Mardi Gras Casino
| Mardi Gras Casino | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Hallandale Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Address | 831 N. Federal Highway |
| Opening date | December 1, 1934 |
| Theme | It's always a party at Mardi Gras! |
| Total gaming space | 70,0000+ square feet |
| Notable restaurants |
Bayou Bar Louie's Lounge Cafe Orleans The French Quarter |
| Owner | Hartman & Tyner |
| Previous names |
Hollywood Greyhound Track Hollywood Kennel Club |
| Renovated in |
2006 1974 1940 |
| Website | http://www.mardigrascasinofl.com/ |
Mardi Gras Casino, formerly known as Hollywood Greyhound Track, is a casino and greyhound racing facility located in Hallandale Beach, in the U.S. state of Florida.
History
What is now Mardi Gras Casino opened as the Hollywood Kennel Club on December 1, 1934, three years after Florida legalized parimutuel betting.[1] A grandstand was added in 1940. In 1974, the facility was reopened as Hollywood Greyhound Track.[2]
A November 2004 statewide referendum allowed Broward County voters to decide whether to allow slot machines at parimutuel facilities located in the county.[3] Broward County voters subsequently approved the use of slots at Hollywood Greyhound and other parimutuels.
An extensive renovation project in 2006 added approximately 1,100 slot machines and a poker room to the dog track, which was renamed Mardi Gras Casino.[4] Two years later, an additional 200 slot machines were added and, in 2009, the Big Easy Poker Room was relocated and expanded. Also included in the renovated facility were a flea market, several restaurants/bars, and a gift shop.[5]
Casino
The casino offers a Mardi Gras theme over 70,000+ square feet across several floors. Las Vegas-style slot machines are located on the first and third floors and offer a variety of denominations from 1¢ up to $25. Some of the most popular slots include Royal Match 21 Black Jack, Roulette, Quick Hit Linked Progressive, Slingo Community, Indiana Jones, Hot Shots, Top Dollar, and Wheel of Fortune.[6]
The Big Easy Poker Room was recently relocated to a larger area. It is open 24 hours a day and has 30 tables featuring Texas Hold’em, Omaha& Omaha Hi-Lo, and 7 Card Stud with Bad Beat Jackpots and Royal Jackpots. High Hand promotions are offered and the Deep Stack Tournament is held every Thursday. Louie’s Lounge, one of the dining facilities, is located close by and is dedicated to the Big Easy Poker Room. The Big Easy Poker Room also features its own private entrance with quick access to a poker players parking area.[6]
Mardi Gras will be the first in Florida to debut The Amazing Race multi-level progressive slot machine as well as a revised version of the Top Dollar slot machine scheduled to be up and running in April 2010. Additional slot machines arriving in April 2010 to Mardi Gras Casino include Reel'em In! Catch the Big One, Star Track, The Wizard of OZ, and Monopoly Planet GO. Mardi Gras Casino will also be launching the largest penny progressive link in the country consisting of 78 penny slot machines.[7]
Greyhound Racing
Despite improvements and enhancements over the years, the dog track itself has remained relatively the same. Track specifics include:
Track Length: 1,372 Feet
Track Width: 22 Feet
Length of Stretch: 300 Feet
Composition: Sand and Marl
Timing: Hundredth of a Second
Courses: 550 Yards, 660 Yards and 770 Yards
The casino, which is a supporter of the Adopt-A-Greyhound program, also offers simulcast greyhound racing, harness and thoroughbred racing from tracks across the United States and Canada.
Notable Races
Mardi Gras Casino is home to four stakes races:
Mardi Gras Futurity.
$75,000 Mardi Gras World Classic.
$10,000 Joe Ryan Jr. Memorial.
$50,000 American Derby.
