This note is my personal opinion, although I know that I'm NOT alone in this opinion.

When I arrived at the Orleans, after a 5-hour car drive, at 9:00 AM on Convention Opening morning Thursday August 13th, I went to the Orleans Casino Cashier Cage with the expectations of purchasing 4 6th Annual $5 Convention Chips (at face). I was planning to put one chip in my collection, one carrying-chip in my pocket in a plastic protector, and two chips, one each for my two sons (who like it when I bring them home something from a trip). Imagine my surprise (not really!) when the cashier said that a bunch of chip dealers bought them out the night before. Let's just say that I felt like I had been slapped in the face and that I had been betrayed. And you know, the first thing that came to my mind was, "what a greedy bunch of @%#@$%'s!" As soon as I stepped onto the Convention floor, there they were for $8 and up... Oh well, dealers will be dealers.

I've been a CC&GTCC (by the way, I think we should keep the club name exactly the way it is; it's unique) member for over two years and this was the second convention I attended. I was very happy with the convention and I had a lot of fun talking to other collectors and going to all the seminars and I plan to continue going to conventions forever. BUT... I think that the dealers should LAY OFF buying ALL the convention chips for a couple of days until after people in attendance have had a chance to buy a few. I really couldn't care less if they're ONLY there to make a buck, it's just not right. I'm not looking for anything official, just a gentleman's agreement between collectors and dealers to lay off buying out the cashiers cage for a day or two during the annual CC&GTCC convention.

I've also read all about how difficult it was to convince the Orleans to produce a convention chip at all, and that the limited (low) number produced was not our (the clubs) idea. By the way, my hat goes off to Mike Skelton (and all the other club officers and members) for the great work they did this year. The last thing that I wanted to say was that as soon as I entered the convention floor, I walked over to my friends Dave and Debbie Harber at Cheques in the Mail and purchased one convention chip (not four, as originally planned) - there isn't anyone that I trust more for Nevada chips. And as I expected, Dave gave me the chip for less than others were charging.

Thanks for reading this message; I'm interested in other peoples opinions.

--Mark