Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort will simultaneously play host to the the final 2016 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Global Casino Championship, and the beginning of the following year's 2016-2017 circuit.

This year's championship will take place August 9-11, with a $1,000,000 prize pool. The World Series of Poker Circuit's next season, its 12th, will concurrently begin at Harrah's, August 4-16. The 2017 season's first stop will include 12 gold ring events, with such tournaments as the High Roller event with a buy-in of $2,200 plus a Main Event which a buy-in of $1,675, reported WorldCasinoDirectory.com.

For the first time this year, the Global Casino Championship welcomes players from WSOP International Circuit tournaments. U.S. competitors will be joined by players from around the world, including Canada, Italy, Morocco and the Czech Republic.

General Manager and Senior Vice President Brooks Robinson expressed that Harrah’s Cherokee is excited the World Series of Poker is leveling up the game this year.

“We are thrilled to be able to return to Harrah’s Cherokee for our season-culminating championship,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart in a press release. “It’s only fitting that we end one season and start the next at Harrah’s Cherokee, a terrific host venue and locale for poker players far and wide.”

The televised event has drawn poker celebrities like Daniel Negreanu, who finished sixth in last year's tournament.  Players still have the opportunity to qualify for this year's championship event at Harrah's Cherokee (April 14-25), Casino Montreal International (April 20-May 9), and Harrah's New Orleans (May 12-23), as well as the currently-running stop at Horseshoe Council Bluffs.