While visiting Grand Casino Mille Lacs on Saturday, a fellow black jack player indicated that the White Oak Casino in Deer River had opened on August 23. With nothing mor to go on then this, I headed north early this morning, not quite sure exactly where Deer River was, how to get there, or how far it was.

To make an other wise long story (and trip) some what shorter, from my fron door it is 180+ miles one way!

To top that off, there were NO GRAND OPENING CHIPS! The only chips in play at the one open (out of two) black jack tables were Red $5.00 BJ, $25.00 Green BJ and $100 Black BJ chips. The only token in play is $1.00. To say that this casino is small would be an understatement!

It is 200 feet long and 100 feet deep! And inside of this is guest services, cashier, restrooms, snack bar, check cashing, coat service, regular bar, and a gift shop. As mentioned above, there were TWO whole black jack tables, and only one of these were open. And there was only three other people playing!

This casino is owned and operated by the same tribe that also rns the Place and Northing Lights casino (all three casino $1.00 tokens have a common reverse - shown on the second row of tokens).

The only good news out of this is that since they had to go to the problem of minting new tokens for their casino, they went ahead and made new tokens for their other two casino as well. No changes in the design, but is is always nice to get a token in decent shape!

I have $1.00 tokens in nearly uncirculated condition from all three casinos for trade (for needed $1.00 tokens or chips) or sale ($2.50 per token plus postage), and a very limited supply of $5.00 White Oak chips for tade (for needed $5.00 chips - or for sale at $7.50 each plus postage).

Also, Northern Lights is building a brand new casino to replace their existing structure with opening scheduled for summer 2001, so it may mean another trip "up north" next year.

John K. Kallman
P.O. Box 122
Sartell MN 56377