Friday, May 31, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
At Boomtown, poker sharks don't just feed on unskilled players. They also can gorge to their stomach's content on sandwiches and French fries -- right at the table.
Eating at poker tables is a common custom in California cardrooms, but is not allowed in virtually all Las Vegas poker rooms.
But Boomtown hotel-casino poker room manager Michael Mangarella plans to run things a little differently beginning Saturday, when the poker room -- which has been closed for a year -- officially re-opens.
"Before, the poker room wasn't in the right location," said Mangarella, 41, who was hired at Boomtown earlier this month. "Now it's centrally located just a few feet from rest rooms, the Whiskey River Bar and the buffet."
If that's not enough to attract more poker players to Boomtown, Mangarella promises to offer $5 meal comps to any player who sits at a game for three hours.
"I've been a player, a dealer and a manager," Mangarella said. "I know what the poker players want."
But even most poker players -- long accustomed to being treated as the bottom fish in an ocean of casino patrons -- would never dream of Mangarella's final poker perk.
Boomtown has designated a small parking area on the west side of the casino specifically for poker players. The area is only 20 feet from a casino entrance.
"I believe that the only way to gain loyalty is to treat people well," said Mangarella, who started in the business as a poker dealer at Circus Circus 12 years ago. "Our goal is to make the players feel like family."
Mangarella said floor supervisors and brush people are expected to shake at least 100 hands a day.
"We escort players to the table and we pull chairs for them."
The poker room at Boomtown is small -- with only four tables -- but Mangarella said he expects to expand to six tables by the end of summer.
He also boasts that he is offering the lowest poker rakes in Las Vegas: only a $2 rake on $5 and $10 Texas hold 'em and seven card stud.
And if a player goes nearly broke at Boomtown, there will be nightly chances at redemption.
"We're offering midnight madness tournaments on weekdays," Mangarella said. "The cost will be only a $2 buy-in along with a $3 entry fee and unlimited $5 re-buys the first hour."
Even the most destitute poker players can afford that tournament.
Unless, of course, they've blown the last of their money on table-side meals of sandwiches and pizza.
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