Casino Journal

A small delay

2009-06-24T15:07:00Z

If you asked for a vacation day on Aug. 5 so you could be the first in line at the new casino, you may want to reschedule:

"The Rivers Casino is seeking to delay its opening by four days because of water damage to slot machines caused by last week's storms. In a statement this morning, casino officials said they had asked the state Gaming Control Board to push back the opening from Aug. 5 to Aug. 9. They said the request was a result of minor water damage to a small number of slot machines during the bad weather as well as damage to some slot machines during their transport to the North Shore venue."

... also from the pages of the P-G:

"As a Senate panel moved to resurrect a law banning casino officials from donating politically to legislators and other elected officials, a citizens watchdog group said such high-powered gaming interests gave $4.4 million to state politicians from 2001-08. Lawyers and lobbyists for the 14 casinos authorized by a 2004 state law contributed an additional $12.3 million, according to a report by Common Cause/Pennsylvania released yesterday."

And:

"Pennsylvania could get an additional $165 million in annual gaming revenue if table games were in operation at all 12 of the state's larger casinos, an analyst hired by three casinos said today. The revenue would consist of $104 million generated by the table games themselves -- poker, blackjack, roulette and dice -- plus another $61 million in additional revenue from slots."

Around the state

Those slot machines at The Rivers were saturated because of the storm. Have Pennsylvania's casino revenues likewise reached their saturation point?

"State slots revenue continues to grow, but are the latest figures showing saturation? Or just the realities of heavier discounting in a weaker economy - a way to compete for scarcer discretionary spending? Overall gaming revenues were up 19 percent last week compared to a year ago, but only 5 percent when factoring out the newly opened, 3,000-machine Sands Bethlehem. And revenues per machine declined substantially over last year's figures. Wagers, which grew faster than revenues, jumped by 26 percent to $506 billion last week."

... "A Senate committee gave unanimous approval [Tuesday] to a major overhaul of Pennsylvania's 5-year-old slots casino law, and the full Senate might act as early as next week. The bill would reimpose a ban on casino officials contributing to the political campaigns of legislators and other state officials, a ban that was contained in the 2004 slots law but was recently struck down by the state Supreme Court."

... The new Sands casino is performing well.

... $41 million wagered at Presque Isle last week.

Dispatches from the border

Ohio's governor has a full-blown case of slots fever:

"Gov. Ted Strickland's plan to balance the budget with gambling money includes legalizing up to 15,250 slot machines at Ohio's seven horse racetracks, with most of the games plugged in by next May. The governor's office estimates the machines will rake in nearly $1 billion in 14 months -- from May 2010 to the end of the 2011 fiscal year. The plan would allow the state to collect 48 percent of that revenue for education spending while the other 52 percent would be split among the seven track owners and pay administrative and operational expenses, including payouts to lucky winners."

So close you can taste it

2009-06-09T19:08:00Z

We're just two months away from the opening of the Rivers Casino on the North Shore. Today, the casino released a list of charites that will benefit from the pre-grand opening test run (the test nights are scheduled for Saturday Aug. 1, 2009 and Monday August 3, 2009).

The beneficiaries will be the Allegheny County World War II Memorial, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, The Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, and Allegheny General Hospital.

Moving on ...

... If you haven't been to The Rivers' Web site lately, they've been busy updating it with the names of all the bars and restaurants, plus promotional information.

... Pennsylvania slots revenues are up almost a fifth, year over year: "Slot machines in Pennsylvania generated $178.4 million in gross revenue last month, an 18 percent gain compared to May 2008, regulators said Tuesday. Numbers were helped by the new Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, which generated $10 million in revenue in May. Comparing the seven casinos that existed a year ago, revenue was up 10.8 percent."

... Follow the money:

"It doesn't happen exactly as it does in 'Ocean's Eleven,' but every dollar of the more than $1 million netted by the Sands each day is tracked. From the time a bill leaves a person's wallet until it is loaded into an armored car, it goes through a gantlet of check points that includes surveillance by employees watching 42 high-definition monitors above the casino floor, and counting in massive machines in a bunker-like room beneath the Sands. It's all part of an almost obsessive effort by casino operators and state regulators charged with seeing that Pennsylvania gets every penny of its 55 percent cut."

Dispatches from the border

"Backers of a proposed four-casino ballot measure already have spent thousands of dollars to gather signatures to get on the November ballot. But could they be having second thoughts? Penn National Gaming Inc., the Pennsylvania gambling conglomerate that's supplying much of the money and strategic mettle for the proposed Ohio ballot measure, might yet back out in order to shoot for the 2010 ballot, analysts concluded after meeting with the company's senior management." (Via the Columbus Dispatch.)

... Allowing table games in Delaware would mean more jobs.

Until next time ...

Like Sands through the hourglass ...

2009-05-21T15:45:00Z

Ready? Set? Gamble!:

"Some were there to help a charity. Others wanted to see what all the fuss was about. But most people at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem on Monday were there to be the first people to gamble in Bethlehem. Invited guests from across the region flocked to south Bethlehem for the first of two test runs designed to get the $743 million casino ready for its official opening at 9 a.m. Friday. People who arrived about 1 p.m. Monday and expected to wait for the doors to open at 2 instead found themselves ushered directly to the casino floor. There they wasted no time in making Bethlehem the state's newest gambling town."

... And here's the scene from this A.M.: "Pennsylvania's newest casino is open for business. The $743 million Sands Casino Resort opened about 20 minutes earlier than its scheduled 9 a.m. opening Friday. Several hundred people poured onto the gaming floor. Some had been waiting in line since before dawn. [Sands] debuts with 3,000 slot machines and four restaurants. It is the eighth casino to open in Pennsylvania since the state legalized slots gambling in 2004."

