The First Day in Tunica
The first time I came to Tunica was many years ago and since that time I have returned on multiple occasions. On the first visit, I was part of a chartered group leaving from Augusta, Georgia, and I was accompanied by my faithful gambling buddy, Gene. Our expectations were low, as this was our first trip and we knew nothing about this gambling location except that it was close to Memphis, Tennessee. Little did we know what awaited us on our arrival.
Star Treatment and Real Stars
We touched down in the Memphis airport and were quickly shown to an awaiting shuttle that took us directly from the airport to Harrah’s, our host casino. Upon arriving, there was no check-in process as the helpful staff had already organized everything for us. We received our room keys, dropped the bags off in the room, and headed down to the floor to check out the action. Stepping into the casino, Gene and I both stopped and looked at each other.
The view before our eyes was incredibly different from what we had imagined. Instead of the rinky-dink casino we expected to find, the pit was comparable to Las Vegas standards. Eager to jump into the games, we stepped up a nearby roulette table and bought in for some chips. There were a few rather large gentlemen at the table and Gene eyed them with a suspicious glance until he figured it out. He asked them if they were players for the Tennessee Titans, a professional football team, and they nodded. Wow! Not fifteen minutes after we first arrived at the casino and already we were gambling with celebrities.
Ribs and Riffs
For dinner we were in the mood for barbecue, so we headed next door to Sam’s Town as one of the football players had said their buffet was the best in town. He was right and we stuffed ourselves silly with great barbecue and all the trimmings. Gene wanted to play craps, so we ambled our extended bellies up to the table and bought in. After thirty minutes we were still even, neither losing or winning and decided to go check out Hollywood Casino, which is also within walking distance.
As the dealer colored up our chips, a pit boss came over and asked us if we like Peter Frampton’s music. For Gene the answer was a resounding yes and the pit boss unexpectedly fished two tickets out of his jacket pocket. He handed them to us saying that the show started in less than an hour. Again, wow! We hadn’t asked for any comps, but here they were, put into our hands by a pit boss no less. After a couple beers at the bar, we headed to the River Palace Entertainment Center for a rocking show where Frampton truly came alive.
Amped up by the concert, we decided to head back to Harrah’s and play a bit of poker before calling it a night. The cards worked out for both of us and Gene netted a nice bonus by having the highest hand of the hour. From this first day in Tunica, it was very clear that Gene and I would repeatedly return as the employees in Tunica were extremely attentive, the food was excellent, and the entertainment was top-notch.