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  Plans for the Tour are similar to what Dan Dennis had visions of, the big change would be in the format and coverage area. Entry fee's will be lower for Regional Events and there will also be some  events on the weekdays. The events will be a mixture of games,however, most of them will be nineball. We are working on a new program with Mcdermott that will be more practical for them. Laser Stroke is still a sponsor. We will be contacting our old Shooters Tour Sponsors as well. We already have interest from new sponsors outside the industry including several independent  7 Eleven stores.  Larry's Pawn Shops of Southwest Florida are also interested in our program.  On the Room Owner side of the Sport we already have interested rooms in Florida, West Virginia and Western N.Y. including Ball Busters in Binghamton N.Y.. The coverage area will be Western New York, Northern Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida.  As with the Shooters Tour the Room Owners are not required to add money. When Shooters Tour came to a Poolroom  it was quite often the biggest day of the year for the Poolroom. By having lower entry fees we hope to have more players. Events with more added money will have a larger entry fee. Jeff is very Media friendly and this is all about the Players and the Poolhall. Seeing a local News Crew come into a Shooters Tour Event was not unusual. The coverage area is large so the set up time will take a couple of months, we plan on holding the first Event no later than October 2011 where that will be has not been decided yet. Angel Lopez will be a consultant. Dale Curry, Shooters Tour right hand man is also on board and will be Vice Tour Director.

Future plans for the Gambler Pro Tour:

  Jeff Van Buren  operated the Shooters Tour for almost ten years running 30 to 40 Events per year. The Tour grew very fast to over 1000 players after the first year. Jeff sold advertising, clothing, did Charity Events and had all outside sponsors. Snapple, Pepsi, Coke, Labbatts Beer were the big names. The Tour ended in 2000 on a very high note, like any great sitcom its time had come. In 2001 Jeff purchased a building and opened Sharkys Billiards in Perry N.Y., in August 2006 the building that was home to Sharkys Billiards suffered water damage from a neighboring property and the Pool Hall that Jeff  had worked so hard to build had to be demolished. Jeff was out in a few minutes and left with the clothes on his back, because the damage was structural the insurance companies don't pay for that.  On a snowy day in December 2006 Jeff packed up what he had left and headed south in a 1973 motorhome and never looked back. Jeff landed a Security position with Hertz Car Rental at Southwest Florida International Airport, he stayed at Hertz for 10 months then began a new career as an Independent Taxi Driver where he remains today. " I love my job, Jeff said, but after 4 years at the 3rd most stressful job in the world I need a little more fun in my 53 year old life and I MISS EVERYONE in the Pool World. I plan on taking some time off. For more on Shooters Tour visit the website at shooters tour.net or just click the link above to the left.  The Nickname Buddha is obvious, it was given to Jeff at Caps Cue Club In Syracuse N.Y. which is owned by Dickie Cappotto.  The Players name was Tiffany Hamlin she Played several times on the Tour.

Ten Year Background of Jeff (The Buddha) Van Buren ( He never plays in his own events)

Mike Davis wins first Event 2010

  McDermott Cues  has decided not to Sponsor the Gambler Pro Tour.  Although they like the new   approach we presented to them, they already had a full slate for the year. They may revisit the         option next year. However, as we explained to them in the new proposal we did not purchase the     Gambler Pro Tour with the understanding that they were still a sponsor and should they choose not to continue we fully understood. Take a look at other sports like the NFL or NASCAR they would be hard pressed without sponsors outside of the Industry. Jeff Van Buren ran up to 40 events a year under the Shooters Tour for nearly 10 Years without a sponsor from within the Industry. Many times there were 2 events being held at the same time, one in N.Y. and one in PA.. With the area of coverage for the Gambler Pro Tour being so large that will be happening quite often.  Laser Stroke is still a sponsor and we will be promoting their product throughout the Tour. We have Franchised 7 Eleven Stores throughout the path of the Tour that will be helping to promote. The Leather Connection of Sanibel Island is also interested in an Event in the Lee County Florida area. We have been holding back on a few things including a press release until we heard back from McDermott, which we did on July 8, 2011. The Tour could not schedule any Events until we heard from McDermott. Each event will be promoted separately with Gambler Pro Tour as the main name. We already have Venues in N.Y., FL., and WV.. The Billiard Rooms have to be able to make money when they hold an event, adding money out of their pocket that they have no way of recovering during the course of the event makes no sense at all. The system of the Billiard Room adding money and getting Cues back in return at retail value is not practical business. Furthermore it never really worked for the Cue Manufacturer either, they just can't get the return from it. Gambler Pro Tour will issue a full press release in late July or early August.