... the Sands company really needs this property to perform:

"Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson doesn't look back - even after a year when he lost $22 billion of his net worth, one of the biggest falloffs of 2008, according to Forbes magazine. Instead, Adelson is looking ahead to his latest venture: a $743 million casino that will open next Friday in Bethlehem, Pa., about an hour's drive from Philadelphia. 'The project is important for us,' Adelson said in a rare interview. 'We don't want to fail in any project. We do our best to succeed.' His company, Las Vegas Sands Corp., can only go up. Shares fell more than 95 percent last year."

... across Pennsylvania, the video poker "industry" (such as it is) fears a state takeover.

... can the Rivers Casino on the NorSide / North Shore draw young people? Or will it be the retiree crowd feeding the slots?

The CEO of Pittsburgh's casino is probably one of the youngest in the country and he wants 20, 30, and 40-somethings to make the Rivers Casino their destination, too. [Greg Carlin] is a 42-year-old Chicago millionaire, a 1988 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, and the quiet, unassuming CEO of the new Rivers Casino. [He] wants Pittsburgh's casino to be more than just a slots casino -- he's encouraging non-gamblers to visit, especially younger people.

"A lot of our food and beverage venues and bars are located along the river," Carlin adds. "We've got outdoor patio areas at our buffet, at our steakhouse. We've got great views from our drum bar - three-story atrium looking out at the river and the city of Pittsburgh." And Carlin says the sports bar will boast something nobody else has.

"We're probably going to have the biggest TV screen in the city. We're looking at about 150 inches of -- it's multi-screen -- a really neat piece of equipment. Our audio visual budget just for that venue is about $600,000."

Via KDKA.

Dispatches from the border

Sports betting is now legal in Delaware:

"Delaware became the first state east of the Mississippi River to legalize sports betting in a move designed to cut the state’s budget deficit. Gov. Jack Markell signed the bill approving the change today in a ceremony at the oldest of Delaware’s three horse tracks. By September those so-called racinos will add sports wagering to their 8,200 slot machines and horse-betting operations that have been legal in Delaware since 1995. 'There is tremendous interest in the sports lottery throughout our region and nationally,' Markell, a Democrat, said."

So does that mean we'll be getting Dover odds in addition to Vegas odds?

... The opening of the Sands casino in Bethlehem is good news for Pennsylvania, but (more) bad news for New Jersey:

"As Pennsylvania's gambling market expands, analysts say Atlantic City's casinos haven't hit bottom yet. Figures released yesterday underscored their point: Last month's revenue at Atlantic City's 11 casinos plunged 14.2 percent from April last year. Meanwhile, April revenue at Pennsylvania's seven slots parlors rose 13.8 percent - to $150.7 million - from the year before. The April decrease in Atlantic City - to $313.6 million - was an improvement from the revenue declines of 19.4 percent in March and 19.2 percent in February. But it's what's in store later this month that has casino operators here anxious."

... which means construction is slowing it Atlantic City as well: "Some big projects have stalled. Just a couple of years ago, city officials were boasting about plans for three major casinos, totaling $10 billion in investment, by MGM Mirage, Pinnacle Entertainment and Revel. Only Revel continues to go forward," reports the New York Times.

... A dispatch from the border (Kentucky) of one of our border states (Ohio):

"The heads of Kentucky's six leading tracks and the largest thoroughbred horsemen's association painted a dire picture Wednesday afternoon of what will happen if the Kentucky legislature does not soon act to bring slot machines to the commonwealth's racetracks. The press conference was held in the Churchill Downs paddock on the first canceled Wednesday of the spring meet - a point made by several speakers. Churchill Downs earlier this month received permission from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to drop from a five- to four-day race week because of a shortage of horses, which tracks are blaming in large part to competition for tracks in the region with slots-enriched purses. The tracks and horsemen are supporting House Speaker Greg Stumbo's bill to bring slots to the racetracks."

Odds and ends

Americans are gambling less, but Pennsylvanians are gambling more ... U.S. casino stocks are having a boring week ... More on Atlantic City's brutal first quarter '09 ... Kansas is still trying to build two casinos ... A Nebraska investor says Harrah's plied him with too many drinks, which was part of the reason he lost tens of millions of dollars while gambling ... Arizona is again contemplating racetrack casinos as a solution to the state's money problems: "The state could reap nearly $1 billion next year if it allowed casino-style gambling at Arizona's racetracks. Rep. Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, is shopping the idea as a way to win enough votes in the Legislature to balance the state budget without a tax hike. The idea of creating so-called racinos has long been sought by Arizona's racing industry. Voters rejected it in a 2002 ballot measure."

Slots on the North Shore

2009-05-11T19:52:00Z

Just a few more months:

"The Rivers Casino took delivery of its first 278 slot machines today, marking another milestone in the North Shore venue's development. During a ceremony this morning, casino officials and Sanford Rivers, a state gaming control board member, placed the first slot machine, a Mr. Cashman festooned with blue and white balloons, in its bank on the gambling floor. It was the first of 3,000 to be installed at the riverfront casino by the time it opens on Aug. 5, including the first machine in the state with a $500 wager."

Whoa. You could burn through your entire pension check in seconds at one of those $500 machines (see video of the event here).

