Resorts World Catskills may not be bringing in the revenue that was expected from the casino complex since opening in February 2018, but that isn’t stopping the resort from going all-in on poker.
On Monday, Resorts World Catskills opened its new 7,000-square-foot poker room, replacing a smaller room that had previously hosted cash games and tournaments at the casino.
New Room Features Modern Amenities
The new room features 20 tables and is located on the main casino floor, replacing a 5,600-square-foot room that had been located upstairs from the primary gaming floor.
Visitors won’t see much of a change in capacity. The old room held 19 tables already, meaning that there’s only one extra table in the new location. But there will be a significant upgrade in amenities, with USB charging ports now being available at every seat, dozens of large televisions for sports fans, and a dedicated outside deck for smokers.
The goal for Resorts World Catskills was to create a room that would serve as a destination for poker players in New York and beyond.
“We are committed to providing our guests with the region’s most extensive, exciting luxury experiences and our new poker room is the best in its class and a perfect example of this commitment,” Resorts World Catskills COO Kevin Kline said in a statement.
The poker room won’t officially open until August 20, when a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held to kick off a $300 buy-in tournament with a $100,000 guaranteed prize fund. Special high hand promotions are also scheduled starting on August 26 to celebrate the opening.
Losses Mounting for Resorts World Catskills
For Resorts World Catskills, anything that can bring in more customers would be good news. While revenues have been improving for the upstate New York casino, they have so far run at about half of the annual projections of $277 million. That has caused Empire Resorts – which owns the casino – to take $140 million in losses from the Catskills site, a problem for a company that reported nearly $492 million in debt in the first quarter of 2019.
In a statement released in July, Malaysian casino tycoon K.T. Lim – who already owns 86 percent of Empire Resorts – said that the best way for him to save the company from what appears to be an inevitable bankruptcy would be to purchase the outstanding 14 percent.
Lim’s plan would be to take the company private, as he believes it can no longer survive as a public firm.
Resorts World Catskills could also benefit from the addition of sports betting, which is now legal at upstate New York casinos. However, Resorts has yet to open a sportsbook, putting it behind the Rivers Casino in Schenectady and Tioga Downs.
