Last night I took my dad on his long-delayed birthday present trip to Treasure Island Casino outside of Hastings. My donation to the tribe this time was only about $30, which wasn’t bad for almost four hours of entertainment.

They actually had one $3 blackjack table open (along with a number of $5 tables), but I chickened out after watching for about 20 minutes. Spent most of the night playing Jacks or Better video poker on a nickel machine. A quarter a hand is about all I’m willing to risk right now. Still looking for that second royal flush–my first and only one happened here about 15 years ago. It would be cool to win $200 on a quarter bet, but I think I need to study up on the strategy chart so I can last longer.

My dad had a two-for-one coupon for the buffet, which was pretty good. In particular, I enjoyed the carved ham, hand-mashed potatoes and cheesecake for dessert. They had re-modeled the dining area since I was there last (along with several of the gambling areas), but it still lacks the flair of the larger Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake. Fun time, though.