But at least you'll save money on parking:

"It might not be on par with free drinks. But the Rivers Casino will offer customers at least one perk during its first month of operation -- free parking. But their luck could run out after that. At this point, the North Shore slots venue, scheduled to open Aug. 5, will provide free parking in its massive 3,872-space parking garage for the first month as a 'gesture of goodwill,' General Manager Ed Fasulo said yesterday. Officials also are hoping the freebie will help to mitigate traffic backups and minimize frustration during a period in which the casino expects to attract large crowds eager to check out the venue."

After that, it's anybody's guess. But the garage will be outfitted with gates and pay stations, so that may be a clue.

... More feedback on the Supreme Court ruling from two weeks ago:

"One of the leading experts in gambling law found the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's rulingoverturning the prohibition on campaign donations by casino owners and executives shocking. I. Nelson Rose, a law professor at Whittier college in California, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that gambling usually falls under a state's police powers and trump constitutional concerns. 'Everywhere else, the restrictions even on advertising have been upheld by the courts. When lawyers who worked for New Jersey casinos wanted to get involved in political campaigns, the courts basically said, 'No, gambling comes under the state's police power and if you don't like it, you don't have to be in this,'' Rose told the newspaper."

... Pennsylvania's governor gets lucky:

"He considers himself a 'pretty good' blackjack player and likes the ponies, though he has never really been all that lucky a gambler. But Gov. Ed Rendell -- Pennsylvania's biggest cheerleader for slot machines -- had an encounter with Lady Luck last spring at Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack that is only now coming to light. He left $2,000 richer, according to Mr. Rendell's federal tax return released to The Inquirer last week."

Dispatches from the border

Ohioans still aren't sold on casino gambling:

"A new poll shows that Ohioans favor legalizing casino gambling in the state, but those results don't mean voters will pass a possible November ballot issue allowing casinos in Ohio's four largest cities. The poll, conducted by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati, shows that 60 percent of respondents favor making casino gambling legal in Ohio. However, the poll analysis notes that Ohioans' purported 58 percent support of gambling 'in the large Ohio city where you live or near to where you live' has grown only slightly since the same question was asked in 1998. Yet Ohioans continue to overwhelmingly defeat gambling issues at the ballot."

Most recently, last November.

... Is Delaware getting sports gambling and table games?

"Delaware moved one step closer to sports betting on Friday as House lawmakers resurrected and revised a bill that failed to win approval earlier this week amid opposition from the casino industry. [Because] of a brief and unsuccessful experiment with a sports lottery in the late 1970s, Delaware is one of only four states, along with Nevada, Montana and Oregon, grandfathered under a 1992 federal law that bans sports gambling. Delaware's status as the only state east of the Mississippi River that can offer sports betting could provide an economic buffer against slot machine competition in neighboring Pennsylvania and Maryland."

The bill also calls for state officials and the casino industry to submit an initial proposal on table games within 75 days of enactment of the sports betting legislation, reports the Inquirer.

Odds and ends

The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority decided not to pursue a casino in New York ... The Greektown Casino buyout in Detroit isn't going so well, with two "low-ball" offers ... The SugarHouse casino in Philadelphia gets a preliminary thumbs-up ... The Flying Elvi show at The Meadows in Washington County keeps getting postponed becasue of weather and wind ... The Sands casino in Bethlehem, Pa., is hiring.

A Super decision

2009-04-30T19:48:00Z

All around Pennsylvania, casino investors are digging for their checkbooks:

"Pennsylvania's highest court says a ban on political campaign contributions by casino owners and executives is unconstitutional," reports the Associated Press. "The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the ban violates the state constitution's guarantee of free speech. The ban was included in the state's 2004 law that legalized slot machines. It was considered the nation's broadest such restriction. A majority of justices agreed with the argument by Philadelphia-area developer Peter DePaul, who sued to challenge the law in 2007. He's a part owner of Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia, which hasn't been built. DePaul argued that the ban was an overly broad and discriminatory infringement of the rights of free expression and association. The ban was touted as a major bulwark against the political influence that the lucrative gambling industry can exert over policymakers."

And now? Exert away, I guess. So maybe this is now a moot point?:

"An investor in Philadelphia's casino industry is under scrutiny by the state Gaming Control Board. The board's Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement is considering whether a $1,000 campaign gift in December 2005 by attorney Richard Sprague to Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll violated a ban on political contributions by gambling interests. Sprague is a partner in HSP Gaming, the group behind the SugarHouse Casino planned for Philadelphia."

... Want a job at the new Rivers Casino on the North Shore? Take a number:

"More than 4,400 people, many with resumes in hand, packed the David L. Lawrence Convention Center ballroom [yesterday] morning looking to land a job at the Rivers Casino. The crowd quickly filled the 1,500 seats in the ballroom and overflowed into the lobby. The overwhelming size of the group caused casino officials to hold a second, impromptu introduction so those who weren't in the ballroom could hear it. Job seekers were greeted with the rock song, 'Get Ready.' They included a wide range of ages -- those with jobs, unemployed, and at least one retiree looking to get out of the house."

That's 4,400 people, for 1,000 available jobs. Steep odds -- but better odds than you'll find by actually gambling at the casino.

... The Rivers Casino is still scheduled to open in August, but will it be adorned with two big billboards when it opens?:

"A plan to install two jumbotrons at the Rivers Casino needs sharper focus, according to city planners. The Planning Department has delayed action on a request by the casino to attach the screens to the east and west sides of the venue's parking garage until officials find out exactly what operators want to broadcast from them. [During] a briefing before the planning commission two weeks ago, architect Michael Stern said the casino hoped to use the 31.25-foot by 17.5-foot screens to advertise events and restaurants inside the slots parlor, to show new slot machines, and maybe broadcast live footage of concerts, fireworks and other performances."

