According to multiple industry sources, Pinnacle Entertainment is currently in negotiations to acquire Epic Poker.
Terms of the potential deal are currently unknown. The deal is set to be finalized within the next 60 days.
Pinnacle Entertainment operates casino properties in Nevada (Reno), Louisiana, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio.
If the deal goes through, this is a major coup for Epic Poker. The fledgeling poker league recently postponed their fourth event and $1M freeroll championship tournament to a to-be-determined April/May date. While the league claims the postponement was due to “player requests,” within the industry rumors persist that financial concerns played a major part for the push.
The potential acquisition is a curious fit, but one with understandable roots. Pinnacle management consists of a number of ex-Harrah’s executive staff. Ginny Shanks (pictured right), who currently heads Marketing for Pinnacle, helped run the World Series of Poker when Jeffrey Pollack first arrived and appointed himself commissioner. Shanks was responsible for conceiving and executing the $2M Tournament of Champions freeroll in 2004, won by current Epic commissioner Annie Duke.
According to a casino gaming source who tipped us off on the deal, Pollack has maintained a close relationship with Shanks and other ex-Harrah’s employees now with Pinnacle, who still live in Las Vegas where the corporate office is located. The deal apparently was put on the front-burner in the New Year with an Epic executive trip to Vegas.
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BlanksaBlazin
January 11, 2012
does this mean we can get rid of any commissioner type people who happen to be related to the biggest thief in the history of poker??