Casino and Diamondbacks team up for charity

A local casino is hoping that a big league poker tournament will knock it out of the park for charity.

Gila River Casinos is hosting the fourth annual Big League Poker Tournament to benefit the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation. From June 17 through Aug. 26, pre-qualifying tournaments will be held every Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Wild Horse Pass, 555 W. Wild Horse Pass, Chandler, and Vee Quiva Casino, 6443 N. Komatke Drive, Laveen. The main tournament will be held at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at the Wild Horse Pass Casino Poker Room.

The first-place winner at the main tournament is guaranteed $15,000.

"Gila River Casinos is one of our big partners and this is one way to raise money for the foundation," said Shaun Rachau, spokesman for the Arizona Diamondbacks. "The tournament is also a way for some of our fans to win money and have fun with sports celebrities around the Valley."

For $30, fans can compete to qualify for one of 126 seats in the main tournament alongside members of the Diamondbacks broadcast team, Daron Sutton, Mark Grace, Brad Steinke and Reggie Sanders, Sports 620 KTAR personalities Doug Franz and Mark Asher, On Deck pre-game show host Erika Williams, NHL standout Jeremy Roenick, former Diamondbacks players Matt Williams and Mike Fetters, and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane.

"We'll not only play poker with you, but you might get heckled by a guy like Mark Grace," said Sutton, who is the emcee of the tournament. "Fans want to feel like as if they're a part of the locker room. It's a good time and many people will benefit as a result."

Bob Miller, a Chandler resident and Diamondbacks fan, said last year he heard about the tournament but this year he's ready to play with the big boys.

"I want a chance to meet the players and the opportunity to win $15,000 is nice," Miller said.

Last year, the tournament raised approximately $22,000 for the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation according to Rachau.

Since its inception in 1997, the foundation has donated more than $13.5 million to charities, homeless shelters, nonprofit organizations and the refurbishment of 26 youth baseball fields throughout Arizona.

For more information, call 1-800-WIN-GILA or visit www.WinGilaRiver.com.

Contact writer: (480) 898-4903 or mterril@ahwatukee.com.