SPIRIT MOUNTAIN OR CHINOOK WINDS

I'm headed up to the coast in Oregon for some time off. Can anyone say anything about either Spirit Mountain or Chinook Winds casinos.

They have been hitting the advertising pretty good in the Eugene area, lots of billboards and radio ads. They haven't sent me any offers though so I haven't visited. They did have a billboard last year that said "luck happens" with a map of the west coast where California was missing. Being from California I was quite insulted, anyway I hope that the marketing director got fired for that one. Sorry I don't have any gaming info for you, I'd be interested in that.

SMC is alright for backcounting (as dealers there have told me, "You HAVE TO watch the card flow before you jump in"), but the pen is a rather pedestrian 1.7 on average, some dealers are even worse.

Chinook is always too crowded during day/swing unless you ask for a $25 table, in which case you'll be hawked. You can usually find decent conditions in the middle of the night, but if so they'll probably have the best game closed and you'll get plenty of attention from the bored PC.

Luck better happen since you will find all tables 6 deck with 2 cut off. Crowded conditions. Also resently increased min to $10 on most tables. Bad cut do to internet boasting on this very site in 2001.

I play Chinook Winds every couple of months and I like their DD game. They only have one DD table, and sometimes you have to wait a little bit to get in, but usually I get in plenty of play time, even on weekends. But the busiest time of the year for the Oregon coast is just starting, and I generally avoid Lincoln City in July and August if possible.

Their single deck game has typical lousy rules and pen.

I don't like Spirit Mountain because its all 6 deck, generally higher minimums and worse pen than Chinook Winds.