Florida’s Mardi Gras Casino Accuses Rival Gulfstream of Looting Players After Hurricane
Posted on: September 20, 2017, 06:00h.
Last updated on: September 21, 2017, 02:26h.
As Floridians pull together in a spirit of communal recovery after Hurricane Irma, clean-up efforts have one casino in the state contending its chief competitor is engaged in dirty business through trying times.
While most of Florida’s gaming industry survived the hurricane relatively unscathed, the Mardi Gras Casino in Hollywood was the one gambling venue to face significant damage when a mini-tornado tore its roof off, flooding the first floor.
The Mardi Gras is currently closed indefinitely, which has the nearby Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino in Hallandale Beach, about a mile away, “helping” by bending over backwards to serve Mardi Gras’ customers.
The two casinos have long been sworn rivals, and are regularly in hot competition for sixth place (out of eight) in Florida’s pari-mutuel market. And while there may be little wrong with healthy competition, Mardi Gras contends its old foe is being exploitive, and has taken things too far.
No Bridge Over Troubled Waters
According to the Miami Herald, since the hurricane hit the state on Sep. 10, Gulfstream has been advertising that it will honor loyalty coupons Mardi Gras gives to top players offering free slots play.
“It is sad and pathetic, but not surprising,” Mardi Gras President Dan Adkins told the Herald. “It’s so sad when you have a community that’s battered and someone feels like now’s the time to be an opportunist. It’s indicative of their nature and that’s OK with me.”
But Gulfstream Park’s assistant GM Ernie Dellaverson says Adkins is being a bit disingenuous.
“We’re just doing something that’s been done since the beginning of casino marketing,” he says. “If the roles were reversed, I’d expect them to do [the same]. It’s about helping the players, and I haven’t heard a complaint so far.”
Casino Karma
Adkins contends Gulfstream is still sore about being beaten to the sixth spot in casino earnings this year, albeit by a photo finish. Mardi Gras posted $51 million in gross gaming revenue for the first half of 2017, compared to Gulfstream Park’s $50 million.
But ultimately, Adkins says he believes his casino will win in the long run because it has a certain Buddhist spiritual principle of cause and effect on its side.
“Here at Mardi Gras we have a little friend named Karma,” he said. “When we rise from the ashes, the grandeur of Mardi Gras, along with Karma, will more than overcome these senseless, childish opportunists.”
Although, for such a believer in Karma, he must be asking what he did in a previous life for his casino to get trashed by a hurricane while the other one a mile up the road is doing just fine.
“When we reopen,” he said, “we’re going to go back to kicking their ass.”
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Last Comments ( 7 )
Madri gra got what they deserved. They were rude to cabbiesmichae viscount.
I usually stay away from Gulfstream Poker due to their rude management style. Now that Mardi Gras is closed I stumbled back into Gulfstream. Same rude management (even worse). I am not the only person that feels this way. The Mardi Gras staff and dealers are professional and friendly. Hopefully, they will be working again soon and the Poker players will leave Gulfstream (again). David
I visit mardi grass because of the convinience of the handicap parking. Employees at Mardi Grass has no courtesy with customers that pays their salary
I really miss Mardi Gras. I enjoy the poker room, the dealers and other poker players are very good with their comps. They also have FREE VALET. I WILL BE BACK AND SO ARE MANY OTHERS. Gulf stream charges a fortune for valet and you have to walk far to the casino no matter how close you park.
Marti Gras management is wrong in their assessment that rival Gulfstream, by honoring loyalty coupons is being opportunistic. Reality is that Marti Gras is closed and their clients are not waiting on a park bench waiting patiently for them to reopen. The gambling community loves action and are fair game to Marti Gras competitors. If Gulfstream doesn't get them, they'll head south to Hialeah or Magic City or north to Dania Jai Alai or the Isle. It's incumbent for the Marti Gras to use their marketing skills and advertising dollars to get their customer base to return. It's a bad start, IMO, to think they own those that play in their casino and to point fingers at Gulfstream or any other companies and comment that they're taking advantage of their bad luck is immature and ridiculous. Next time, make sure you have a hurricane proof roof or suffer the consequences. And, remember, here in the USA we have a free market and that equates to competition and to win market share you need to compete instead of crying "unfair, unfair." It's time to Grow Up Marti Gras.
oh my God I miss Mardi Gras Casino. Like stated by another patron it is the kind employees that they have and how you are treated like family. I cannot wait till they reopen and I hope it is SOON. No other casino compares to the atmosphere at Mardi Gras. I miss everyone so much. Stella
We really do miss the Mardi Gras casino It is not just the machines themselves that draw us there, it is the friendliness of their employees and a general feeling of "Family". We travel almost an hour each way to enjoy the video poker machines . We are anxiously awaiting its reopening No other casino compares to Mardi Gras