Players Poker Championship heading to Aruba

For the first time since Ultimate Bet held the now defunct Aruba Poker Classic in 2009 there will be a major poker tournament heading to the island paradise. The Players Poker Championship (PPC) announced this past week that they will be hosting a $3,300 Main Event in Aruba in May 2012 as part of a larger six-event tournament series.

The tournament series, boasting the easy to remember marketing tag-line of “Aruba Poker is Back” will take place at the Westin Resort and Casino Aruba beginning on May 3^rd (with the Main Event scheduled for May 4^th) and will run through May 7^th.

The PPC is run by co-commissioners Sandy Swartzbaugh and Bryan Oulton, and according to the duo if all goes well in Aruba they will be looking to add future events as part of a Caribbean Poker tour, telling PokerNews.com: “After launching in May 2012, we are looking to expand our PPC Caribbean poker series. Ideally, we are looking at six events a year in locations such as the Bahamas, St. Croix and Turks, with a second event in Aruba hopefully this year if it fits the poker schedule.”

Swartzburgh went on to tell PokerNews:

“As poker players, we realized that players not only want to play in a top-of-the-line event, they want a destination location. Both [Oulton and I] are South Florida locals and thought the marriage of an island like Aruba and poker was perfect. Not to mention the feedback at the UB Aruba Classic did great numbers and players loved the beach, festivities and nightlife. The great thing about the Westin Resort and Casino in Palm Beach (couple hotels down from the Radisson where UB was) is all fun is accessible by foot. As you stated, [Aruba is an] incredible island. I personally could stay for a month and might after the tournament.”

Oulton feels that attendance will most likely be in the 150 player range, and is hopeful that with enough attention (the PPC is using a “grass-roots” marketing campaign to promote the PPC event in Aruba) the attendance tally for the Main Event could get as high as 300 players.

Here is a look at the complete schedule for the tournament series (for more information you can head over to the PPC website):

• 7pm Thursday, May 3rd – $330 + $20 Mega Satellite
• 5pm Friday, May 4th to Monday, May 7th (Sat-Mon start at 12pm):$3,000 + $300 Championship NLHE Main Event
• 12pm Saturday, May 5th: $500 + $50 NLHE Tournament
• 9pm Saturday, May 5th: $300 + $30 NLHE Second Chance Turbo
• 12pm Sunday, May 6th – Monday, May 7th: $1,000 + $100 NLHE Mix-Max 10-8-6-4-2 Tournament
• 9pm Sunday, May 6th: $300 + $30 NLHE Second Chance Turbo
• 12pm Monday, May 7th: $500 +$50 NLHE Turbo Deepstack