An Update from the
Key West Resort & Casino
Where are we now, and where are we going with all this?
Here at "The Key West Resort & Casino," we've had some good luck lately, courtesy of our friends at PokerChipForum.
First, Tommy has decided to feature a promotion with some Key West sample sets as prizes. Today, ski_ex5 posted lots of photos of his own impressive collection of Key West chips, cards and accessories on his own table.
So it would be a great time to update everyone on where we are -- and where we hope to go -- with the Key West line. Here are the details:
Q: Will the Key West chip line continue being made by Classic Poker Chips?
A: Yes. I've been in touch with Jim B and David at Classic Poker Chips. They've assured me they retain the original Key West artwork for new chips. Our immediate plan is to proceed with production of Key West chips as soon as Classic Poker Chips is up and running in April. Meanwhile, we have a little over 8,000 Key West chips in stock, ready to ship, along with all of our other gaming equipment.
What can we expect to see this year (2014) from the Key West?
A: Lots of things are in the works:
- We'll be producing a new imperial blue $1 chip for the Key West with CPC. This chip will retain its face value of $1 with our company, and can be cashed for $1;
- We'll be producing more white $1 chips, so Key West owners who like the traditional white $1 chip can always order more;
- We're in the process of updating our Key Club page to make it more user-friendly, quick and easy to use. It will eventually be a true, locked "members-only" page for our guests who own or buy Key West items, and they'll use the page to access "comps," earn shipping discounts and see limited items for sale privately.
- We'll be working with our game programmer to offer free Key West roulette on our site. (We already have a slot machine and what I think is the nicest free virtual blackjack table on the internet.)
- I'd love to see some real Key West layouts produced in 2014 for poker and blackjack tables. The blackjack table layout would be based on J5's gorgeous layout design for our virtual blackjack game.
Q: What are the long-term plans, beyond 2014?
A: Long term, it has always been quite simple. We have three goals:
- First, to keep real clay Key West Resort & Casino chips alive and available to anyone who would like to buy;
- Second, to build a menu of gaming equipment to complement Key West chips, as if the casino were real. (It's not, of course.)
- Third, to add, expand and improve our website and offer more benefits to our visitors and Key Club members so owning Key West chips has even more value.
Q: Do you have any information about chip prices as Classic Poker Chips prepares to take over production of Key West chips?
A: No. We haven't heard from CPC about prices yet, and I'm not sure if they have set their prices for new chips as yet. When ASM was producing these chips under Jim B, we got quantity discounts for producing the chips in larger numbers -- more than 1,000 or more than 3,000. Our last order with ASM was for 10,000 chips. I hope we can produce new Key West chips in quantities large enough to keep your per-chip prices very reasonable.
Q: Why would someone consider Key West chips over their own custom chip?
A: First, they'd have to spend more than the per-chip price to commission a chip design, then wait for the design and production and shipping of the chips. With Key West, we're doing that first, and stocking chips for you to buy. (We generally ship orders out within 24 to 48 hours via Priority Mail, and they arrive at your house in about two days. (We've even driven a couple of orders to nearby customers for "same day" delivery.) So, order on Monday or Tuesday, and you could be using your Key West items in Saturday night's game.
Second, Key West chips offer lots of accessories for your home table -- playing cards, dealer buttons, cut cards and other things.
Third, we hope CPC's pricing structure will make Key West chips a less-expensive alternative to full-custom chips.
Fourth, I personally guarantee everything I sell. If you're not happy with it, return it for a full refund.
Finally, the Key West design is classic and well-known. If all the options and choices in the chip market are causing you to put off buying a set of nice casino chips, Key West chips may be your answer. And if you've been considering a small (or larger) set of Key Wests, you should know they'll be around for a long time.
Q: How many people own Key West chips, and how many are out there in the hands of players and collectors?
A: I don't really know the numbers of the original run of Key West chips in 2004, but I've made and sold about 11,000 Key West denominated casino chips and roulette chips to collectors worldwide. We keep a "chip owners" list at the Key West, so we have the names and addresses of everyone who has bought bought Key West chips from our company. We've shipped Key West chips to nearly every U.S. state and ten other nations. We've shipped chips and cards to one Key West fan in Key West, Fla., and U.S. military members serving in Afghanistan. The Key West chip farthest from Key West is probably in Japan right now.
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