Maybe it was because my expectations were too high, or perhaps I didn't know what to expect, but I came away from the recent re-opening of Empress Casino in Joliet with mixed feelings.

That may be too harsh a judgment to make on a day that was extremely busy and in light of the extraordinary effort it took to completely remodel the gaming barge just a little over three months after a fire destroyed the pavilion.

Nobody knows better than executives with Empress and parent company Penn National Gaming that to operate a casino in what has become a sophisticated gaming market without the amenities of a pavilion puts the property at a disadvantage.

In 1-1/2 years there will be a new pavilion, re-branded in a Hollywood Casino theme, but in the meantime the gaming barge is all they have.

The gaming barge itself is huge, 50,000 square feet of floor space over two levels, but it is obvious that maxing out the gaming positions while at the same time incorporating a buffet and an expanded VIP lounge and high limit room created a negative impact on the comfort level of guests.

The top level is so jam-packed with slot machines that navigating the casino floor is a challenge. Aisles are narrow, creating traffic flow problems that escalate during peak periods of operation.

The slot carousels are so close together that at some points on the floor, players seated back to back further hinder the ability of guests to play and comfortably move around.

Empress officials placed a premium on attracting higher-end players when it was forging ahead with the $50-million renovation of the pavilion. When that all went up in smoke, making a more comfortable environment for high rollers remained a priority for the barge.

They've accomplished this with a large and attractive VIP lounge and spacious high limit gaming area.

Developing a buffet on the barge was a bold and admirable move, more out of necessity than anything, but again, it takes up a lot of space that could have been used to increase the comfort level of the gambler.

Table games have been relocated to the lower level, which also is home to the Take Two Deli and poker room.

Driving to the temporary entrance is a snap, there's plenty of parking, and valet service is fast and convenient.

Casino news: Pre-registration for the "Spin Your Way to $100,000 Slot Tournament" at Blue Chip Casino, Resort & Spa starts at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Buy-in for the tournament, which will be held July 29 starting at noon, is $100. There will be a guaranteed prize pool of $20,000 plus a chance to go to Las Vegas to compete in a $250,000 tournament with a first prize of $100,000. Pre-register at the Spa Blu Tower front desk or call (888) 879-7711, ext. 3. Space is limited.

Starting Sunday and continuing every Sunday through August 9, Harrah's Joliet is having a "Mazda & Millions" giveaway from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the promotions area.

The opinions expressed are solely the writer's. Reach him at jbrokopp@comcast.net.