Golf, poker, food, drink were on GIA social program
Pub Date: 6/1/2008
With the recent changing of the executive guard at the Gaming Industry Association of Montana (Neil Peterson was named executive director as Rich Miller's successor), it is understandable that tradition was observed when it came to the group's annual convention social agenda.
And the weather was incredibly cooperative, producing sunshine and 80-plus degree temperatures for the golf tournament that took place Tues., May 19. Yet it was when the 100 or so members and guests gathered indoors for cocktails, a buffet, "gentile conversation" and the poker tournament finals that the weather let loose with ferocious wind and rain that turned to snow by the next day.
Ah, spring in Montana...
The GIA took a lighter tack this year when handing out golf awards. Rather than recognize the raw competitive aspects, tournament organizers and sponsors gaming machine manufacturers IGT, Summit, Fleetwood and Spielo focused on the more frivolous.
For example, John Hayes was honored as the most senior golfer (not actually admitted by Hayes), six-foot six-inch Peterson was awarded "closest to the ceiling" and so on.
The poker tournament was a more serious matter, perhaps because there is some serious money at stake.
Executive Director Peterson, admitting to having never played in a poker tournament, nevertheless survived the elimination round Monday night, only to receive the "first-out" honor for the subsequent Tuesday night championship round.
Players seemed a bit more cautious and conservative this year as piles of chips were whittled away, rather than confiscated in big blow-outs. Play dragged into the wee hours with tournament organizer Sandy Jones, Mary Frampton, Dan Skiles, Mark Ehli and Aaron Herceg comprising the final five. Chip-counts seemed close with Herceg at a noticeable disadvantage.
Herceg, Jones' son-in-law, was first of the five to be knocked out followed by Skiles, a past champion, and then Mary Frampton, also a past champion.
That left Ehli and Jones to duke it out for the top money. At one point, it appeared Ehli had gained a slight chip advantage, which Jones set about methodically chipping away at. Ehli, his first time in the final showdown, played tenaciously, conservatively, but it wasn't enough as his pile of chips dwindled until he was forced out with more of a whimper than a bang by Jones' savvy play.
Jones later reported the tournament netted GIA $5,411. She pocketed for herself $2,700 plus took possession of the traveling trophy which will now feature her engraved name as the 2008 champion.
The social in the Chico Hot Springs ballroom that preceded the poker was a casual affair, with perhaps Executive Director Peterson the only one sporting a necktie. Rather, boots and blue jeans were favored and that included the five candidates for Montana Attorney General who were all present.
The candidates made no formal talks or speeches, instead mixing with the crowd in one-on-one or one-on-four or -five clutches. All appeared at ease and were overheard talking about crops, the weather, fishing and...politics and business issues. Most expressed confidence in the outcome of the June 3 primary election when the field will be pared from five to two.
In attendance were Republicans Tim Fox and Lee Bruner, and Democrats, Steve Bullock, Mike Wheat and John Parker. A number of GIA members in attendance who talked to this writer said Montana is fortunate to have five such qualified candidates, all of them apparently understanding of the problems facing small business.
Plenty of beer, wine and spirits were available at the hosted bar to complement the hors 'd oeuvres and prime rib served up by the Chico chefs. The affair wound down toward 9 p.m., just in time for everyone to spectate at, or participate in, the poker finals in the Chico Saloon.
For those who attended the social, and kept socializing until the poker tournament was decided, the 9 a.m. start-time of the next day's business meeting might have come a little early. Nevertheless, the chairs were well filled and the meeting productive. (See the complete report on the GIA business meeting beginning on page one.)
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, June, 2008, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.