Had a great trip - got most of the strikes I was chasing. I gathered the following from people I talked with at the casinos. The info is offered "for what its worth".

Orleans - had the new strikes in the display. The machine wouldn't accept my bills so a slot tech was called. He was nice enough to check through the strikes in the hopper as well as a full rack stored inside the machine. All but 3 out of approx. 90 strikes were the old series. The tech said that wasn't supposed to be the case and he would get it corrected. Don't know if that happened. They obviously have some old stock around.

Luxor - one of the staff said that they would be putting out a new series for 2002 (groan!).

Hard Rock - One of the slot techs I talked with said he heard the strike machines would be replaced in the casino "soon". He didn't know about what design changes, if any, were planned.

Doug Conley