- Plans to construct the new room are set to begin immediately upon PokerStars being awarded a license for internet gambling in the state.
- In addition to the building of the new poker room, PokerStars is planning on establishing a North American Headquarters in New Jersey.
- An emphasis is being put on the job creation that would result from PokerStars receiving a license in New Jersey.
Online poker’s industry leader PokerStars has announced plans to build a $10 million dollar poker room at Atlantic City’s Resorts Casino Hotel as a part of their internet partnership with the brick and mortar casino, according to an article in Press of Atlantic City.
The plans, which are contingent on PokerStars receiving a gambling license in New Jersey, have construction on the new room set to begin immediately upon being awarded a license.
Eric Hollreiser, head of corporate communications at PokerStars’ parent company Rational Group, confirmed the plans in a statement to pokerfuse and added, “We will provide more details once these plans are finalized.”
Resorts, which has not had a live poker room since 2010, and PokerStars are hoping to build a bridge for those who would play poker online to visit and play live tournaments and cash games in the nw venue. Branded as the “PokerStars poker room at Resorts”, the live poker room would be backed by the marketing power of the largest online poker room in the world.
“PokerStars is committed to investing significant resources to put a brand new poker room at Resorts Casino Hotel. In addition to the poker room, they are committed to driving traffic to Atlantic City through their marketing,” commented William J. Pascrell III, speaking on behalf of PokerStars.
In what looks like an additional incentive for the state of New Jersey to grant PokerStars a license, the partnership is also trumpeting the creation of jobs that PokerStars and Resorts would bring to the state.
In addition to the building of the new poker room, PokerStars is planning on establishing a North American Headquarters in New Jersey, which is expected to employ approximately 150 people, and an additional 50 people to establish the systems needed to get the online site up and running would be hired immediately upon PokerStars receiving a license.
Up to 200 additional jobs may then be created next year should multi-state agreements be formed and a wider network created.
With internet gaming slated to begin in New Jersey on November 26 of this year, there are some concerns that as a result of PokerStars’ involvement in the Black Friday indictments, the online leader may be deemed unsuitable for license. Without a license, of course, the plans for the poker room would not materialize.
PokerStars and Resorts formed a partnership after PokerStars’ well publicized plans to purchase the Atlantic Club fell through. While PokerStars and the Atlantic Club are still embroiled in litigation over the money that was invested in the early stages of that agreement, PokerStars is pushing forward with the new poker room and keeping an eye on a casino of their own.
“They’re willing to talk to all of the various casinos that are for sale,” Pascrell added.
PokerStars last land based promotion on US soil was the short lived NAPT which famously concluded two days before Black Friday when Vanessa Selbst capped a victory on back-to-back NAPT Mohegan Sun titles.