2010 Stakes Schedule [8]
The $15,000 Mardi Gras Futurity Qualifying Rounds Begin January 13 & 16 Semi-Final Round January 20 Championship January 23, 2010
Winner: Ls Lafave
Time: 30:60
The $75,000 Mardi Gras World Classic Qualifying Rounds Begin March 10 & 13th Semi-Final Rounds Begin March 17 & 20th Championship March 26, 2010
Winner: Oya Tom Terrific
Time: 30:51
The $10,000 Joe Ryan, Jr. Memorial Championship April 2, 2010
Winner: Funnelling Money
Time: 30:16
The $30,000 Hollywoodian Qualifying Rounds Begin April 21 & 24th Semi-Final Rounds Begin April 28 & May 1 Championship May 8, 2010
Winner: Crispins Place
Time: 37:55
Hollywood World Classic History - Past Winners
| Date | Champion | Time (seconds) |
|---|---|---|
| March 1, 1975 | Can't Decide | 31.57 |
| February 28, 1976 | Bashful Guy | 30.65 |
| March 5, 1977 | Downing | 30.72 |
| March 4, 1978 | Cousin's Elite | 31.01 |
| March 3, 1979 | Enisled | 31.58 |
| March 1, 1980 | Banker Hap | 30.85 |
| March 21, 1981 | MKC Lorine | 31.34 |
| March 12, 1982 | Lantana Glamour | 31.39 |
| March 11, 1983 | For Real | 31.22 |
| March 10, 1984 | My Unicorn | 30.79 |
| March 8, 1985 | Magnificat | 31.05 |
| March 8, 1986 | Cajun Pay Off | 30.62 |
| March 7, 1987 | Prince Proper | 30.48 |
| March 4, 1988 | My Azalian | 30.50 |
| February 25, 1989 | Warm Mission | 30.64 |
| March 3, 1990 | Hello Higsbee | 30.66 |
| March 2, 1991 | Briggs Stratton | 30.77 |
| March 7, 1992 | Briggs Stratton | 31.24 |
| February 20, 1993 | By Tar | 30.73 |
| February 26, 1994 | Great Son | 30.80 |
| February 25, 1995 | Follies Bergiere | 30.90 |
| March 15, 1996 | Dunagree | 30.52 |
| March 14, 1997 | Bomb Threat | 30.22 |
| March 13, 1998 | Wigwam Hoss | 31.16 |
| March 27, 1999 | Kelsos Kingpin | 30.90 |
| March 10, 2000 | System Ax Friend | 31.14 |
| March 9, 2001 | Kiowa Shawnee So | 30.54 |
| March 15, 2002 | Flying Earhardt | 30.26 |
| March 14, 2003 | Ea's Itzaboy | 30.31 |
| March 14, 2004 | Ea's Itzaboy | 30.27 |
| March 15, 2005 | Hallo West Acre | 30.34 |
| April 1, 2006 | Kiowa Cruzechamp | 30.29 |
| March 31, 2007 | Flying Stanley | 30.06 |
| March 29, 2008 | Starz Jenko | 30.30 |
| March 27, 2009 | Yahoo Omar | 30.19 |
| March 26, 2010 | Oya Tom Terrific | 30.51 |
Dining
Mardi Gras Casino offers a mix of Cajun and American cuisine. The dining includes:
- Bayou Bar, a full service premium bar
- Café Orleans, featuring soups, sandwiches, salads and fresh baked goods
- Louie’s Lounge, the full service premium bar dedicated to the Big Easy Poker Room that has a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and a special late night menu
- The French Quarter, which is the signature restaurant of Mardi Gras Casino.[9]
Sister Tracks
Mardi Gras Casino has two sister tracks:
- Hazel Park Raceway, located in Hazel Park, Michigan
- Mardi Gras Casino and Resort (formerly Tri-State Park), located in Cross Lanes, West Virginia
On July 9, 2010, Tri-State Park was renamed Mardi Gras Casino & Resort as a re-branding effort designed to better represent the facility and position it as a destination, and to coincide with the new hotel opening there.[10]
References
- ↑ Saunders, Mike (Apr 1, 1988). "Greyhound racing a good entertainment bet whether or not you place a bet". Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
- ↑ "South Florida casino and gaming guide". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Apr 27, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
- ↑ Burstein, Jon (Dec 28, 2006). "Slots will be running at greyhound track today". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
- ↑ http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article/mardi-gras-gaming-centre-opens-soon-163243
- ↑ http://www.gamblegum.com/casinos/land-based/mardi_gras_racetrack_and_gaming_center_hallandale_beach.cfm
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://biz.prlog.org/mardigrascasino/
- ↑ http://www.casinocitytimes.com/news/article/lots-of-slots-arriving-at-mardi-gras-casino-192896
- ↑ http://www.playmardigras.com/i_stakes_racing.shtml
- ↑ http://www.casinocity.com/us/fl/hallandalebeach/flhollyw/
- ↑ http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/98127319.html
External links
- http://www.mardigrascasinofl.com
- http://www.mardigrascasinofl.com/poker-room-south-florida.html
- http://www.playmardigras.com/tri-state_park.shtml
- http://www.playmardigras.com/hazel_park.shtml
Coordinates: 25°59′41.42″N 80°8′43.77″W / 25.9948389°N 80.1454917°W
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