Please support The Fitz Tunica tourney

Jascan

Thanks Ken for the Info...We in St. Louis have heard a little about the toun.

I will be going and will be bringing about 4 or five couples to play. Many of the St. Louis group will be on the cruise that weekend....But Lou and the group on the cruise will be thinking of us @ Fitz......

I agree about the professionalism of Adolf's tournaments. I placed Third @ his Sheraton Tourn in Jan 2005 and had a wonderful time in the last Fitz Tournament....Thanks again for your support and you can count on St. Louis to be there.

John Scanga

 

Fitz Tournament

To avoid any confusion, this thread should be moved as the Fitz is not on online casino.
I talked to the Fitz management this weekend about this tournament. While this is an elimination tournament only the table winner will advance, and not 2 as is usual. However I was told everyone would have two chances to advance before having to rebuy. Also instead of a wildcard into the finals, there will be 6 wildcards who will play a table to determine the wildcard entry. I tried to get them to go to 2 advance, but I don't think I got anywhere.
Adolf, Mav, and Mark the tournament director are very player oriented and will listen to the players. They hope to eventually get this tournament to be a 3 or 4 times per year event with a $200,000 per event purse.
Every player should support this event if possible. While there don't be afraid to talk to the management about likes and dislikes you have. They will listen and want your comments.

 

I'm probably going to this Fitz tournament but my plans are a little uncertain at this time.

I'd like to see this series to succeed - heaven knows we need more open tournaments. However, if the turnouts are on the low side then the Fitz has to take some of the blame. I signed up for their player card this year and have given them some action - not a lot since I never played their tournament before nor stayed at their hotel. I have received offers for free rooms, buffets, and free slot play. I have not seen in any of their mailings any mention of blackjack tournaments. If they don't put the word out, how can they hope for a larger turnout? Just word of mouth from members on this site is probably not good enough.

 

Fitz

Having never been to Tunica, how does one get there by air?
I prefer not to have to rent a car.

 

I have never been to Tunica, but from what I have heard you just need to fly to Memphis and catch a shuttle to Tunica. It's less than 30 miles from the Airport.

 

I'm in!

I'm in! Thanks for the heads-up and info! I just called the Fitz and made my reservations, along with my air travel. I'm looking forward to meeting many of you there.

I've never been to Mississippi, so once there, I can add it to the states I've visited. And I guess I'll be bringing my winter clothes.

 

Can someone help us out here:

1) Is there a shuttle available at all times or does one have to make prior arrangements?

2) What is the cost?

3) Where does one pick up the shuttle at the Memphis Airport and where do they drop you off in Tunica?

4) What about shuttle service back to the airport?

Just an observation:
I've been to Tunica several times - maybe a little more than several. I've never seen a "airport shuttle" for the general public to just board without a prior reservation - at least at any of the hotels. I've always driven because I thought shuttle service may be a problem. I need some enlightening!

 

Airport Shuttle

There is no airport shuttle to or from the casinos and the Memphis Airport for the general public. Taxi fare is $84.00 one way, so a rental car is really the way to go. Of course if you are an established player the casino will pick you up and deliver you in their limo.

 

Well, this sounds like a good way to spend a few winter days. I hope to join the party. BTW- for those of you coming in from other locales. I had to run my air-conditioner in my car while driving in to work this morning. It was 80 degrees here earlier this week. I am about 175 miles further down the state but still, it might not be as cold as some of the people up north might expect.

 

Nothing like rubbing it in! :joker:

 

Thanks for the forecast, windchills of 15 below for us tonight.

I stand corrected. There is a shuttle, BUT it's not a so-called public shuttle.This service is available to Tunica, so if you don't want to deal with a rental car, there is another option.

http://www.uniquetravelllc.com/

 

Fitzgerald's Tourney

Let us know, either by forum or P.M., if you are planning to come to Tunica and the Fitz Tourney and want to meet other BJT.com members. We will have name tags available with your BJT.com handle which would let other members know who you are. Either respond on the forum or P.M. us

See you in January

le and feiii

 

Gold Strike conflict

I just posted on the calendar a BJT at the Gold Strike - Tunica. I bring that up here because the dates are identical to the Fitz tournament - Jan 25 -27, 2008. So each tournament will probably suffer - only so many players to go around. I also started a new thread for the Gold Strike tournament if anyone wants to comment on that tournament.

 

fitz tourney

My first blackjack tourney ever was at the Fitz with a different format - more like a slot tourney. I liked that format as a new tourney player, but am used to standard elimination now. Not that I'm any good, just played in many more over past years. Glad to see the Fitz having another 'big' tourney! When I got the email about the tourney, I immediately went to their website to check it out - and found NO INFO! Their events page is 'coming soon' and online reservations links don't work!! I live in Alabama (but am originally from Natchez, Mississippi) so I LOVE Tunica and Biloxi/Gulfport Tournaments - close enough to drive and feels like going 'home'! But I agree that advertising, marketing and planning could use some work - I might have seen it on their website, except it isn't there!! So without Ken's head's up, I would never have known about it! I also noticed the Gold Strike tourney and wish they were at different times - I might then try to play both. I would love to meet other members if I am able to juggle my schedule and can play at the Fitz tourney. Hope to see ya'll there!

 

Tournament Promotion

The conflicting times of the tournaments in Tunica area next month is perplexing (Fitz and Gold Strike).
I would think it would be in the best interests of both host properties and certainly the players if they would "piggyback" events in same area. Guess I'd consider playing both if that was the case.

Billy C

 

I'm not sure there is a solution to this type of problem. I don't believe either casino purposely scheduled their BJT on the exact same dates as the other - it just worked out that way. Competing casinos need to prepare their event schedules many months (sometime a year) in advance. I can't see a given casino allowing their events to be subject to many competitors' "approval".

As for "piggybacking" events, from my memory virtually all BJTs in Tunica are run on weekends. This is because Tunica draws a large "weekend warier" base from the people who are close enough to drive. That allows people to come to Tunica for a weekend and not miss any work days. A "piggyback" would mean one casino would have to have their tournament during the week. Or both have at least one weekday included in the event which would be detrimental to both events. If I were in charge of a casino in Tunica you can bet that I would not be agreeable to a weekday BJT.

Now here's a thought. Why not register for both and hope the scheduling will allow one to play round 1 in each. Then, whichever is unsuccessful is dropped. If both round one's are successful then one must choose because one cannot complete both. Of course this severely limits the time available to give "side action" which everyone knows I am a firm believer in - they ain't putting on this show for their health you know. I can't make this event but that was my plan if I were to attend - 2 nights at the Fitz and 1 night at the Gold Strike. That would have allowed me time to give each casino the action they crave.

 

Marketing

The best scheduled events were those in Las Vegas that scheduled around the large following of players the Stardust had.

The Riviera hosted a night time events starting around 2:00 pm on the last day of the Stardust event, allowing all the beaten players to come accross the street for another event.

Then the following day the New Frontier would host their two day event drawing off the Stardust as well.

Several other casino would host events either before or after as well (just not sure if it was planned that way or not) however it always helped their attendance.

Groups of events are by far the best draw for out of town players, they cut down on the travel expence.

If only the marketing personel for the casinos would bother to check what was going on at the other casinos they could ready help themselves and the players by scheduling events back to back other then overlapping them.

 

I think some problems arise when the marketing departments work out their plans quarter by quarter or month by month. Why not sit down and plan the year in advance? Here is an example of a Laughlin casino that has the next year planned and available for the player to see all the tournaments to come.
http://www.pioneerlaughlin.com/pioneercasinotourn.htm