Card Room Round-Up: Green Valley Ranch

Green Valley Ranch Casino and Spa became the benchmark for luxury local resorts when it opened in December, 2001. Located high above the Las Vegas Valley in Henderson, Station Casinos built the premier resort and included a large, European style health spa. Acres of plush grounds offering a variety of pools and lounging areas where guest enjoy all the special amenities of a world class spa, and all of this ambience comes with a million dollar view by day that becomes even more spectacular after dark.

Everything about Green Valley is different, not the usual Las Vegas Strip resort, even the exterior lighting for the Resort differs from the Vegas norm of blazing neon, the more the better. Lighting for this resort is subdued and neutral, the perfect compliment to the vista views of the Las Vegas Valley after sundown. The grounds have forest of palm trees, acres of shimmering water and a well-tended hillside vineyard. The resort is bordered by The District at Green Valley Ranch, a collection of shops and restaurants connected by landscaped walkways. Green Valley Ranch was the location for the television series, American Casino.

The Green Valley Resort is an easy car trip from anywhere in the Las Vegas metropolis and like all major resorts in the Las Vegas area it's easy to find. Take I-215 to Henderson and in under fifteen minutes you'll be exiting on Green Valley, you're there.

The smallish casino benefits from its layout, feeling much larger than its fifty thousand square foot size. Green Valley Resort has eight restaurants offering the hungry guest quick and easy fast food or an evening of elegant dining at Hank's Steak House, considered by many to be one of the best in a city that specializes in great steak places. Of course, it can't be a Station Casino without a signature, Feast Buffet. Station Casino's Feast Buffet was the first 'action buffet' in Las Vegas. The action part was the results of adding dedicated cooking stations that prepared your request your way. As expected, the Green Valley Feast Buffet is a cut above. Prepare to spend time in line; but, the wait is worth it. Remember, long lines generally are a testimony to the culinary pleasures awaiting within. The longer the line the better the food.

The hotel offers 496 guest rooms and suites, all with luxurious appointments. Green Valley Ranch Resort accommodations are in stark contrast to the hectic pace of the resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. Consider staying here the next time you're in Las Vegas. Need another reason to stay at Green Valley? Look no further than the poker room.

Opened five months ago with 11 tables, the poker room has already added 3 tables bringing the current total to 14. The Green Valley Ranch poker room has quickly established its reputation as a No-limit Hold'em house. Poker Room Manager, Gary DeWitt, has put together a class operation. Gary has been in the Las Vegas poker industry for three decades so he knows how to pay attention to his players and attend the details to make the Green Valley poker room the place to play for some great poker action. The setting is next to the sports book and provides players with a panoramic view of the surroundings. The poker room has a full service bar running alongside one side and a dedicated cocktail server, so no waiting for drinks. Parking couldn't be easier or closer; a few steps away from the poker room are two valet parking areas and plenty of self parking.

Comps are issued to players at the standard Station Casino rate of $1/hour and may be used at any of the food outlets. The Green Valley poker room is included in the Station Casinos' Progressive Bad Beat jackpot. A bad Beat Jackpot that resets at $200,000 was hit recently for a bad beat record of $418,870. The poker room spreads Limit Hold'em with limits of $2-$4, $4-$8, $6-$12 and all have a 1/2 Kill. The popular No-limit Hold'em games offered are $1-$2 blinds with $100-$200 buy-in, $3-$5 blinds with $300-$500 buy-in and $5-$10 blinds with $500-No Cap buy-in. A well trained poker room staff will spread most any poker game or limits if enough players request it. A $30-$60 with a Full Kill Hold'em game is often going in the room, great for the adrenalin junkies. Tournaments are not currently offered in the room due to the lack of available table space. Live games keep the tables full and there is often a wait list. Weekends the list can grow to more than a hundred players waiting for a seat.

As with most of the major Las Vegas area resorts, Green Valley Ranch is currently adding thousands of parking spaces in a new parking garage, the race and sports book is being enlarged to more than double its present size and the poker room will be moving to an area that will accommodate a couple of dozen tables. Tournaments are in the future when the room has completed this expansion sometime later this year.

Green Valley Ranch offers poker players another alternative to the strip-side places. The drive is easy for locals or visitors and can be accomplished in the same time or less it takes to visit many of the strip resorts. Las Vegas visitors can do themselves a favorite and play in a great poker room with continuous action and a friendly, professional staff. I spent part of an afternoon with poker room shift supervisor, Houston Waldie, while preparing for this Prof's Poker Room Review and I noticed how quiet and comfortable the room can be. The Green Valley Ranch Poker Room is a must play room so take some time and check out the advantages to playing in the most luxurious 'locals joint,' and its a destination resort and spa. Phone ahead to place your name on the list or to check the availability of games on the direct poker room phone number 702.617.7017.

Green Valley Ranch Resort-Spa-Casino
2300 Paseo Verde Drive
Henderson, Nevada 89052
Toll Free Reservations: 866.617.7777
Local: 702.392.7313
www.greenvalleyranchresort.com