    McDermott Decides not to     Sponsor the Gambler Pro Tour

  Dominiak Cues offers a mid range high quality 100% American made Cue. The              Gambler Pro Tour is pleased to become a dealer and be able to offer Tour Members a    Cue with American Craftsmanship, we have Cues in stock at the GPT. The Ultra Pete is  an incredible Cue for the money it has great feel, balance and comes with a kamui tip.    Dominiak Cues is located in Stafford N.Y. about 35 miles south of Rochester,  N,Y..                                                      Visit their site at www.dominiakcues.com

Dominiak Cues becomes the Official Cue of the Gambler Pro Tour

  This story begins in Mount Dora, Florida, a little town with a big heart and everyday people like Dan Dennis.  We all have dreams and goals that we set for ourselves, some people have a little more vision than others, Dan Dennis is one of those people with vision. In 2010 Dan started the Gambler Pro Tour, two Events were held, one in Florida and one in Georgia. Dan Dennis planned  to eventually hold Ten Events around the Country with $10000.00 in added  money each. The Billiard Industry is coming off one of its worst years in the last 5 decades. Dan did the right thing he held back for awhile on events but kept the website active never letting go of his vision for the Tour. Late in May of 2011 Dan received a call from Jeff Van Buren Commissioner of Pool Hustler Series and Founder of The Shooters Tour that covered Upstate N.Y. and PA. during Pools Boom years in the 1990's. Pool Hustler Series is a free promotional website that has links to all the active Tours in the United States and some in Canada,they often call Pool Rooms and Tours around the Country to see what's going on in the area, new rooms are then posted and those that are gone are listed as closed, everything on the site is free including the advertising.. The original call lasted a few minutes, much like everyone else waiting for some sign of change in the economy. Two days later Jeff called back and made a deal with Dan to take over the Tour. The transaction took place at the Mount Dora area Chamber of Commerce with Notary Catherine Jenkins recording the transfer.

Left to Right New Tour Director Jeff (The Buddha) Van Buren, Catherine Jenkins from Mount Dora, FL. Chamber of Commerce and Gambler Pro Tour Founder  Dan Dennis.

    Rich in History and a Legend in its own time Ball Busters in Binghamton N.Y. is a must see stop for any Poolplayer. The Room was built by Florence Fuller the previous owner. Florence has contributed greatly to the fame of many poolplayers.

  BCA Hall of Fame inductee / Danny Diliberto at Classic Cue Billiards Depew, N.Y.

During the early days of the Shooters Tour Jeff Van Buren spent three nites talking to Danny about the Tour, how to watch out for the sand baggers, the road players, the hustlers, and the sport in general. Jeff got a great education in those 3 nites.  Now nearly 20 years later they talked about the history of the sport and the rich history of some of America's Greatest Pool Halls. From Jeff " I asked Danny if he remembered what the last thing was that he told me that last nite almost 20 years ago.  Danny said he told me the same thing that Irving Crane had told him 50 years earlier." What was it that was said? "I am not saying but it has stuck to me like glue for 20 years. Thank You Danny D. and congratulations." The wall behind Danny was dedicated to the history of the Shooters Tour many years ago. Classic Cue Billiards is like a walk through the history of Pool in WNY. it is loaded with memorabilia.

Cappotelli pulls off a triple. Mickey Cappotelli won Tuesday nite at Cal Bowl in Caledonia N.Y, Wednesday Nite at Q's Caledonia, N.Y. and finished off winning the first stop at Ten Cent Millionaire in Batavia N.Y. on The Gambler Pro Tour Traveling Bar Box Series. Mickey narrowly defeated the Buddha in the first match and Patti Saylor in the second match, Saylor scratched and left Mickey with ball in hand. Mickey said I thought she had me for sure. Jerry Arena owner of Ten Cent Millionaire says Jeff has worked really hard to promote the Tour and has made great progress. Making what would be an average nite much more exciting. Jillian Lafond who has played at 2 events and took 2nd at the Harvester Hotel and 3rd at Ten Cent Millionaire says this is a fun Tour and we are done in time to make it to work the next day. Jillian sent the Buddha home at Ten Cent. I played a save said the Buddha she made it and Mickey said to me your in trouble, I was, Jillian then ran the table. After that I told Jillian, Mickey  will try to run the table so you can't shoot, he won't take a chance after seeing run out.