by Howard Stutz / Las Vegas Review-Journal, Aug 15, 2013 | 2:34 am

M Resort closed its 14-table poker room [earlier this month] to make space for additional slot machines that will be used for tournament play.

Rina Foster, a spokeswoman for the casino, said employees displaced by the closure were offered other jobs, although she wasn’t sure how many were moved to new positions.

M Resort is owned by Penn National Gaming.

She said the space layout is still be reconfigured and M Resort has not determined how many slot machines will move in the space. Foster said the property’s customers wanted a better location for slot tournaments.

“Currently tournaments are held in a ballroom and with the new area, guests will be able to play on our floor with better access to our amenities and easy access to self-parking,” Foster said.

M Resort still plans to host custom poker events, such as the Hollywood Poker Open that was held at the end of June. The $500,000 tournament featured players who qualified at Penn National properties across the U.S.

The tournament was held in the M Resort convention area.

Foster said next year’s Hollywood Poker Open is already being planned for M Resort.

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Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.