Charities Bring Texas Hold 'Em to Cleveland's Nautica Entertainment Complex

Charities Bring Texas Hold 'Em to Cleveland's Nautica Entertainment Complex

CLEVELAND, May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Cleveland Police Athletic League (PAL) and Easter Seals of Northeast Ohio are among charities to host and benefit from the Nautica Charity Poker Festivals, a series of twelve, four-day festivals that feature poker played inside a 20,800 sq. ft. Festival Center located on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River at the Nautica Entertainment Complex. Other charities hosting Festivals over the initial seven-week period include the Greater Cleveland Special Olympics, Up Side of Downs, Art on Wheels and the Cleveland Baseball Federation based on the following schedule:

June
16th - 19th Cleveland Police Athletic League
23rd -26th Cleveland Police Athletic League
30th - July 3rd Art on Wheels

July
7th - 10th Easter Seals
14th - 17th Cleveland Baseball Federation
21st - 24th Greater Cleveland Special Olympics
28th - 31st Up Side of Downs

Nautica Charity Poker Festivals will feature the popular poker game Texas Hold 'Em and offer cultural and artistic events, charity demonstrations and information booths relevant to each charity. The four-day Festivals will run from Thursday through Sunday, 8-hours a day, beginning June 16th and continue through Labor Day weekend.

Charities will receive 100% of the proceeds from the Festivals, which may exceed $50,000 during each four-day event. Adults 21 years and older will be allowed to play poker at up to 30 tables seating up to 10 players each. Proceeds will come from an hourly seat fee paid by each player, donations made by patrons, food and beverage concessions and sponsorship.

"I would like to thank the Cuyahoga County Commissioners for their support and expediency in making the Nautica Charity Poker Festivals a reality," said Dave Grunenwald, Vice President of Development/Leasing for Jacobs Investments, which owns the Nautica Entertainment Complex. "We're pleased the County approved their lease of the Festival Center on April 14th and look forward to their subleasing to Charities," added Grunenwald. Cuyahoga County will rent the Nautica Charity Poker Festival Center for $1 a year and sublease it to charities for $1 a week.

"I would also like to thank Mayor Campbell for her efforts in forging the positive political atmosphere required to bring gaming, and all of its economic benefits, to northeast Ohio. These Charity Poker Festivals will demonstrate that this job-creating, tax-generating industry is good for Cleveland, as well as all of Ohio. It is time we stem the flow of Ohioans traveling to surrounding states to spend their entertainment dollars on gaming, especially as local job losses continue to mount," said Grunenwald. Pennsylvania recently passed legislation that will allow as many as 61,000 slot machines at casinos and racetracks. States surrounding Ohio with legalized gaming include New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Michigan, plus Canada.

Created to generate revenue for local charities, Nautica Charity Poker Festivals are expected to draw thousands of visitors to downtown Cleveland.

Jacobs Entertainment, Inc., an affiliate of Jacobs Investments, will serve as an unpaid consultant to each charity. The firm is a licensed gaming operator in Colorado, Virginia, Louisiana and Nevada with casinos that include slot machines and poker rooms, and a horse race track with associated off- track wagering facilities. Consulting services to be provided will include training the charities' volunteers.

Representatives from the Nautica Entertainment Complex are meeting other charities interested in hosting Festivals, which must supply up to 120 volunteers, 18-years and older, who will work concessions and serve as card dealers. "We are finalizing discussions with other charities and will release the balance of the schedule over the next month." said Paul Ertel, a Jacobs' representative. Charities are currently organizing all of the volunteers required for each Festival. Groups of volunteers interested in helping are asked to visit the Nautica Charity Poker Festivals' web site. For more information visit www.NauticaCharityPoker.org .

Source: Nautica Entertainment Complex

CONTACT: Tim Knudsen of Knudsen, Gardner & Howe, Inc., +1-216-781-5000,
or E-mail, tk@KGHinc.com ; or Paul Ertel of Jacobs Investments, Inc.,
+1-216-861-4080, or E-mail, paul@nauticaflats.com

Web site: http://www.nauticacharitypoker.org/

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