One of the biggest questions circulating any casino is what they have in terms of gaming. For the North Fork Mono Casino, which opened earlier today, there is something for everyone.
For the slot machine enthusiasts, there are 2,400 brand new slot machines. Not only are there new ones on the floor, there are some that still have the handle to pull.
“Just because they are brand new, they still have a lot of the classic games like the original Reel 7’s and the Buffalos,” said slot supervisor Yvette Sanchez. “We have a bunch of new games that people are looking for. We have Dragon Link. In the High Limit room, we have 138 high denomination slots. There’s even a $1 million progressive that we will pay in-house.”
In the middle of the casino floor will be 40 tables for gaming, including roulette, craps, blackjack and more.
“We also use the ball aspect of roulette,” said Joey Abbs, table games shift manager. “It’s something fun, different and exciting to bring these guest in, and have a good time.”
The entire gaming floor is wide open, and guests might have to close their mouths when entering, because their jaws may hit the floor.
“I think people are going to be blown away. There’s nothing as luxurious and high-end as this building we have here,” Martinez said.
“Our guest services will be different,” Abbs said. “Our location and the environment will be different. We have windows, and a lot of other casinos do not have them. We have that Valley open vibe. Our team is going to be everything. People are going to have a good time.”
For the slot machine enthusiasts, there will be plenty to choose from, and most of the machines feature progressives and grand jackpots.
“With those progressives, they can be hit with any bet,” Sanchez said. “That’s one of the biggest things guests look for. They also look for fun games. Buffalo is so fun. We have so many different versions of Huff-N-Puff. They all have those grand progressives you can hit even with a minimum bet. On top of that, the way we pay out, it’s streamlined and the money is going to come so quick to the guests.”
Most of the machines are multiple denominations with the highest in the high limit room at $100.
“It caters to every player we have, from a penny to $2 denomination outside of the high limit room,” Sanchez said. “We have a lot of variations.”
The middle of the casino floor is where the action will be with the table games. In addition, the high limit room will be adjacent to a bar.
“A lot of places don’t have that,” Abbs said. “We have really quick access to the bar.”
The dealers for the table games have received the most training, beginning in June.
“We did a 12-week dealer school. We brought in 160 team members. We trained them for all of the games. We had about 100 experienced dealers from the area. In total, we have more than 220 team members for the table games. That’s a lot of people.
“We have 40 table games. We wanted to make sure everyone knew the games. They all did a great job from Day 1. Some of them came in, and didn’t know what the chip was, and the value of the card. It was really great to see them grow. I’ve been in the business for more than 20 years, and it has been amazing to see the new guys come in.”
When the casino finally opens its doors, expect gamers to come from everywhere to enjoy the North Fork Mono Casino.
“I’ve been here since August. I’ve never been more proud to see this place open,” Sanchez said. “I might cry.”