Excalibur Poker Room closed live operations at Midnight on Monday, August 18th, 2008.

The room will be reopening on Friday, August 22nd at 6PM, as an all electronic poker room, with dealer-less pokertek electronic tables.

Summary of Important Information:

: Number of tables: 12
: Electronic Table Rake: 10%/$3 max (no jackpot)
: The wheel spin for aces cracked, high hand spins, and the Bad Beat Jackpot are all history
: This was a property level decision. MGM Mirage Corporation is quick to point out that this was decided strictly on a property level and was not a decision made by the corporation, but by the Excalibur property itself.
: The current jackpot funds will be carried over to the new room and used to fund promotions within the new eroom. These promotions will more then likely include freerolls (with certain number of hours played required to qualify), and other promotions.
Players that wish to play traditional live poker will be directed to Luxor or Mandalay Bay, which is a short walk through the connected walkway through Excalibur. Excalibur will not have any traditional poker tables available for play.
: Over 40 poker dealers and cashiers were laid off due to the transition.
The first few months of the tables use is considered a gaming "Trial period". The Nevada Gaming Commission approved the tables for a gaming trial. During the trial, gaming (and all gaming companies in Nevada) will be keeping a close eye on the Excalibur poker room.
: LasVegasMichael and AllVegasPoker (Doug) were interviewed by CBS local news in Las Vegas concerning this. Please see the youtube videos posted on the top of the forum.



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For anyone that would like to voice their comments, complaints, or compliments concerning the decision to go electronic at Excalibur, I now have the direct e-mail addresses of the two decision makers that are responsible for making the Excalibur an electronic poker room.


Todd DeRemer: Excalibur Vice President of Casino Operations

email: TDeremer@mgmmirage.com

Renee West: Excalibur Chief Executive Officer

email: RWest@mgmmirage.com

I STRONGLY encourage all AVP'ers to voice their opinions regarding this decision to the two individuals listed above, whether positive or negative. AVP Members are truly a strong voice in the Las Vegas Poker world, and it is imperative that all of our voices are heard.

Thank you!

Hopefully not a trend that continues up the strip!

guess I wont be playing excal anymore

Wow, that's huge. This is a first for Vegas isn't it?

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Whats next? Will they increase room rates to compensate for fewer travellers? Remove meat from the buffet? Stop serving free drinks?

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

Yes, this is the first in Nevada.

Most of those dealers have been there since 1990. All are full time, and can be expected to be laid off.

This is a very dark day in Vegas poker, and cold hard proof that the poker boom is long over.

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Incessant Twitter Ramblings available here: LasVegasMichael

I can't say that I won't ever go back there because I am a little curious about how these electronic tables work. I will probably stop in there and try them just to say I have done it but after that, I doubt I will be back.

It is sad that people are losing their jobs and I kind of liked the Excalibur room. I think it was the first place I played live poker on the strip.

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Follow me on Twitter as I tweet from the felt: http://twitter.com/AlaskaGal1

Ugh! Hope this is not the beginning of a trend. Doesn't really affect me much though and furthers my liking of the mid to north Strip area.

Excalibur was the first live room that I ever played poker in. It is a very sad day, I hope it doesn't become a mainstay in Vegas.

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Views expressed are my own and not those of Green Valley Ranch, the WSOP, or AVP.

Wow, that is very unfortunate I'm glad I played there a couple nights ago, I guess for the final time. I feel sorry for the dealers, but hopefully they will get a severance package or at least be able to retire, since most probably will not be able to get work elsewhere.