The $5 chips are in the cage but not yet released. I spoke with the casino manager (I didn't approach her, she entered into the conversation I was having with the poker room manager about the chips) and she said that they weren't going to put them out until they were absolutely necessary. I'd guess a busy weekend should do it.
She also said about 2,000 of the new $1 chips walked within a few days.
Coincidentally, 2,000 was also mentioned as the number of old $1 chips remaining in house.
How can you run a decent sized casino with only 2,000 $1 chips you ask?
Very carefully. lol
The new $1 chips were delivered 3 weeks later than expected. In the "creative" interim, the poker room was using $1 SLOT TOKENS for live games.
****
In talking with another dealer tonight, I was told that the MGM LV poker room also was using $1 slot tokens recently.
And..
That prior to opening the East Side Cannery, the poker room manager said that he wanted 20,000 $1 chips and that somehow 20,000 were ordered. The problem was that ONLY 20,000 were ordered--none for the pit. For a time the poker room was sending fills to the pit.
Just what I was told and if anything here sounds way out of line I'm sure Gene will weigh in.....