Gulfstream president and general manager Steve Calabro has resigned, continuing the high turnover rate for top management of the Hallandale Beach horse track and casino.

Calabro is the fifth president/GM to leave Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino in the past six years.

Frank Stronach bought Gulfstream in 1999, hiring Scott Savin, who ran Gulfstream until May 2006. (Savin, who grew up a horse guy, is now at Magic City Casino. Looking back, Savin's six years under Stronach seems pretty remarkable.)

Then came Paul Micucci, then Bill Murphy took over in January 2007, only to leave in October 2009. Ken Dunn took over Nov. 1, then left May 28, 2010.

Calabro, who had been in charge of the gambling portion of Gulfstream, became president of the whole shebang, only to depart Friday. It hurts the gambling side because Calabro knew the business, having worked as a senior VP of Marketing at the Trump Plaza Casino Hotel in Atlantic City for six years, and leading the casino side of Gulfstream since September 2007.

Gulfstream's parent company, MI Developments, could not be reached for comment, but a Gulfstream press release said Calabro left to spend more time with his family in New Jersey.

The press release said Mike Couch, director of gaming, will maintain the day-to-day operations of the casino while Timothy Ritvo, VP of racing, will assume the responsibilities of the day-to-day operations of the building.

Ritvo's quote in the press release: “We at Gulfstream Park wish Steve the best and appreciate all he has accomplished while he was here. We look forward to continuing the success that Gulfstream has enjoyed the last several years.”

It's been an interesting time at Gulfstream. On Feb. 11, 2010, the first phase of a shopping center opened, consisting of about 70 retail shops, restaurants and bars, costing developer Forest City Commercial Group about $250 million.

The casino numbers look fine. Gulfstream and Hallandale Beach rival Mardi Gras Casino, run neck-and-neck, each taking in about $50 million per year in slots, according to the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.

That's about as good as they're going to do, considering the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is nearby, and Miami Dade has added slots at Magic City and Calder.

Meanwhile, horse racing experts say Gulfstream's product has been very good, with another strong meet concluding a couple of months ago.

But then there's Stronach...

Continue reading "Another Gulfstream Park CEO (Steve Calabro) leaves" »

So if you've tried to comment on this blog or any other in recent days, it's frustrating to not see it go up immediately. We've been hit by a spam attack so grand that the techies had to shut off the comments feature.

It's back, but your comment now gets kicked into a holding que, which means I have to approve every one. And I'm trying to work here, too, so I'm not at this computer 24-7. So, if you don't see your comment up right away, there is no secret censor, no Big Brother thing going on. It's just technology.

And I do want the comments, even the negative ones. So keep 'em coming.

-- Nick

Powerball and Florida Lotto were rollovers Wednesday night, but Fantasy 5 hit five times -- including in Deerfield Beach -- each paying out 45,720.28.

The Fantasy 5 numbers were: 1-7-11-12-17. One winning ticket was sold at Publix, 1337 South Military Trail, Deerfield Beach It also hit in Fort Myers, Miami, Inglis and Crestview.

The Powerball numbers were: 19-20-38-41-43, with a Powerball of 29. It'll be $36 million Saturday night.

The Florida Lotto numbers were: 15-36-42-46-48-53. It'll be $10 million Saturday.

Get SMS text alerts of the winning numbers send the keyword LOTTO to 23539.

For all South Florida gambling news, bookmark this Action blog.

South Florida poker rooms repeatedly steer players toward games other than Texas Hold 'em, but the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood is actually putting money behind it.

Players who have logged at least 30 hours' play of Omaha 8 or Better before Tuesday will be eligible to play in a free tournament at 4 p.m. June 26. Entry is limited to the first 70 players who qualify.

“We wanted to reach out into a segment of the market that we haven't tapped into, actively,” said William Mason, Hard Rock's director of poker.

He said the Hard Rock also wants to build up interest for the WPT Summer Regional poker tournament series, which includes an Omaha 8 or Better tournament on Aug. 14.

The June 26 event winner will receive $2,500. Those who finish second through ninth get free entry into the $230 buy-in Aug. 14 tournament.

The Hard Rock and most South Florida poker rooms offer Omaha games if there are enough players to get a game going. (Players put their names on a “list of interest.”) Mason noted the Hard Rock gets regular pot-limit Omaha games, but seldom is there interest for the Omaha 8 or Better. Both versions of Omaha deal four cards face-down to players instead of the two in Texas Hold 'em. Omaha 8 or Better differs in that the pot is split between the highest and the lowest hands.

Meanwhile, the Hard Rock also is having a similar tournament for the first 135 No-Limit Texas Hold 'em players who have logged at least 50 hours by Tuesday. A June 26 tournament will pay $10,000 cash to the winner. Second through 10th places win a satellite entry worth $230 for the WPT Summer Regional.

Vanessa Rousso, of Hobe Sound, is conducting a poker instruction camp from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 7 at the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The camp is designed to help those entering the World Series of Poker main event. The main event has four Day 1s, with the first starting on July 7.

Rousso, the 2001 Wellington High valedictorian, has more than $4 million in poker winnings.

Cost is $300. Players can register at bigslickbootcamp.com. or call 1-877-337-5425.

You know, if you keep trying and trying, eventually luck will come your way, some people believe.

Case supporting their point: A Seminole Casino Hollywood Classic long-timer -- a very long-timer -- finally hit his big jackpot, raking in $1.1 million on a slot machine.

The man, who would identify himself only as "Richard T.," told casino officials he had been coming to Seminole Hollywood since 1979, the year it opened as the first Native American bingo hall and casino in North America.

On June 8, the man bet $4 and hit the $1,150,318.76 jackpot on an Indiana Jones progressive slot machine. Progressive slot machines are linked in a nationwide Native American Indian network including all Seminole casinos. International Gaming Technology is the manufacturer for Indiana Jones.

The casino opened as the country’s first large stakes bingo hall in 1979, eventually expanded with slots, poker and blackjack.