic Casino, beginning as a bingo clerk when it was just a bingo hall in the 1980s.

Carrero saw the Classic Casino go through all of its evolutions, but in some ways, Thursday was the last frontier, she said. Its come full circle.

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'A long time coming': Sports betting, craps and roulette debut in Florida, bringing gamblers, celebrities to Seminole ... - South Florida Sun Sentinel

Seminole Tribe of Florida and Dozens of Celebrities Usher in a "New Era" in Florida Gaming as Craps, Roulette and … – PR Newswire

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Celebrities at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Include Jon Bon Jovi, Bruno Mars, Tisto, Heather Graham, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Diplo, Cedric Gervais, Mike Tyson, Dwyane Wade, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Sarah Hyland, Willy Chirino, Max Weinberg, Bobbi Althoff, and SI Swimsuit Cover Model Brooks Nader

Introduction of new games is a historic milestone that immediately puts Floridain the same league as the world's great gaming destinations

Editor's Note:Download event images at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood HEREand video b-roll HERE

HOLLYWOOD,Fla., Dec. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --Leaders of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and major celebrities have ushered in a "New Era" in Florida Gaming with the launch of craps, roulette and sports betting at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood.

Jon Bon Jovi, Bruno Mars, Tisto, Heather Graham, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Diplo, Cedric Gervais, Mike Tyson, Dwyane Wade, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Sarah Hyland, Willy Chirino, Max Weinberg, Bobbi Althoff, and SI Swimsuit Cover Model Brooks Nader walked the red carpet at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, with many of the celebrities on hand for the first roll of craps dice, the first spin of the roulette wheel and the first retail sports bet.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is hosting a combination of mega-events to celebrate the new games. Among them is a one-time pop-up dining experience of the legendary Carbone restaurant. Created by renowned chef Mario Carbone, the pop-up restaurant pays homage to many of New York's great Italian-American restaurants.

Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. and other members of the Seminole Tribal Council, plus Seminole Gaming CEO and Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen led a ceremony at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood to commemorate the start of the new games. Similar first roll and first spin ceremonies were held at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood.

The new games were made possible by the Gaming Compact signed and approved by the Seminole Tribe and the State of Florida in 2021. They join blackjack, baccarat and other casino card games, plus thousands of the latest slot machines, to round out a full complement of casino games at all six Seminole Casinos in Florida.

"The Seminole Tribe of Florida is proud to point to a new era in Florida gaming with the unveiling of our new casino games," said Chairman Osceola. "With the addition of craps, roulette and sports betting, we now offer a full complement of casino games and we join the ranks of leading casinos around the world."

"The entertainment, travel and tourism industries, and many more, will see positive economic impact caused by the new casino games," said Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen. "They will increase tourism to Florida and boost employment not only at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, but also at businesses in the areas surrounding this casino complex and others operated by Seminole Gaming throughout Florida."

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is the flagship-integrated resort of Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The renowned entertainment, gaming and hospitality destination unveiled a $1.5 billion expansion in 2019, highlighting the debut of the world's first and only Guitar Hotel. Between three hotel towers, the resort boasts 1,271 luxury guestrooms. Amenities include a 42,000 square-foot Rock Spa & Salon; an 18-acre recreational water experience; private "Bora Bora" style cabanas; more than 20 food and beverage outlets; an expansive gaming floor with more than 2,700 slots, more than 200 table games and a 45-table poker room; 120,000 square feet of premier meeting and convention space; and a 26,000 square-foot retail promenade. Hard Rock Live, ranked No. 5 worldwide in 2022 gross revenue for both Pollstar Magazine and Billboard in its respective categories, highlights A-list entertainers and performers, sporting events and live broadcast productions in an intimate 7,000-person capacity setting. Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood is located on 87 acres of the Hollywood Seminole Reservation along State Road 7 (U.S. Highway 441). For more information, visit us online at seminolehardrockhollywood.comcall 1 (800) 937-0010 or follow us: Facebook: SeminoleHardRockHollywood, X: @HardRockHolly, Instagram: @HardRockHolly.

SOURCE Hard Rock International

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Seminole Tribe of Florida and Dozens of Celebrities Usher in a "New Era" in Florida Gaming as Craps, Roulette and ... - PR Newswire

Sports betting, craps and roulette to begin at Seminole casinos – South Florida Sun Sentinel

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On Thursday, for the first time ever, South Floridians will be able to walk into a Seminole Tribe casino and gamble on sports, roulette or craps.

An all-day celebration of the new era at the Hollywood and Coconut Creek casinos will roll out multiple red carpets and draw celebrities such as Jon Bon Jovi, DJ Khaled, Mike Tyson and Dwyane Wade. Guests will participate in ceremonial spins of the roulette wheel and rolls of the dice before heading to a VIP pool party DJd by Diplo.

