"Here was the scene at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino at 11:45 a.m. Monday: Hundreds of gamblers streamed in to play blackjack, slot machines and baccarat. Players crowded around tables with newly lowered minimums of $10-a-hand. Nearly every seat was full at the $15 tables, too.

In the poker room, 20 tables were going, including a $100 tournament. Hotel guests lounged at the outdoor pool, and others sipped drinks and watch plasma TVs at the bar in the center of the casino floor."Look at this," said Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen as he surveyed the humming casino floor, which debuted table games on Sunday. "You'd think we've been doing this 20 years, not 20 hours."

Here was the scene at Dania Jai-Alai at 12:30 p.m.: Sixteen people sat in the simulcast den, betting on out-of-town dog races and jai-alai games. In the poker room, dealers and staff outnumbered the four players.

A half-hour after opening time, they didn't even have enough players to start the usual $2 seven-card stud game. A few more players trickled in, asking about a $10 tournament on the schedule. It was canceled because of no turnout. A waitress passed out free sandwiches.

"I guess everyone's at the Hard Rock," said one gloomy employee. "The gorilla keeps getting bigger.""

Get the Story:
Michael Mayo: Seminoles hold all the cards in Broward gambling industry (The South Florida Sun-Sentinel 6/24)
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