Wheeling Island Casino Adds Table Games This Week

Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino and Racetrack is ready to become a full-service casino this week. Barring unforeseen complications, Thursday morning should bring the full-fledged opening of table games at the West Virginia property.

The casino will test the play of 43 tables featuring games including blackjack, craps, roulette, and Caribbean poker on Monday and Tuesday. Play money will be used for the tests, with all proceeds donated to local charities. A $25 charitable contribution gets a customer $250 in fake chips, an entry in door prize contests, and tickets for food and drinks.

Table games were voted legal by county citizens six months ago.

The casino's business is predicted to explode with the arrival of the table games. Bob Marshall, president and general manager of the complex, stated, "We'll start seeing new people Thursday afternoon. There's a lot of buzz in Pittsburgh and Columbus."

Marshall refers to his new dealers as having first-time jitters, but in a way that speaks of pride. Over 85% of the new hires are from the Wheeling area, providing much-needed jobs as well as increased taxation revenue.

The tables will close for a day on Wednesday to evaluate the test and fine-tune the system. Then it's full steam ahead for Wheeling Island.



2007-12-18