History of Vineyards

[smux3]

What is the history of Vineyard poker chips?
I heard that the Vineyard Casino is now a Church.

[ipgyst]

Sorry. It is so. The Vineyard was ill-conceived, it closed shortly after opening, the building sat fallow for years, then a congregation acquired the property and made it their church. There's an article about it somewhere. Could somebody post the link?

[Colquhoun]

Not sure about if this is THE link, but it has a little info....
http://usmissions.ag.org/top/newsdet...A-D48E287CC06A

Also here is an article i read on wfa.org:

Former California Casino 'Reborn' As Pentecostal Church
A former California casino reopened its doors this weekend to a different crowd – worshipers. According to "The Selma Enterprise," about 1,300 parishioners and guests were anticipated Sunday for the "grand opening rebirth" of the former Vineyard Casino to Vineyard Worship Centre Church, an Assemblies of God congregation. The denomination provided the $2 million to buy the property.
Senior pastor, Rod Haro doesn't see a stigma attached to the former 49,000-square foot gambling center in Fowler, located near Fresno. He believed that God would someday use this "former sinful site" for the betterment of his church, referring to a passage from Proverbs that says the wealth of the wicked will be given to those who follow God.
"People are hungry," said Haro, 48, who started the church in April 2002 and has seen its active membership grow to more than 700. "They are not hungry for church, they are hungry for a movement of God. They want to connect with God, experience God, feel God and know that God is tangible and real."
The casino, which reportedly costs $15.5 million, closed its doors in January 1997, less than a year after it opened. Vacant for seven years, the casino was soaked in debt and hampered by licensing problems.
Haro said for years, as he passed by the casino, he thought how "that building would make a great church." "The Bible teaches us that we are to take back what the devil has stolen," he told the "Enterprise." "It is just a building, but it is a great building, and I believe God ordained it in the beginning for it to be a church."
Associate pastor Marty Lynch, who started the church with Haro, said "God orchestrated" the purchase of the casino, which initially had a $12 million asking price. "The reason why we got it ... is because at every single one of our services lives are being changed and people are getting saved," he said. "That is God's heart."


....I wish praying for better cards would get God to "orchestrate" a little luck my way....

[smux3]

thanks for the link.

[bandonlooper345]

thanks for posting that

[sonorgeek]

wow i wonder who bought all those "30 millon dollars worth of poker chips and gaming tables" it dispose so i guess they sold it all dirt cheap. vineyards are some of the most highest price closed casino chips along with crystal parks. i wanted to make a set of vineyard chips at first because of all the weird denoms, but they are way to pricey.

-ricky

[PAZ914]

Originally Posted by sonorgeek

i wanted to make a set of vineyard chips at first because of all the weird denoms, but they are way to pricey.

-ricky

I started to build a set as well a few years back and found it expensive and slow. You very rarely saw auctions for big quantities. What you may want to consider are the BCC version. Here's a scan of my sample sets. Paulsons on top, BCC on the bottom.

[StevenH72]

Originally Posted by Colquhoun

God would someday use this "former sinful site"

Lol, awesome

[ttflyr]

Check this out! I love the sign on the front of the building. Still looks very playable to me . Roadtrip!

*Fowler Vineyard Worship Center

[links_slayer]

Originally Posted by PAZ914

I started to build a set as well a few years back and found it expensive and slow. You very rarely saw auctions for big quantities. What you may want to consider are the BCC version. Here's a scan of my sample sets. Paulsons on top, BCC on the bottom.

Definitely a good idea. Hanahanstan has a 500 chip BCC Vineyard set for sale right now. Not sure if it's still available....?