Dispatches from the border

The steady parade of bad news from Atlantic City marches on, horns a'tootin':

"The Tropicana casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, filed for bankruptcy today after winning regulatory permission to try to sell the resort to Carl Icahn and a group of other investors. The bankruptcy should allow an auction of the casino before the end of June ... The bankruptcy is necessary for a 'free and clear' sale of the Atlantic City casino, which is operating profitably."

And with bad casino numbers, you have bad air traffic:

"Atlantic City's lights still sparkle but the prospect of extending that postcard image to Bader Field [airport] - a redevelopment that officials believed would forever change the future of the city - has faded along with the gambling town's economic picture. ... If not for the rusty hangars, motorists speeding past Bader Field on the Atlantic City Expressway would barely notice they were passing one of the nation's first aviation facilities officially called an airport."

... slow and steady progress in Maryland.

"The chairman of a commission charged with awarding Maryland's five casino licenses said Tuesday that 'there's more optimism' these days for a gambling-related windfall to state coffers despite a recession and lackluster initial interest from the private sector. Donald C. Fry, a former Harford County delegate who heads the politically appointed panel, said he based his hopeful prognosis on new expectations that a full-scale casino will come to downtown Baltimore and on preliminary feedback from consultants hired to advise the commission."

Oh, yeah, you can totally taste the optimism.

Odds and ends

Revenue reports from Presqe Isle, Mohegan Sun and The Meadows ... Pinnacle might close its Reno property ... It's not just the recession that's taking a toll on casinos and Las Vegas -- it's borrowing and construction debt ... The land-based Gary, Ind., casino is struggling to stay afloat pay its bills ...

Here's the flip-side to all that free flowing comp booze:

"Following two recent fatal accidents, the Mohegan Sun casino is increasing its effort to spot gamblers who may be drunk. The casino president says Mohegan Sun is expanding its alcohol-related employee training program and beginning an awareness campaign. Mitchell Etess says 800 people in the table gaming department are receiving training to identify intoxicated customers. Etess says drink servers are limiting patrons to two drinks, rather than three."

A Philadelphia Story, Redux

2009-04-21T15:26:00Z

It's hard to tell how much traction this bill will get, or if Gov. Ed Rendell is serious about supporting it, but you have to think that Philadelphia city fathers are sweating just a bit:

"Republican state senator from Erie took aim yesterday at Philadelphia's pocketbook, trying to deprive the city of millions of economic development dollars if it doesn't get its two slots casinos up and running soon. Sen. Jane Earll openly admits she's using financial pressure to get the casinos, called Sugar House and Foxwoods, open and generating revenue to reduce property taxes for Pennsylvania homeowners ... Mrs. Earl's Senate Bill 200 would deprive Philadelphia of up to $64 million a year from a slots-generated economic development fund, which is paying for an $880 million expansion of Philly's convention center. She also might take aim at the $86 million a year the city gets in wage tax relief. Both revenue streams would be shut off until the two casinos are open."

Did I just say it's hard to tell if the governor would take this bill seriously? It just became easier to tell:

"Gov. Ed Rendell no longer supports cutting off Philadelphia from the state's slot-machine gambling revenues. Rendell said through a spokesman Monday that he believes there's been enough progress toward building two licensed casinos in Philadelphia to make such a law unnecessary. [A] state Senate committee voted 10-to-4 Monday to cut off Philadelphia from any gaming revenues that support civic development projects. Last month, Rendell said he would sign such a bill out of frustration with political opposition to the construction of SugarHouse Casino and Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia."

... on this side of the state, it's not the lack of contruction that's infuriating critics, but the nature of it:

"It's bad enough that the promised first-class jewel that the North Shore casino was supposed to be is dwarfed by an oversized hulk of a parking garage. Now the owners want to hang two jumbotrons on the sides to advertise what's going on inside the slots parlor. The building's architect [last week] presented plans for two screens, each 31.25 feet wide and 17.5 feet high, one that would face Downtown and the other on the side facing the West End Bridge. ... The casino operators want to use their signs to advertise events and restaurants inside the facility, perhaps to show new slot machines that are available and possibly to display live shots from concerts or other performances. We think those intentions far exceed what the city allows in an identification sign," writes the Pee-Gee's editorial board.

... Also from the P-G, state Republicans are asking for yet more revisions to the state's five-year-old gaming law:

"For two years, House Republicans, including Rep. Ron Marsico of Dauphin County, have been insisting on changes in the 2004 law that authorizes 14 slots casinos in Pennsylvania. Now they're getting help from Mr. Marsico's cousin, Dauphin County District Attorney Edward Marsico, who wrote to Gov. Ed Rendell and legislative leaders last week urging them to correct what he sees as weaknesses in the law. [Both] Marsicos want the Legislature to revise the way that the financial and criminal backgrounds of casino license applicants are investigated."

Doing so, they said, would allow state investigators to have full access to a casino applicant's criminal history.

... one more, from the P-G's Tom Barnes:

Members of the state's Gaming Control Board, including Chairwoman Mary D. Colins, got a good scolding this week from state Sen. Jane Earll, R-Erie, who was upset over their spending practices. Specifically, she was upset at a trip that four board members and a staffer took to Rome last September, spending $32,000, just a few days after Gov. Ed Rendell imposed a ban on out of state travel.

Ms. Colins said it was an important international gaming conference and plans had been set to attend before Mr. Rendell issued his edict. The governor allowed the trip as an exception to his ban. Mrs. Earll said board officials have spent $135,000 on travel, meals, car rentals and other costs recently, including another conference in Nevada, and that's too much. Mrs. Earll chairs the Senate's Committee on Community, Economic and Recreational Development, which oversees gaming.

