Tunica 08-December-2007

Not having been to Tunica for a while, we decided on a quick trip over and back.

We usually spend a lot of time at Sheridan, so we got a room for Friday night -- Sheridan's standard rooms are among the nicest in the area. Sheridan has a great cafe called "Reno's" where you can get some really fantastic Quesadillas. Or, at least, you could. While checking in, we noticed Reno's was closed for renovation. Damn.

Sheridan has, all-round, the best video poker in Tunica. No other casino in the area comes close. Sheridan's machines are mostly configured alike -- multi-denominational, with all pretty good games -- 9/6 JB, 9/6 DDB, 8/5 Bonus, and excellent renditions of numerous other games. I also like the fact that I can play quarters or $5 or anywhere in between on most of these games, as it suits my style of play.

So, surely you have to give something up for all these good games, right?

I'll say. Apparently, air-conditioning was the first to go. Since they moved the video poker upstairs (so they could put the Total Rewards center in the old video poker area), it rates as one of the least comfortable in the business. Cocktail service, particularly during off-hours, can be next to nonexistent. But this weekend, the music did me in. Blaring rap played through distorted speakers to the point of nearly forcing me to run for cover. With the Sheridan, Harrahs has simultaneously given us the best video poker in Tunica and the worst playing environment imaginable. One gets the sense that Harrah's is looking for a way out of the Sheridan, since it owns the Horseshoe Cash Cow, next door.

The Horseshoe. Still, easily some of the worst video poker in the South. You don't expect it from a Harrah's property, but they do need to recover their $1.5 Billion purchase price, after all. Although none of the Casino Center properties was busy on Friday night, the Horseshoe, as usual, was busier than the others.

GoldStrike recently contacted me with an extensive survey -- it took about 15 minutes to complete. The upshot was, "If we turn this into a Vegas-strip-styled Mega-resort, will you come and pay for rooms and food rather than expect to be comped, and how important are "good games" compared with a nice building?"

Apparently, eliminating any decent video poker was part of this process. For the last couple years, GoldStrike has had some decent video poker at its two bars. But the corner bar has now entered the race for lousy games, and is running neck-and-neck with Horseshoe. Another waste of time.

We hadn't been to Sams Town in a while so we decided to drop by there. They have eliminated the older sit-down games in favor of the upright models -- and Jacks or Better players will find plenty of 9/6 JB there.

Tunica is definitely on a downhill swing, but if you're going to play video poker, Sheridan is still the rather obvious choice.