Key West Resort & Casino Discussion Thread (2 Viewers)

[dennis63]

A fun future project for 2024 at the Key West: Adding slot hardware to our touchscreen slot machine (photos below)

I've been running the amazing AllJ Slot software on a laptop connected to a big touchscreen monitor for some time. A little tweaking of the background and reels and it turns the touch screen into a very realistic (and reasonably portable) slot machine for casino fun night parties, complete with custom background and our own reel images and sound effects.

The software displays images of IGT slot machine buttons on the screen, and you simply touch them to bet, spin the reels or cash out. You also have the option to shut those off and add real peripherals -- slot machine buttons, a jackpot light, even a coin slot, hopper, bill acceptor, and slot machine handle -- basically building your own functioning, real custom slot machine. The original post about the software is here:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/making-a-slot-machine-for-my-casino-parties.84686/

AllJ's target audience is the trade show sales people trying to attract clients, so your slot machine can have "fixed sequence," "random probability" and you can even trigger a jackpot with a small wireless remote. In random probability mode, it functions exactly like a casino slot machine.

Getting and using the software was a master class in how real slots at the casinos actually work.

I'm thinking it's time to build it out and just ordered some real IGT slot machine buttons and a controller board. They're several weeks out, so this project will get started some time in 2024.

Left: The current touchscreen running the slot machine software. Middle: Some real IGT slot machine buttons. Right: The
button controller board.
​

The controller board is preprogrammed for the AllJ software and IGT buttons. Connect the buttons to their corresponding wires and plug into a USB port. (I'm guessing it may be a bit more involved than it sounds.) I'll find out when the stuff arrives in four to six weeks. Buttons were just under $50 for the complete set. The controller board was $139.

And down the road? Building a slot cabinet with a jackpot light on top. Maybe even a handle. A bill acceptor might be pricey overkill. They cost $350 to $500 each. In the end, I might end up spending something close to the cost of a used slot. I just hope I don't run out of USB ports.

Can't wait to see those buttons light up and hit "spin reels" for the first time.

Look for more here and in a separate thread.

 

[dennis63]

We're quickly running low on several denominations as we anxiously await a shipping notice from Classic Poker Chips. We placed an order for some new Key Wests earlier this year. New chips should be on their way to us soon. (We're basically out of $1s and $5s, so I'm looking forward to a UPS notice from David at Classic whenever it arrives.)

Shipping for Christmas: Meanwhile, the shipping deadline to get anything by Christmas has passed for all the carriers. It's about time for a (brief) holiday break. I'll try to get any new orders out this week through Thursday. (They won't make it for Christmas.)

Holiday break: After that, we'll pause shipping from Thursday, 12/21 at noon through Tuesday, 12/26 at 8 a.m.

2024 Prices: I'll look into 2024 pricing during the break.

My sincere good wishes to all here for a happy, peaceful and safe holiday season, however you celebrate, and wherever you are in the world.

 

[dennis63]

I just posted new Key West chip prices for 2024. Here's the link and the chart.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/key-west-2024-prices.114303/​

For PCF members, denominated chips will increase $0.08 per chip to $2.19 each, or about 3 1/2 percent.

Each year, the chips are priced as the average price I paid for all chips in inventory. I can price them lower than Classic Poker Chips here because I have chips bought one, two or even three years ago, when prices were lower.

As my stock of chips dwindles down, as it did this year, restocking with newer, high-priced chips drives the "average" price of a chip up. The new price reflects this increase.

 

[TheYeti]

Dennis,

With the recently announced closure of CPC, what will become of Key West??

 

[Tonysquander]

Dennis,

With the recently announced closure of CPC, what will become of Key West??

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[FestiveKnight]

Dennis,

With the recently announced closure of CPC, what will become of Key West??

Notably, David did not announce the closure of CPC yet. He shared his intention to sell the business. While I am sure it gets harder with each transaction and with time, we have seen these particular assets and business change hands several times now and resume/continue business.

 

[JMC9389]

Notably, David did not announce the closure of CPC yet. He shared his intention to sell the business. While I am sure it gets harder with each transaction and with time, we have seen these particular assets and business change hands several times now and resume/continue business.

The issue is that we know CPC under Spragg has a good record of quality control. At least for me, I'll be hustling to get my last orders in before this deadline. If previous history is any indication with the Doc Ott days of ASM, I wouldn't guarantee that the quality of the product will be the same under new ownership.

 

[ekricket]

The issue is that we know CPC under Spragg has a good record of quality control. At least for me, I'll be hustling to get my last orders in before this deadline. If previous history is any indication with the Doc Ott days of ASM, I wouldn't guarantee that the quality of the product will be the same under new ownership.

C’mon, slamming my products already?

 

[JMC9389]

C’mon, slamming my products already?

Things would be in good hands with you, no doubt! Let's see what happens.

 

[Josh Kifer]

Notably, David did not announce the closure of CPC yet. He shared his intention to sell the business. While I am sure it gets harder with each transaction and with time, we have seen these particular assets and business change hands several times now and resume/continue business.

Cept with Red. He dun fucked it up.

 

[dennis63]

Dennis,

With the recently announced closure of CPC, what will become of Key West??

It's far too early to say with any certainty what will happen to Key West chips. It will depend on what happens in the next several months between now and when David takes his last orders. At some point, he will tell us if he is selling to someone who might keep the business open. That's my hope, of course, and it should be your hope if you want to see good clay chips being produced for the home market.

David has announced that he is selling the business, and has requested interest from his customers here on PFC first. He hasn't revealed exactly why he wants to sell or even if he has received any interest. He should keep that information to himself until the time is right.

Our members here on PCF talk a good game, but I don't see one member or a group of members buying CPC and making a serious go of keeping it open and running. There was a group of members here several years ago, when Red Ott put the equipment up for sale, who talked about buying the company. The members decided that even if they could raise the necessary cash to buy the business, they didn't know enough about how to make the chips. They decided not to take the chance. (I was not part of that group, so I don't know how serious they were, or if it was just talk.)

I can only say two things for certain: 1) If David sells to someone who wants to continue making quality chips, Key West will continue as it is; and 2) I will not be putting in a bid for Classic Poker Chips. (I'd love to, but I have many personal reasons I can't. Those reasons have nothing to do with Classic.)

Since David's announcement, I've gotten several inquiries from people who want to buy large quantities of Key Wests. I've never dealt with them before, so they're obviously looking to grab what they can to resell them at a large profit if / when David closes -- or even a year or two later.

I haven't decided what I will do with my inventory of Key West chips.

That's really all I can say right now. Too many unknowns to say anything with certainty. When things change, I will update everyone with a new post here. In the meantime, I wish David good luck at finding a buyer, perhaps one interested in continuing to make custom clay chips.