Board members said their costs aren't paid for with taxpayers' dollars, but are covered by casino owners. Mrs. Earll said the gaming board should be more attentive to the way things look to ordinary citizens who are strapped for cash. "There is still a perception of extravagant spending and lucrative salaraies and other costs,'' she said. "It's irrelevant that you are not spending tax dollars.''

Besides, the more that casino owners have to spend on board expenses, the less they can invest in their casinos, she said. The gaming board expenses for the owners come on top of the state's 55 percent tax on slots revenue -- 34 percent for property tax relief, 5 percent for an economic development fund, 12 percent for the horse-breeding industry and 4 percent for host counties and cities.

Girls! Girls! Girls!

How are you supposed to organize a halfway-decent bachelor party weekend if there's no strip club within walking distance of the casino?

"Two companies that want to build a strip club near the new casino on the North Shore have filed a federal lawsuit against the city, alleging that its process for obtaining zoning permits are unconstitutional. Pennsylvania Avenue Pittsburgh Properties LLC, which has the right to acquire property at 1620 Pennsylvania Ave., as well as HDV-Pittsburgh LLC, which hopes to lease the premises, filed the complaint yesterday. ... HDV hopes to open a 'cabaret-style nightclub that would feature live, non-obscene, female exotic dance performance,' including clothed, topless and possibly fully nude women, the lawsuit said."

... No Dice, the local anti-casino group, is planning an informational session on the North Side:

"Gambling counselor Lindsay Hargrove, an inspiring and effective speaker, has agreed to participate. Norm B., the faithful leader of Gamblers Anonymous in the Pittsburgh area, and Bill Kearney from Philadelphia have been invited."

The event is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 16, at Calvary United Methodist Church.

Dispatches from the border

News from New York:

"Delaware North took confidential information and used it against former partners in its bid to develop a major casino at a downstate racetrack, its former partner alleges in a new lawsuit. The court action comes as Gov. David A. Paterson has asked Delaware North and others to again submit bids to operate the casino at Aqueduct racetrack. It accuses the privately-held Buffalo company of breach of contract and other misdeeds that derailed the attempt of other firms interested in the lucrative deal."

Delaware North is the same company that was in line to run the planned casino at Seven Springs, which never opened.

... in Atlantic City, it seems that it's gonna get worse before it gets better:

"Revenue is plunging at a record-breaking pace. Nearly 3,100 jobs have been lost in a year. And it's only going to get worse: A new slots parlor in Bethlehem, Pa., is opening next month that's sure to draw northern New Jersey customers who used to go to Atlantic City. The latest blow came Thursday when statistics from the state Casino Control Commission showed another record-setting decline in the amount of money won from gamblers in March. The 19.4 percent decline shattered the previous record of 19.2 percent that was set just a month earlier."

The only thing that may rescue Atlantic City, it seems, is legalizing sports books:

"A new poll shows state residents favor legalizing sports betting in the nation's second-largest gambling market by a more than 2-to-1 margin. The Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll comes shortly after a state lawmaker, an online gambling association and others sued the U.S. Justice Department to overturn a law that restricts sports betting to only four states."

... more movement out of Ohio:

"Signature collectors should be out in earnest, seeking registered voters' support of a ballot issue allowing casinos in Ohio's four biggest cities. The Ohio attorney general signed off on the final petition-related documents last Wednesday, allowing the group to launch its signature drive."

De Scandal in De Poconos

A week ago, perjury charges against Louis DeNaples were dropped after he agreed to hand his stake in the casino over to a trust in his daughter's name. This week, his attorneys say Mr. DeNaples' suspension from state gaming activities ought to be lifted, since those charges were dropped:

"Lawyers for Mount Airy Casino Resort have petitioned state gambling regulators to lift the suspension of owner Louis A. DeNaples' state slots license and dissolve a 14-month trusteeship at the casino. The petition cites the withdrawal of perjury charges against DeNaples by the Dauphin County District Attorney's office as the reason. DeNaples' license was suspended in February 2008 after he was charged with perjury."

Odds and ends

Expect a protracted legal battle if Connecticut tried to outlaw smoking at its Indian casinos ... In a down economy, the casinos are struggling, but the new penny slots are a big hit ... Casino revenues dropped in Detroit last month ... In Mississippi, the numbers are up month-to-month, but down year-over-year ... "A newly unemployed casino veteran launches a free website that links job-seekers to casino employment Web sites, with 5,291 jobs available in its initial posting. The website is http://www.AllCasinoJobsONLINE.com ."

... total buzzkill here, but here's yet another reminder that the house nearly always wins, and often it takes your dignity along with your money:

"Prairie Meadows has provided welcome cash for Polk County governments and Iowa charities, but it's been a bad bet for Mitch Henry. Henry, 51, of Des Moines, is a problem gambler who has lost thousands of dollars playing slot machines at the Altoona complex. During his worst days in June 2005, he would often gamble until he was broke, return home to desperately try to find more money, then drive back to Prairie Meadows and keep gambling until he had lost every dime."

... This sounds interesting:

"Casino-Free Philadelphia will put the casino industry on notice. Residents of Philadelphia and allies from around the country will cover new ground -- inside an existing, operating casino in the region -- and conduct ourselves in ways that focus the public's attention on the heart of the controversy. The event, called Beat the House, will use various tactics that can be replicated at any casino anywhere in the county, including the two casinos proposed for Philadelphia, SugarHouse and Foxwoods, whether they open here in our City or elsewhere. Working in teams, participants in this event will enter a nearby slots parlor and use a series of actions to expose the predatory practices used by the gambling trade."

