The Online Poker Expert

The Tropicana Casino in Las Vegas was once one of the hot properties on the Vegas Strip and a great place to play poker. But hard times and bankruptcy proceedings slowly whittled away at their image and until earlier this month, they were considered yesterday’s news.

But new owners the Onex Corporation; along with the Tropicana’s new CEO,  former MGM Mirage President Alex Yemenidjian; don’t accept that fate. In fact, they expect be able to return the Tropicana to its former glory.

Yemenidjian knows they face an uphill battle with the Tropicana, which just came out of a one-year Chapter 11 bankruptcy period the first week in July. But according to him, there’s “nothing more rewarding than watching people who say something can’t be done being interrupted by people who are doing it.”

Having a fresh infusion of cash will certainly help Yemenidjian and company achieve that goal though. The Tropicana emerged from bankruptcy with more than $10 million in cash and $75 million in commitments from its new owners and other equity holders. This means funding is in place for major renovations, which are planned for all aspects of the Tropicana, including pool, spa, casino and poker room upgrades, a nightclub and expanded dining options. Renovations are expected to begin later this year be complete in 2010.

So, if you go to Vegas in 2010, stop by the Tropicana and say “shuffle up and deal!” With all the money being poured into the restoration, the newly posh casino will probably attract some poker stars like Annie Duke, Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson and others. You never know, it might just be a good place to go poker-star gazing.

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