Calder slot building opens, and it's more expansive than you'd think
Slot players got their first look inside the Calder Race Course Casino Friday morning, and compared it to other recently opened facilities in South Florida.
Their take: it's a lot more spacious that some other places down here.
"It's a lot bigger than I thought," said Cliff Simpson, 59, of Miramar. "I tip my hat to Calder."
Simpson sat at a restaurant with his friend a 57-year-old reggae musician from Pembroke Pines who goes by the name "Sky High." Both also play the horses, and say Calder is their home.
"And our home just got bigger," Simpson said. "During this time, people need something to help their morale. "You don't even have to play, just bump shoulders with someone and talk.
"And I lost money already."
Only about a dozen gamblers were on hand at the 9 a.m. opening Friday, but within an hour, another couple of hundred had arrived at the Miami Gardens casino, which has 1,200 slot, video blackjack and video poker machines.
The state allows pari-mutels a max of 1,500 machines, and only the Isle has more spread across one floor. The Isle has 1,462. Magic City Casino in Miami has 700 on one floor. Mardi Gras has 1,360 divided on two floors and Gulfstream about 850 on two floors.
My take is that Calder looks closest to the Isle Casino and Racing, although, yes, Calder's green-and-tan square outside had me thinking more "slots barn" than "casino." Glad to be wrong.
Landscapers gussied up the flowers outside, valet parking attendants waited for customers and casino greeters and slot assistants welcomed each visitor.
"Very impressive," said Mary Wern, 55, of Pompano Beach. She normally plays at the Isle and likes non-smoking casinos (all non-Indian ones are) but said the Isle need a better variety of slot machines. "I see some different games here that I want to try."
Calder said machine titles include Star Trek, Wheel of Fortune, Wizard of Oz, Jaws, Slingo and Monopoly. (I think those are common at most places but I'm not real good with slot names, so help me out here, readers.) “Royal Match 21” (the same virtual blackjack as at the other parimutuels) is at the west entrance, and in the spring, Calder's parent company, Churchhill Downs, will roll out new Kentucky Derby-themed slot machines. Another area can easily be converted for slot tournaments. Like every other pari-mutuels, they don't have blackjack or any other table game.
The casino has a grab 'n' go restaurant, called Front Runners, which had meatball hoagies for $7, deli sandwiches for $6.25, and 9-inch pizzas for $4. The sit-down restaurant is called the Twin Spires Tavern. Ribs are $18, a hamburger is $10 and filet mignon $24. The Tropical Gardens Buffet is $10 for lunch and $15 for dinner and has food stations, including Italian and Asian spots. There's also a center-bar area similar to Fling at the Isle, with video poker on the bar tops and a feeling like you'd want to hang out there.
The high-limit area is placed off to the side, with a separate bathroom and bar and TVs around the walls. Machines are $1 and $5.
The casino opening apparently has boosted the poker action, which had been slumping. Calder had 11 tables going and a waiting list of players as of 11 a.m Friday, which is two or three more tables than normal, poker room manager Chris Trabue said.
And for those who have navigated a dark, confusing parking lot the past few months, take heart: Calder has moved away many of the barriers, and a new road from University Drive leads directly to the casino entrance.
The grand opening is next weekend. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 24 hours on Friday and Saturday.
More info at: CalderRaceCourse.com or 954-523-4324.
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