Both casinos will be open to the gambling public in the meantime.

The tribe is pulling out all the stops after what appears to be a pause in two years of legal battles. Two lawsuits before the U.S Supreme Court and Florida Supreme Court seek to challenge the 2021 gaming compact between the tribe and the state that authorizes sports betting as well as craps and roulette. Both courts have recently ruled against suspending the compact while the lawsuits continue.

We certainly recognize that anyone could file additional lawsuits, Hard Rock Chairman Jim Allen told the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday. But you know, the compact of 2021 is in place. It is legal, and we move forward.

The festivities will begin around 9:30 a.m. at the Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood with a celebrity red carpet, followed by a first spin of the roulette wheel and roll of the craps dice about 10 a.m.

Celebrity participants for the morning event include Adamari Lpez, Willy Chirino, Adam Beach, Mannie Fresh, Jon Jay, Edgerrin James, Enrique Santos and Los Pichy Boys. They will join tribe and company leaders including Allen, Seminole Tribe Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. and members of the Tribal Council.

The public will be allowed to gamble, roam the casino and sneak glimpses of celebrities during the events of the day. Once the inaugural ceremony is complete, they will also be able to play craps and roulette at the Hollywood casino.

Im sure a lot of people would have fun watching all the events that are going on, a Seminole Tribe spokesperson said Wednesday, but how close theyll be depends on how many people are there.

Both the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood and Coconut Creek casinos will look different with dozens of new tables and kiosks, as well as dealers and employees, a massive undertaking, Allen said.

More than 1,000 new employees have begun working throughout the states six Hard Rock casinos and at the gaming headquarters, Allen said.

The Hollywood casino will have 20 roulette tables, 10 craps tables and 38 sports betting kiosks, as well as 10 new sports betting agents so people can actually place bets with a human being, the tribe spokesperson said.

Some South Florida gamblers may think they have already played roulette and craps, but the casinos have only offered virtual alternatives that give the appearance of those games; they are technically slot machines using random number generators.

Those games will remain in addition to the new tables with real employees rolling the dice and spinning the wheels.

A similar schedule of events will take place at the Hard Rock Casino in Coconut Creek about 1 p.m. with a first spin of the roulette wheel and roll of the dice, which will mark the beginning of the games at that location.

Celebrities attending the Coconut Creek launch will include Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Rob Riggle and Jacky Bracamontes. They will join Allen, Osceola Jr. and members of the Tribal Council.

The celebration will return for the grand finale at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood around 4:30 p.m. for the launch of sports betting and the arrival of A-list celebrities.

The list of celebrities currently includes Wade, Bon Jovi, Tyson, DJ Khaled, Tisto, Heather Graham, Fat Joe, Sarah Hyland, Willy Chirino, Max Weinberg, Bobbi Althoff, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model Brooks Nader and other surprise special guests.

The first in-person sports bet will take place sometime that evening, which will kick off sports betting throughout the casino. Attendees can also bet throughout the day on the mobile app.

Following the ceremony, Diplo will DJ a pool party for invited guests only. Bruno Mars will perform a sold-out show later in the night.

The celebrations will move to the giant Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa on Friday, though South Florida got them first because the guitar building is our most iconic, Allen said.

Beginning about 10:30 a.m. Friday morning, the Tampa location will have its own ceremony with Allen, Osceola Jr., other tribal leaders and celebrities including Thomas Rhett, Michael Carbonaro, Lele Pons, Marcus Allen and Joe Theismann.

On Monday, the games will begin at the Seminole casinos in Immokalee and Brighton.

Over the years, much attention good and bad has been paid to the return of mobile sports betting rather than in-person betting, craps and roulette. But Allen believes that the arrival of the in-person games will also excite people and serve as an inducement to tourism, especially from Latin America.

I know that our guests have been looking forward to them for many, many years, he said of the games, adding that roulette is extremely popular in areas of Central and South America, where many tourists come from.

Though the new additions likely will not transform Florida into the new Vegas, the news release said that the launch immediately puts Florida in the same league as the worlds great gaming destinations.

The tribe is continuing to advance its virtual business as well. The Hard Rock Bet app became accessible to all Floridians Tuesday, and on Thursday, local pari-mutuels will begin to offer their own sports betting apps as part of a hub and spoke system where a chunk of the revenues go to the tribe. Allen estimated about 16 companies seemed interested.

The legal battles, meanwhile, continue.

The lawsuit before the U.S Supreme Court will likely extend into spring, possibly longer if the court decides to review the case. Last week, the court granted a request for an extension to file a writ of certiorari, pushing it from Dec. 11 to Feb. 8, three days before the Super Bowl.

