As a poker player living in Las Vegas, I have pretty much adopted my “home” poker rooms. There are a multitude of reasons why a poker player living in Las Vegas, or even visiting regularly, would consistently visit the same poker rooms time and time again. For me personally, the determining factors include: the poker room is comfortable, beautiful and draws large crowds, the floor people or dealers are kind and accommodating, I consistently win when I play at the particular room, and other poker friends and players I know tend to congregate there. This doesn’t mean that I am “married” to these poker rooms, and in fact, I am always open to try a new poker room just to shake things up a little bit in my daily poker grind.

The City Center project, part of MGM Mirage, recently opened the new Aria Casino (complete with Aria Poker Room) in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. A massive, thunderous entity in the middle of the city, it piqued my curiosity. I figured that the newly opened poker room would be trying to one-up its already existing competition (Venetian, Mirage, Bellagio, etc). So after the Aria Poker Room had been open for a couple weeks, I looked at some photos and a write up on Las Vegas Poker Source, and decided it was time to venture down and try out a poker session in the new room.

When I arrived, I was instantly thrilled to find that once I entered the casino from the parking garage, the poker room is literally right there. Very easily accessible, which is a plus. Some of the other rooms in the city are quite a trek from parking to poker table, so this was the first positive aspect. The next, and definitely the most impressive, is the visual facet of this poker room. Deep thought went into the design. There are giant, decorative playing cards crafted from various metals on all the outer corners of the room from floor to ceiling. It is beautiful and definitely puts one in the mindset to play cards.

The interior of the Aria poker room is pleasing as well; very colorful with prime lighting, 24 brand new tables designed to give players a little more personal space during the game, ultra-comfortable chairs, and plenty of high-definition televisions planted throughout. I also couldn’t help but notice the special “high limit” room – glass-encased and attached by a private entrance to the cashier cage. I was told that this room is used for super high stakes cash games and invited guests only. It is the Aria’s answer to Bobby’s room at its sister property, Bellagio.

For the convenience of the players in the Aria Poker Room, there are restrooms, ATMs, a coffee shop and carryout food spot within a few steps. The room is complete with tableside food and beverage service as well. Players can use their MGM Mirage Player’s Card to earn $1/hour comps to be spent in any MGM Mirage property.

The Aria Poker Room is typically offering cash games at the following stakes: $1/$3 No Limit Holdem, $2/$5 No Limit Holdem, $5/$10 No Limit Holdem, $3/$6 Limit Holdem, $4/$8 Mixed Game, and $9/$18 Omaha Hi/Lo. Managers say that they do often run more games than this, and are willing to start a game for pretty much any interest list that is generated by players. In addition, they have a pager system to send text messages to players on the waiting list when their seat is ready and also have the ability to have a poker dealer send out a notification to players that a particular game is starting up at the Aria Poker Room. This new technology is sure to be a draw for poker players.

Aria Poker Room has a daily poker tournament available beginning at 1pm. Poker players may late register until 3pm, but there are no re-buys, add-ons, or re-entry if you bust. The buy-in is $120 and players receive 8,000 in chips with 30 minute blind levels. The tournament has been accruing anywhere from 30 to 70 players each day, with weekend tournaments attracting the bigger crowds.

Despite a slow start, due partly to the economy and partly to its opening being close to the holidays, the Aria Poker Room is a popular new room for poker players to hone both their cash and tournament skills. Poker players and managers alike give high praises to the poker room staff, stating that they are some of the very best out there. This is likely due to the high number of applicants to the property during a time in Las Vegas where a surplus of poker dealers have found themselves out of a dealing job. This factor surely provided the Aria Poker Room with a very large pool from which to choose high caliber staff.

For more photos and information on Aria’s poker room or tournament schedule, as well as other poker rooms and poker tournament schedules throughout Las Vegas, visit www.lasvegaspokersource.com.