Fitz

[Brianzz]

Fitz has done a total remodel of the casino after being the same old casino for 25 years, kinda like the way people fix up the house right before putting it up for sale. Very suspicious.

[WILynn]

Hoping to stay in that pre-sale casino for a night before it goes up on the market. I did hear they were under new ownership last time. The pics make it actually look a little empty. Hope there are more than a couple hundred machines! There's a difference between over crowded and empty. We'll see!

[Brianzz]

As of July 31, they're at 672 total machines, down from 893 in July 2018. It looked kinda empty to me too. They've moved all the tables I think to where high limit used to be, which makes sense seeing as how they only have 12 high limit machines now.

Pretty drastic drop as all the other casino in Tunica have only reduced by single or low double digits in the same time frame. Well, except Roadhouse and Resorts

[WILynn]

Now, thanks to my flaky internet, I have to recreate my response. That's a HUGE drop of machines- over 200 in a year? I didn't realize they were down to only 12 machines in high limits. I know the front section there was pretty much $1 machines.

Last time we were there, they had a power outage and the power went on and off. I guess 3 times. Most of the machines were blinking for handpays for whatever little amount (most of the time) that was left in the machine. The guy kept making an announcement that the machines were up and running, that you could play the machines. "You just won't be able to cash out." Ummm. No thank you.

We went up to the room, then the torrential rains came. Bev and Carol had had dinner with us and called saying the bottom level of the parking structure was flooding and so was part of the lot. It was ok where we were parked, but we got a little concerned that we might not get out of there. We ended up leaving and having a slumber party with Bev and Carol at Sam's.

We are going to give it one last try this trip. Hopefully for one day will be ok. If I remember and can get away with it, I'll try to get some pics.

[treblehook]

Interesting. I'm excited to see it, but I probably won't make it until around Christmas time.

Any investment in a Tunica casino besides Gold Strike or Horseshoe seems good on the surface. With Fitzgerald's history of being the first Tunica resort to flood, sounds a little like maybe Majestic is looking to minimize their losses and get someone who's willing to gamble on a place with a niche demographic in a tough market for a bargain price. Hopefully they're just attempting to regain some market share due to recent closings of Resorts and Roadhouse. Was that part of Penn National's strategy when they bought Resorts? They haven't invested much in upgrades at 1st Jackpot, but their bump in promotions seems to have worked in binging in more customers.

[Brianzz]

Majestic sold Fitz last year to Foundation Gaming (undisclosed price, must've been a fire sale), after Full House failed repeatedly trying to buy it. Foundation is known for buying casinos and rebranding them. They did bring in a new'ish GM Tony Scudiero, current GM at Water View casino (Diamond Jacks in Vicksburg) and probably better known for his short term as GM for Resorts in Tunica in 2015, I remember him from all the billboards. Not real sure how managing 2 casinos 200 miles apart is working out for him.

As far as I know Majestic Mississippi doesn't own any property in MS anymore. Guess they can ditch the Mississippi part.

[Brianzz]

Also on Resorts, Penn said when they were closing Resorts that they knew when they purchased the property that the barge was "in need of significant capital improvements" but then blamed expanded gaming in Arkansas for the closure. In other words they didn't want to replace the whole barge, but also didn't want competition right next door to Hollywood, so they pretty much bought it and closed it.

[WILynn]

I'm hoping MGM doesn't get rid of my Gold Strike in a fire sale. The investments they are making in the property don't really scream "For Sale" right now, but MGM seems to be in a tough spot. I'm not liking that their breakfast buffet is closed Wed and Thurs. I like their breakfast buffet better than FItz and Sam's, although FItz is usually decent and definitely wins on the bacon! I'm ready to get my Tunica on, though! I always think it's about to go under, but I'll enjoy it as long as it's there!

[Brianzz]

MGM would price Gold Strike so high nobody would/could touch it except CET, and we know their history in Tunica. MGM is still holding it's breath for GA, $1,000,000,000 complex in downtown Atlanta.

Although I still enjoy going, when I can, but, Tunica has seen it's peak. There's too much gambling closer to most of the people that used to frequent the area. I think the remaining casinos should shift gears from trying to be resort destinations and more into being no frills gambling, like the NA casinos in Oklahoma or embrace the niche themes of the casinos. There's no way Tunica can compete with Vegas or AC anymore, it's too costly. Not to mention Tunica is a little out of the way, you have to be going there to get there, no major interstates, exchanges or really any infrastructure nearby. I would probably go more often if I had the time, but the 6 hour drive is such a turn off anymore. Alot of travel time to invest in a weekender when time off is so hard to come by.

They probably should have pushed a little harder for the water park, at least it would have created some summer biz around the area and possibly encouraged some other development nearby, but I think during those times the powers that be were convinced the casinos would never die and unfortunately, that time is approaching.

[WILynn]

Yes, it's definitely reached its peak, unfortunately. I hope they can hang on to what's left. I go more to spend time with friends. Gambling of course, but I can get that here. Its my friends that are the biggest appeal.