So if you're visiting a casino on June 6, be sure to say hi to these fellows.

Meadows 2.0

2009-04-15T19:53:00Z

Yes, you've been able to gamble on slots at The Meadows for almost two years. But that casino was temporary. This one is permanent -- and bigger:

"The Meadows Racetrack & Casino opened its $175 million permanent facility to the public at 9:45 a.m. today, when a crowd of several hundred surged inside the spacious building in Washington County. 'This is really impressive,' said Pat Doyle of Delmont, visiting the food court and surveying race horses warming up on the track outside while he waited to play some of the 3,100 slot machines. On a drizzly morning, the crowd was much smaller than for a test run on Monday or for the opening of the Meadows' temporary facility in June 2007."

Here's the story on that soft opening:

"By 10 a.m., the line to enter The Meadows Racetrack & Casino was 250 people deep. By 11 a.m., the line was measured in miles -- automobiles clogged the mile-long stretch of Racetrack Road between the casino and the highway, and the queue to exit Interstate 79 was a full mile-and-a-half heading north. It was Opening Day of a different kind in Washington County. Nobody seemed to care that the Pirates were playing their first home game of the 2009 season in Pittsburgh -- not when the new, 3,700-slot casino was opening at 11 a.m. yesterday to an invitation-only test crowd. The invitations, 17,000 in all, were distributed by Washington County's volunteer fire departments. The proceeds from yesterday's soft opening will benefit those fire departments."

That's great news for the slots players, but for those who like to bet on the ponies, the opening of the new casino means that racing is back:

"Racing resumes at The Meadows at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday after the early April shutdown to prepare the new building. Casino officials say they've designed the 350,000-square-foot structure to highlight the horses as a major entertainment feature beyond the Double Diamonds and Wheel of Fortune machines and new dining options. Two restaurants and a food court on the casino's upper levels overlook the track, with both indoor and outdoor seating. The old-fashioned grandstand behind glass, used during four-and-a-half decades of racing, has been replaced by three rows of stadium-style, outdoor seating putting hundreds of patrons close to the home stretch."

... From the P-G's Tom Barnes, writing out of Harrisburg:

Lawrence County Commissioner Dan Vogler watched in amazement Wednesday as more than 100 people from Philadelphia screamed and hollered at a Gaming Control Board meeting to protest two slots casinos proposed for their city. The Philadelphians said they didn't want gambling parlors in their city.

Mr. Vogler said the attitude of people in Lawrence County toward gambling is 100 percent different than the protestors from Philly. Unlike the Philadelphians, people in Lawrence County definitely do want a casino proposed for their area. "There is almost unanimous support for the proposed racetrack/casino in Lawrence County,'' he said. "When the gaming board held a hearing last summer in the county, 35 people testified in favor of it and no one was against it. The economic impact to the county would be signifcant,'' in terms of construction jobs and permanent gaming jobs.

Mr. Vogler has attended every gaming board meeting for months, in hopes that it would award a slots license for his county. An Indianapolis company named Centaur has received a Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission license to build a new harness racing track west of New Castle, near the Ohio line, but the project can't proceed until the gaming board awards Centaur a slots license.

These days, racing isn't too popular but slots gambling certainly is. Centaur's racing license has been extended until September 2010, but it won't even be considered for a slots license until it proves to the gaming board that it has the financial backing to build the $400 million project. And Centaur officials, pointing to the severe recession and lack of lending by financial institutions, don't know how long it will take them to get the necessary financing.

Once the racino opens, another group, led by New Castle developer Carmen Shick, wants to build an indoor water park next to the slots facility, creating a new destination entertainment complex. But until Centaur gets its financing, and the board gives it the slots license, Mr. Vogler, and everyone else in Lawrence County, are forced to just wait.

... Same writer, different story:

"It looks like Nemacolin Woodlands in Fayette County is sticking with its decision not to seek a resort hotel casino license from the state. 'We never say anything is a 100 percent dead deal, but it's not very probable,'' Nemacolin spokesman Jeff Nobers said. Speculation had bubbled up last week when former state Rep. Jeff Coy, who now is a state Gaming Control Board member, moved to open up applications for the final resort hotel slots license to more than just the lone current applicant, Bushkill Group, which wants to put a resort hotel casino in the Poconos."

At one time, both "resort" casinos -- allowed no more than 500 slot machines -- were to be built in Southwestern Pennsylvania, one at Nelacolin and one at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. But both resorts withdrew their applications.

Around the state

Speaking of resort licenses:

"The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board [last week] awarded the 12th of 14 available slot machine licenses to Valley Forge Convention Center Partners, L.P., according to a news release."

That's in the King of Prussia.

... The latest on De Scandal in De Poconos:

"Dauphin County District Attorney Edward Marsico [has announced] two major developments regarding Louis DeNaples, owner of the Mt. Airy slots casino in Monroe County in the Poconos. He said that perjury charges against Mr. DeNaples, which were filed in early 2008, are now being dropped, in exchange for Mr. DeNaples, a wealthy Scranton businessman, giving up all ownership in the casino. ... Mr. DeNaples agreed to give up his ownership and control at Mt. Airy and turn over 100 percent of his interest to a trust set up in the name of his adult daughter, Lisa DeNaples. This agreement is subject to approval from the state Gaming Control Board."

Perfect. Because if his daughter owns it, there's no way he could profit from it, right?

