I joined a team of Erie Times-News reporters on a big story today -- the grand opening of Presque Isle Downs & Casino. My role was to write a column based on impressions of the new casino, which seems like a fabulous place.

We had three news reporters covering various aspects of the story, a food writer reviewing the grub served at the casino's three new restaurants, and our on-line reporter coordinating the reporting for our Web site, GoErie.com.

Like the rest of the crew, I stood out in the freezing cold for the better part of an hour at the start of the morning. We interviewed people standing in line, cops handling traffic and security, the kindly folks doling out doughnuts and coffee, etc., etc.

Finally, after the doors opened at 9 a.m., we talked to slots players and everyone else who had an interesting story to tell. Jason Bugg, our on-line reporter, set up shop in an area that will be part of the horse racetrack when it opens. For now, it's mostly empty, except for restaurants and a loud band that was playing in the corner.

Several of us took turns blogging, Jason recorded interviews and sounds of the casino (it is kind of noisy, in a pleasant sort of way), and he also took video. I felt like a key cog in the Pony Express, as I hustled the video back to the newspaper office, where one of the on-line technicians rushed to get it onto the Web.

I've been reporting since 1969, and even though I haven't been on a beat in years, it still felt good being part of the team. Few things in life get your blood pumping faster than working a big story. Keeps you young, too.

-- Kevin Cuneo

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