Also last week, attorneys for Gov. DeSantis filed a response motion asking the Florida Supreme Court to dismiss the second case. That case could conclude as soon as Christmas, only a few weeks after the launch of in-person betting and the expansion of the app.

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Saturday, December 9, 2023

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The inauguration of craps, roulette, and sports betting at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, and Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood marks the dawn of a New Era in Florida Gaming, as proclaimed by leaders of the Seminole Tribe of Florida alongside prominent celebrities.

Celebrities such as Jon Bon Jovi, Bruno Mars, Tisto, Heather Graham, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Diplo, Cedric Gervais, Mike Tyson, Dwyane Wade, Fat Joe, Rick Ross, Sarah Hyland, Willy Chirino, Max Weinberg, Bobbi Althoff, and SI Swimsuit Cover Model Brooks Nader graced the red carpet at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood. Many of them participated in the inaugural moments of craps, roulette, and retail sports betting.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood is hosting a series of mega-events to celebrate the introduction of these new games, including a one-time pop-up dining experience featuring the renowned Carbone restaurant by chef Mario Carbone, paying homage to New Yorks great Italian-American culinary traditions.

Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr., other members of the Seminole Tribal Council, and Seminole Gaming CEO and Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen led a commemorative ceremony at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood. Similar ceremonies took place at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek and Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood.

The advent of these new games is attributed to the Gaming Compact signed and approved by the Seminole Tribe and the State of Florida in 2021. Craps, roulette, and sports betting now join blackjack, baccarat, and other casino card games, along with thousands of the latest slot machines, forming a comprehensive array of casino offerings across all six Seminole Casinos in Florida.

Chairman Osceola expressed pride in the Seminole Tribe of Florida, noting, With the addition of craps, roulette, and sports betting, we now offer a full complement of casino games and join the ranks of leading casinos around the world. Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen highlighted the positive economic impact on entertainment, travel, tourism industries, and beyond, anticipating increased tourism to Florida and boosted employment in the areas surrounding Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood and other Seminole Gaming-operated casinos throughout the state.

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Seminole Tribe & Celebs launch gaming revolution: Craps, Roulette, Sports Betting at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & ... - Travel And Tour World

Seminole Tribe & A-List Celebs Transform Florida Gaming Landscape with Craps, Roulette, and Sports Betting – stupidDOPE.com

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In a historic move that propels Florida into the echelons of premier gaming destinations worldwide, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and a constellation of A-list celebrities have officially marked the dawn of a New Era in Florida Gaming. The unveiling of craps, roulette, and sports betting at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has set the stage for an unprecedented gaming experience.

The red carpet at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa witnessed a star-studded ensemble, including luminaries such as Thomas Rhett, Hulk Hogan, John Daly, Ric Flair, Michael Carbonaro, Lele Pons, Adamari Lopez, Tim Brown, Gente De Zona, and Rudy Mancuso. These icons werent just there for the glamour; they actively participated in the inaugural roll of craps dice, the premiere spin of the roulette wheel, and the commencement of retail sports betting.

The festivities at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa are nothing short of spectacular. The weekend celebrations include a Friday night concert headlined by country sensation Thomas Rhett, a Sunday Tempo Daylife Pool Party featuring the Chainsmokers, and a thrilling $300,000 high limit table games hot seat promotion on Saturday night.

Spearheaded by Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr., the Seminole Tribal Council, Seminole Gaming CEO, and Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen, a ceremony at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa commemorated the historic launch. Similar ceremonies unfolded at other Seminole Casinos in South Florida, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.

The introduction of craps, roulette, and sports betting became possible through the Gaming Compact inked between the Seminole Tribe and the State of Florida in 2021. These additions join an impressive array of casino offerings, including blackjack, baccarat, and a plethora of slot machines, across all six Seminole Casinos in the Sunshine State.

Chairman Osceola expressed pride in this groundbreaking moment, stating, The Seminole Tribe of Florida is proud to point to a new era in Florida gaming with the unveiling of our new casino games. With the addition of craps, roulette, and sports betting, we now offer a full complement of casino games and join the ranks of leading casinos around the world.

Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen emphasized the far-reaching economic impact, stating, The entertainment, travel, and tourism industries, and many more, will see positive economic impact caused by the new casino games. They will increase tourism to Florida and boost employment not only at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa but also at businesses in the areas surrounding this casino complex and others operated by Seminole Gaming throughout Florida.

As the dice roll, the wheel spins, and bets are placed, Florida embraces a gaming renaissance that promises not just entertainment but also economic prosperity for the region. The Seminole Tribe and their star-studded companions have truly ushered in a New Era for gaming enthusiasts in the Sunshine State.

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Seminole Tribe & A-List Celebs Transform Florida Gaming Landscape with Craps, Roulette, and Sports Betting - stupidDOPE.com