Dispatches from the border

West Virginia casinos want to change the way they comp their customers:

"Gov. Joe Manchin will now decide whether West Virginia's racetracks can entice slot machine players with 'free play' credits ... Prior to today's conclusion of the regular session of state Legislature, members approved a measure that would allow the state's four racetracks to offer free play credits just as casinos do in nearby Pennsylvania. ... Critics objected to the provision legalizing free play, but racetracks in the Northern Panhandle had sought to offer free play credits as they scramble to compete with casinos in the Keystone State. Slot machine players are being drawn to Pennsylvania casinos with the promise of $20 to $50 in credit being applied to their players' cards. This credit has no cash value for tax purposes and comes at no cost to Pennsylvania casinos."

Atlantic City is dealing with the same issue -- Pennsylvania casinos give away comps without taking a tax hit.

Odds and ends

The Joliett, Ill., casino is reopening after a fire ... The Sands casino in Bethlehem, Pa., is opening next month ... The lousy economy means cutbacks at two horseracing tracks ... The Bay State is warming to the idea of casinos ... Ohio begins to flesh out the details of its latest casino push ... The Answer is Alan Iverson. The question is: Who just got banned from Detroit's casinos?

"Allen Iverson has been banned from both MGM and Greektown casinos in downtown Detroit, the Detroit News reported on its Pistons blog. A regular casino visitor since he arrived in town, the blog said Iverson has been 'banned mostly for his boorish behavior. He is a bad loser, and he loses a lot, often throwing his chips or cards at the dealer. He has been warned about improper behavior at the tables repeatedly. He is often loud and disruptive, according to witnesses, rude to dealers, other players and the wait staff.'"

Never understood why some people take out their gambling frustrations on the hired help. Why can't you just drink those frustrations away, like Charles Barkley does?

Last, if you're a blackjack dealer, it's best not to make smalltalk about the ecomomy:

"Joe Corbo, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, says the last thing gamblers need to be reminded of is the tanking stock market or how much money they have lost recently. Making small talk with customers about the current national concern may seem like a good way to bond with them, but 'not really,' Corbo says. 'Our customers come here to escape. They don't want to be reminded of declining 401(k) balances or investment portfolios,' he wrote. 'If we engage them in discussion about the economy - or even worse, our personal circumstances - we're reminding them of the very things they're trying to forget.'"

In other words -- forget about your groceries. Keep gambling!

A soft opening

2009-04-06T15:31:00Z

What better way to celebrate the end of Lent -- and the end of all those self-imposed Lenten prohibitions on booze, beer, fatty foods and what not -- than by stuffing your face and liver at The Meadows next week?

Here's schedule, released today:

Monday, April 13
5:59 a.m. - Temporary casino closes
9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. - Media tour of new casino
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Invitation-only testing of the new casino

Tuesday, April 14
Temporary and permanent casinos closed
2 p.m. employee pep rally in former temporary casino

Wednesday, April 15
9:30 a.m. - Ribbon-cutting ceremony
10 a.m. - New $175-million casino opens to the public

... And here's the very latest out of Philadelphia, which has been under fire for moving so slow on casino construction:

"The developers for one of Philadelphia's two proposed slots parlors plan to open a temporary casino next year. SugarHouse casino's developers say they hope to open the 1,700-machine temporary facility before the middle of 2010. The temporary slots parlor would be incorporated into the final design for the site on the Delaware River waterfront. The developers say they can move forward with construction after the state Gaming Control Board approves the design changes. The temporary parlor will take about nine months to build."

... For all the controversy that The Rivers' garage has caused, you'd think they would have taken special care to make sure the thing remained upright:

If the huge parking garage being built behind the Rivers Casino on the North Shore seemed a bit out of kilter recently, your eyes didn't deceive you. Parts of the nine-level garage were found to be leaning by nearly a foot, prompting intervention by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and a plan of action by contractors to straighten things out.

Despite the problems, OSHA found the garage to be "safe and structurally sound," Acting Area Director Frank Librich said yesterday. "At no time during erection were employees in danger of a building collapse." The agency became involved after receiving an anonymous tip in February saying that floors seven through nine in the garage were out of plumb, or leaning.

... "With seven of the state's 14 authorized casinos open, slots gambling hasn't hurt state lottery sales, at least not yet, state Revenue Secretary Stephen Stetler told a legislative panel. 'Overall, lottery ticket sales remain steady at about 1 percent higher compared to last fiscal year,' he said. That's better than in many states, because lottery sales are down 2 percent nationwide. For the first eight months of fiscal 2008-09 (through the end of February), lottery sales were $2.044 billion, or $27.3 million more than the first eight months of the previous fiscal year."

Around the state

Gov. Ed Rendell is still pushing for poker machines that pay out:

"Though his plan hasn't gained much traction, especially among local lawmakers, Gov. Ed Rendell is continuing to pitch his proposal to legalize video poker machines in bars and private clubs and use the revenue to offset tuition costs for some college students. At recent stops, including one last week in Reading, Rendell detailed the plan [to] legalize the thousands of currently illegal video poker machines operating throughout Pennsylvania and to authorize others. The proceeds, according to Rendell, would generate about $550 million a year for the state to be used to offset tuition costs for students the 14 state-owned universities or any community college in the state."

To be clear, the poker machines are legal, as long as they are used for recreation only -- and many of them are not.

... From the P-G's Tom Barnes:

A group of Asian-Americans in Philadelphia is angry at the state Gaming Control Board for moving up the time of a meeting next Wednesday.

The board wants to hear from officials of two would-be Philadelphia casinos about why it's taking them so long to get the casinos built -- and producing funds to reduce property taxes for Pennsylvanians. The board was going to meet Wednesday at 11 am, and a busload of Philly residents -- probably most of them against casinos -- plans to attend.

