| Casino: | The Big Easy Casino | ||||||
| Location: | Hallandale Beach, Florida, U.S. | ||||||
| Address: | 831 N. Federal Highway | ||||||
| Date Opened: | December 1, 1934 | ||||||
| Theme: | New Orleans | ||||||
| Owner: | Jeffrey Soffer | ||||||
| Space Gaming: | 70,0000+ square feet | ||||||
| Notable Restaurants: | The French Quarter Bonjour Cafe Le Royale Trifecta Grille & Bar | ||||||
| Renovations: | 2015 2006 1974 1940 | ||||||
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The Big Easy Casino, formerly known as Mardi Gras Casino and Hollywood Greyhound Track, is a casino and formerly a greyhound racing facility located in Hallandale Beach, in the Florida, US. The casino features over 700 slot machines, virtual table games, free to enter poker tournaments and nightly entertainment.[1]
What is now the Big Easy Casino opened as the Hollywood Kennel Club on December 1, 1934, three years after Florida legalized parimutuel betting.[2] A grandstand was added in 1940. In 1974, the facility was reopened as Hollywood Greyhound Track.[3]
A November 2004 statewide referendum allowed Broward County voters to decide whether to allow slot machines at parimutuel facilities located in the county.[4] Broward County voters subsequently approved the use of slots at Hollywood Greyhound and other parimutuels.
An extensive renovation project in 2006 added approximately 1,100 slot machines and a poker room to the dog track, which was renamed Mardi Gras Casino.[5] Two years later, an additional 200 slot machines were added and, in 2009, the Big Easy Poker Room was relocated and expanded. Also included in the renovated facility were a flea market, several restaurants/bars, and a gift shop.[6]
In 2015, the casino made further improvements, which included widening the aisles and opening up Louie's Lounge to the entire casino floor.
In 2017, the facility was closed for two months because of damage from Hurricane Irma.[7]
In 2018, Jeffrey Soffer, owner of the Fontainebleau Hotel, purchased the Mardi Gras Casino from Hartman & Tyner, and renamed it as the Big Easy Casino.[8] [9] [10]
The casino offers over 70,000 square feet of gaming space, including over 900 slot machines,[11] virtual roulette and blackjack,[12] as well as The Dog Pound, Mardi Gras’ smoker-friendly slot area; simulcast and greyhound racing.
The Big Easy Poker Room, offers over 30 tables of Texas Hold 'em, 7 Card Stud, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo. The casino offers low and high limit tables in an effort to accommodate beginner and experienced players.
There are also nightly, free to enter poker tournaments[13] that can be entered and tracked through the Bravo Poker Mobile App.
The Krewe Club is the casino's membership program. Anyone over 21 can become a Krewe Club member, and will receive $25 bonus play when signing up. The Krewe Club is a tiered membership program that includes purple, gold, black, and platinum levels. As club members play in the casino, they earn points that enable them to move up from purple, to gold, to black, and eventually to the invitation only platinum card. Each level gives the card-holder more exclusive benefits, ranging from free valet service to complimentary tickets to on-site concerts and events.
Despite improvements and enhancements over the years, the dog track itself remained relatively the same over the course of its use. Track specifics included:
The last day of racing was May 5, 2018. The casino, which is a supporter of the Adopt-A-Greyhound program, still offers simulcast greyhound racing, harness and thoroughbred racing from tracks across the United States and Canada.
The track is home to four stakes races:
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2010 Stakes Schedule [14]
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The $15,000 Mardi Gras FuturityQualifying Rounds BeginJanuary 13 & 16Semi-Final RoundJanuary 20ChampionshipJanuary 23, 2010
Winner: Ls Lafave
Time: 30:60
----The $75,000 Mardi Gras World ClassicQualifying Rounds BeginMarch 10 & 13thSemi-Final Rounds BeginMarch 17 & 20thChampionshipMarch 26, 2010
Winner: Oya Tom Terrific
Time: 30:51
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The $10,000 Joe Ryan, Jr. MemorialChampionshipApril 2, 2010
Winner: Funnelling Money
Time: 30:16
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The $30,000 HollywoodianQualifying Rounds BeginApril 21 & 24thSemi-Final Rounds BeginApril 28 & May 1ChampionshipMay 8, 2010
Winner: Crispins Place
Time: 37:55
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| Date | Champion | Time (seconds) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 1, 1975 | Can't Decide | 31.57 | |
| February 28, 1976 | Bashful Guy | 30.65 | |
| March 5, 1977 | Downing | 30.72 | |
| March 4, 1978 | Cousin's Elite | 31.01 | |
| March 3, 1979 | Enisled | 31.58 | |
| March 1, 1980 | Banker Hap | 30.85 | |
| March 21, 1981 | MKC Lorine | 31.34 | |
| March 12, 1982 | Lantana Glamour | 31.39 | |
| March 11, 1983 | For Real | 31.22 | |
| March 10, 1984 | My Unicorn | 30.79 | |
| March 8, 1985 | Magnificat | 31.05 | |
| March 8, 1986 | Cajun Pay Off | 30.62 | |
| March 7, 1987 | Prince Proper | 30.48 | |
| March 4, 1988 | My Azalian | 30.50 | |
| February 25, 1989 | Warm Mission | 30.64 | |
| March 3, 1990 | Hello Higsbee | 30.66 | |
| March 2, 1991 | Briggs Stratton | 30.77 | |
| March 7, 1992 | Briggs Stratton | 31.24 | |
| February 20, 1993 | By Tar | 30.73 | |
| February 26, 1994 | Great Son | 30.80 | |
| February 25, 1995 | Follies Bergiere | 30.90 | |
| March 15, 1996 | Dunagree | 30.52 | |
| March 14, 1997 | Bomb Threat | 30.22 | |
| March 13, 1998 | Wigwam Hoss | 31.16 | |
| March 27, 1999 | Kelsos Kingpin | 30.90 | |
| March 10, 2000 | System Ax Friend | 31.14 | |
| March 9, 2001 | Kiowa Shawnee So | 30.54 | |
| March 15, 2002 | Flying Earhardt | 30.26 | |
| March 14, 2003 | Ea's Itzaboy | 30.31 | |
| March 14, 2004 | Ea's Itzaboy | 30.27 | |
| March 15, 2005 | Hallo West Acre | 30.34 | |
| April 1, 2006 | Kiowa Cruzechamp | 30.29 | |
| March 31, 2007 | Flying Stanley | 30.06 | |
| March 29, 2008 | Starz Jenko | 30.30 | |
| March 27, 2009 | Yahoo Omar | 30.19 | |
| March 26, 2010 | Oya Tom Terrific | 30.51 |
Dining options at the facility offer a mix of Cajun and American cuisine, ranging from fast casual to upscale, including:
The property has several entertainment venues that host nightly performances and year-round events, including concerts, stand-up comedy, dance competitions, and MMA fights.