MGM Resorts to Launch East Coast Poker Tour
MGM Resorts International has announced the upcoming launch of the East Coast Poker Tour (ECPT), a new mid-stakes tour designed to expand the availability of that level of tourney to players based predominantly in the eastern United States. The new ECPT will launch in February of 2020. Three MGM Resorts venues have already been slated to hold tour stops, including MGM National Harbor in Maryland, MGM Springfield in Boston, and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa (owned by MGM) in Atlantic City.
While mid-range poker tourneys have been available at all these and other East Coast venues for years, the “mid-priced” tour, as it’s popularly developed, has succeeded in the US’s central states more than other regions. (Examples include the Heartland Poker Tour, which is now more national, the Mid-Stakes Poker Tour, and the newer RUNGOOD Poker Series.) MGM hopes to shift that balance with the launch of the ECPT.
“MGM Resorts offers players the best poker product on the East Coast,” said Jorge Perez, Portfolio President. “Our East Coast Poker Tour is a great way for us to showcase three of our industry-leading properties while creating an exciting tournament series for our guests and poker enthusiasts.”
A total of six series stops for 2020 have been announced, with three of the six to be held at the Borgata in New Jersey. The six stops are co-branded as ECPT offerings to build upon existing individual series. In the Borgata’s case, for example, that includes the venue’s Spring Poker Open, Summer Poker Open & Fall Poker Open Championship. MGM National Harbor’s Potomac Poker Open series in February and July get the ECPT treatment as well, as does the MGM Springfield Armory Classic. The Borgata’s Fall Poker Open will now double as the ECPT’s championship, with a leaderboard and points chase already in place to generate interest and interest in the 2020 ECPT’s $2 million finale.
A few other details have been announced as well. According to MGM, “Players can qualify for the MGM Resorts ECPT leaderboard between February 5, 2020 and August 24, 2020 by registering in any of the five tournaments prior to the championship. A minimum of 100 players, including the five winners of the tour’s previous tournaments, five randomly selected participants (one from each tournament), and the top 90 participants on the leaderboard will receive a complimentary two-night stay at Borgata and entry into the Borgata Fall Poker Open / MGM Resorts East Coast Poker Tour $2 Million Guaranteed Championship November 15-20, 2020. Additional prizes include a $500 MGM Resorts gift card, $250 hotel credit at Borgata, and a Cartier watch. Participants must be M life cardholders to qualify.”
The ECPT has also created a new online home at http://www.mgmecpt.com/. More information on the tour and the 2020 stops can be found there. Here’s the 2020 MGM Resorts ECPT Schedule:
POTOMAC WINTER POKER OPEN – MGM National Harbor
February 5 – 17, 2020
* featuring guaranteed $500,000 championship ($3,000 buy-in)
BORGATA SPRING POKER OPEN – Borgata
April 7 – 24, 2020
* featuring guaranteed $1 million championship ($2,700 buy-in)
BORGATA SUMMER POKER OPEN – Borgata
July 7 – 24, 2020
* featuring guaranteed $1 million championship ($2,700 buy-in)
POTOMAC POKER OPEN – MGM National Harbor
July 22 – August 3, 2020
* featuring guaranteed $1 million championship ($3,500 buy-in)
THE ARMORY CLASSIC – MGM Springfield
August 12 – 24, 2020
BORGATA FALL POKER OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP – Borgata
November 15 – 20, 2020
* featuring guaranteed $2 million championship ($3,500 buy-in)
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