Phi Delta Theta fraternity will host the 35th annual Casino night benefiting MD Anderson Cancer Research Center this Saturday, April 9.
This year Casino will be held at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel with the tunes of the band, Memphis Train Revue, in the background from 8:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Starting in January the newest members of Phi Delta Theta fraternity began selling tickets to anyone around campus, by asking people in their dorms and in classes. Also, any other Phi Delta Theta can sell tickets as well.
Despite the price of a single ticket being $80.00 in advance and $100.00 at the door, those who have been in years past were still very enthusiastic about buying their tickets. Anyone, even those outside the SMU community, can purchase a ticket and attend casino.
Hoping for 1,200 plus guests, the fraternity wishes to donate at least $60,000.00 to MD Anderson Cancer Research Center in Houston and the Leukemia Society.
“It is important to us, as a fraternity, to have such a successful philanthropy. The donations as a result of the Casino Night are without a doubt our most prized contribution to the community as SMU Phi Delts,” said Harrison Hughes, sophomore Phi Delta Theta active.
With men in their tuxedos and women in their formal attire, guests will play casino games with fake money, given at the door, ranging from black jack to craps to roulette. At the end of the night, everyone has the opportunity to bid on prizes with their fake money won by the casino games.
If a guest wins one of the give away prizes at the end of the night, one will definitely say they got their moneys worth. Prizes will consist of TiVo, big screen televisions, vacations to Lake Tahoe and many more.
“We hope everyone will come out this weekend and support us in our 35th year. I don’t think people realize the impact they can make just by buying a single ticket,” said Michael Neary, president of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
Casino has taken a lot of planning over there past year by co chairs, Hughes and Austin Hill, sophomore Phi Delta Theta. Therefore, Hughes, Hill, Neary and the whole fraternity can not wait for Saturday night to actual roll around.