DEADWOOD, S.D.
- Texas Holdem Poker players still will ply their
trade in Deadwood in October, but it won't be on
national television, promoters said.
Last
week, Bill Walsh, owner of the Franklin Hotel on
Deadwood's Main Street, said ESPN had confirmed that the
northern Black Hills gambling town would be a backdrop
for two days of videotaping the "World Series of Poker."
But
ESPN says a telecast never was planned. Ashley Smith of
ESPN's marketing department said the Deadwood people
"got overzealous (and) there was a misunderstanding on
what we are doing."
Walsh said a telecast had been planned but now
acknowledges that after a week of phone calls, the
Texas Holdem
poker
games will not be on TV.
"Everyone (from ESPN) is backpedalling," Walsh told the
Black Hills Pioneer.
Promoter Bill McDavid of Texas had said the Franklin
Hotel would host the "World Series of Poker," which
usually is taped in Las Vegas.
Now,
Smith said radio contests will be held in about a dozen
regional markets, and two winners will receive paid
trips to Deadwood to play poker.
"And
we will bring in a couple of fellows who have played on
the World Series (of Poker) for this year," she said.
"We don't know who that is going to be as of yet."
Walsh said the fall
Texas Holdem
poker
event still can be a big attraction for Deadwood.
Specific dates were not reported.
