Owners of Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center in Nitro have spent about $14 million to get the facility ready for poker and other casino-style table games.
NITRO, W.Va. - Owners of Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center in Nitro have spent about $14 million to get the facility ready for poker and other casino-style table games.
Tri-State General Manager Rich Tesler took reporters on a tour of the facility on Wednesday to show off progress at the track and answer questions about renovations. Tesler was brought on in February to help plan the expansion of table gaming at the track.
Tesler said remodeling plans at the track have changed somewhat as track officials realized the scope of the work needed to build a casino. Among the challenges they had to overcome were construction of a brand new, 2,940-square foot vault and counting room complex and coming up with a way to suspend surveillance cameras from the facility's ceilings.
"With the staff that they had, they were doing the best they could," Tesler said. "But they needed an expert."
Tesler, who has opened four other casinos, was hired specifically to make sure the Tri-State renovations met all state requirements.
"When I got here I started to look around," he said. "I knew from experience what would have to be built."
Like the counting rooms, where every poker chip, card and pair of dice has to be accounted for. And the money counting room, where money from slot machines and table games must be counted separately. All are protected by combinations of double doors, none of which can be opened at the same time.
Work is nearly finished on 40 poker tables in two new poker rooms that total almost 8,000 square feet. On Wednesday, crews were working on ceiling fixtures in what will be the table gaming area. Areas for blackjack tables and craps tables were taped out on the floor or laid out in brown paper.
NITRO, W.Va. - Owners of Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center in Nitro have spent about $14 million to get the facility ready for poker and other casino-style table games.
Tri-State General Manager Rich Tesler took reporters on a tour of the facility on Wednesday to show off progress at the track and answer questions about renovations. Tesler was brought on in February to help plan the expansion of table gaming at the track.
Tesler said remodeling plans at the track have changed somewhat as track officials realized the scope of the work needed to build a casino. Among the challenges they had to overcome were construction of a brand new, 2,940-square foot vault and counting room complex and coming up with a way to suspend surveillance cameras from the facility's ceilings.
"With the staff that they had, they were doing the best they could," Tesler said. "But they needed an expert."
Tesler, who has opened four other casinos, was hired specifically to make sure the Tri-State renovations met all state requirements.
"When I got here I started to look around," he said. "I knew from experience what would have to be built."
Like the counting rooms, where every poker chip, card and pair of dice has to be accounted for. And the money counting room, where money from slot machines and table games must be counted separately. All are protected by combinations of double doors, none of which can be opened at the same time.
Work is nearly finished on 40 poker tables in two new poker rooms that total almost 8,000 square feet. On Wednesday, crews were working on ceiling fixtures in what will be the table gaming area. Areas for blackjack tables and craps tables were taped out on the floor or laid out in brown paper.
Tesler said the table gaming area will house 16 blackjack tables, three craps tables, two roulette tables and several other types of table games.
Staff hope to have the first public poker games at Tri-State on Aug. 21, followed by other table games within about six weeks. Poker dealers have graduated from a poker school earlier this summer, and Tesler said 82 people began blackjack school this week.
County voters approved the expansion of table games at Tri-State last August. Company owners promise a $250 million expansion project that includes a hotel, conference center and entertainment complex.
Adding table games and their revenue is the first step in fulfilling the promise, but Tesler couldn't provide a timeline for the rest of the expansion on Wednesday.
"My marching orders were to open a casino," he said. "I have been here six and seven days a week to get this done."
Reach Rusty Marks
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