Some 1,000 Vegas-style slot machines will make a surprise debut at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood at 11:30 am on Monday, Jan. 28th, months earlier than previously had been expected.

Table games such as blackjack and baccarat, however, apparently still remain 'months away because the equipment is being ordered and staff must be trained, according to a spokesperson for the Seminole Tribe.

Both Class III slots and table games were part of the compact that the Seminoles entered into with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist in November, and the Seminoles said they ordered the slots after the compact was approved Jan. 7th by the U.S. Interior Department.

At the time, the tribe indicated that installation of the new slots in place of the current bingo-style machines used at all seven Seminole casinos was months away, so the Jan. 24th announcement of the start of Vegas-style slots play came as a big surprise.

.''It really has to do with the machines being available,'' said Seminole spokesperson Gary Bitner. :They didn't expect the machines so quickly but two manufacturers were able to manufacture and deliver them."

The new slot machines will include Wheel of Fortune, Hot Shot, Playboy, Golden Monkey and Carnival of Mystery.

Ironically, the debut of the machines will come only a day before residents of neighboring Miami Dade County vote on whether to allow Vegas-style slots to be installed at three pari-mutuels.

The debut of the new machines also will come two days before Florida's Supreme Court hears arguments on the validity of Crist's compact agreement, under which the Seminoles agreed to pay the state at least $100 million annually -- and probably far more -- for 25 years.

If the court agrees that Crist exceeded his authority and the legislature must ratify the compact, the state may yet wind up with nothing -- and the tribe under federal law will still get to operate the Class III slots, but perhaps not the table games, at its casinos.

The tribe's position was that it was entitled under federal law to the Class III slots when Broward County residents voted two years ago to allow slots at four pari-mutuels.

''They are certainly legally entitled to put the slots in,'' said Seminole attorney Barry Richard. "`The Supreme Court arguments don't affect that.''