But now the meeting has been moved up to 9:30 a.m. which will make it more difficult, the Asian group said. Asian Americans United said "it's shameful that the board plans to hold a public meeting on Philadelphia casinos outside our city. But this latest move further demonstrates the board's determination to thwart public participation.''

The group doesn't like the possibility that Foxwoods, one of the two proposed casinos, will move from its original site in South Philadelphia, along the Delaware River, to one of two locations in Center City, just a couple blocks from the city's Chinatown. Some Asians say many people of Asian heritage seem to demonstrate a particular weakness for gambling, and putting a huge slots casino virtually next to Chinatown is a bad idea.

... More from Philly:

"The Army Corps of Engineers has agreed with archaeologists for the SugarHouse casino that the project's 22-acre Philadelphia site along the Delaware River does not hold remnants of a British fort from the Revolutionary War or an 18th-century men's social club."

Which means it's OK to build there.

Dispatches from the border

We're inching closer to a new casino measure in Ohio:

"Attorney General Richard Cordray approved language to be used on petitions for the issue to establish casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo. It was the second round of wording submitted by the Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee. The coalition of casino owners and business interests wants to put the question on the ballot this fall. Cordray rejected the first submission, saying it didn't specify the casino locations and was unclear about taxing winnings."

...Gambling "purists" should like this news, out of Atlantic City:

"It used to be the signature sound of gambling: the clacking of coins spilling into metal trays on slot machines. But newer electronic machines that spit paper vouchers or credit winnings to cards now emit only canned noise. Now Atlantic City's oldest casino is bringing back the real clang amid indications that some gamblers miss the way things used to be ... [The] coin experiment is definitely swimming against the tide in the casino industry, where nearly 90 percent of the 900,000 or so slot machines in use in north America do not accept or pay out in coins."

Odds and ends

Not the best timing for slots in Maryland ... Horse troubles in Maryland, too ... Pennsylvanians support table games, according to these polling numbers ... Pennsylvania's monthly casino revenues are up in some spots, down in other.

It's not any easier to win, but at least it's cheaper to lose:

"Up until a few months ago, the minimum blackjack table at the Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls had been $10. Now, Western New York's biggest casino advertises that $5 blackjack tables are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The recession is bringing hard times to the gambling industry, [but] it appears bad times are good for gamblers, at least those who still have money."

A Philadelphia Story

2009-03-25T19:19:00Z

It's been 27 months since the state approved the construction of two casinos in Philadelphia, and barely a shovel has been turned. What the heck is taking so long?

"A Pennsylvania lawmaker plans to introduce legislation as early as Monday to strip Philadelphia of up to $64 million annually in economic development funds for failing to have its two casinos up and running. Twenty-seven months of delays on the city's proposed SugarHouse and Foxwoods casinos have left some lawmakers across the state upset that Philadelphia is benefiting unfairly from slots revenue without contributing to the pot ... Mayor Nutter said he was hopeful the bill wouldn't be necessary. At a March 13 City Hall news conference, Nutter said there were 'no barriers' to the construction of two casinos at their desired locations."

Right. No barriers at all, unless you count the noisome community opposition and the crippling worldwide recession.

... More from Philly, via the state Supreme Court:

"Responding to calls for help from the developers of the SugarHouse casino, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court yesterday appointed a special master to mediate disputes with Philadelphia officials. In a petition in January, the investment group had accused Mayor Nutter and his administration of holding up construction of the waterfront slots parlor. The Supreme Court named John W. Herron, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge since 1988, as special master. It also ordered the city to immediately issue a foundation permit 'without condition.'"

Dispatches from the Capitol

From our old pal (and Pitt fan) Rich Fellinger:

"Just across the river from Harrisburg, with a view of the state's capital city, sits Tavern on the Hill. It's a seafood and steakhouse restaurant that claims one of the most prestigious wine lists in the entire state. The chargrilled lamb chops, seasoned with herbes de provence, goes for $29.95, while the filet mignon, served with a mushroom bordelaise sauce, goes for $31.95. On Dec. 17, members of the state Gaming Control Board had a big dinner there, and they dropped $821, records show. It was the second time last year that gaming board members dined at Tavern on the Hill -- two board members had a business dinner there in February and spent $189 ...The restaurant bills are among more than $135,000 in travel and meal expenses that the seven gaming board members rang up in 2008, according to state records."

You know, compared to The Capital Grille on Fifth Avenue, $32 for a steak is downright reasonable.

Dispatches from the border

The slots scene from Delaware:

"Gov. Jack Markell says Delaware's three racinos would profit - not lose money - if his plan to add more casinos, allow sports betting and hike the state's share of gambling revenues goes through. That's not how racino operators read the numbers. In a news conference Tuesday at Dover Downs, state gambling industry executives said the Markell plan would dilute a market already crowded by competition ... Markell last week proposed allowing three new casinos; allowing sports betting at existing casinos, the new ones and 10 other sites such as bars and restaurants; and increasing the state's share of casino and racetrack revenue."

... What did Dela Wear? A New Jersey:

"Owner-breeder Michael J. Gulotta told a panel of state senators that slots in New Jersey's racetracks will be a winner for the state's budget as well as horsemen ... More than two dozen horsemen came out to support the testimony of Mike Gulotta. 'The introduction of racinos will add thousands of jobs in the state -- a win for the people of New Jersey. The introduction of racinos run by the operators of Atlantic City casinos will provide those entities with the opportunity to diversify their sources of revenue.' Gulotta told the senators that he thought that racinos in New Jersey would yield more than $1 billion in annual tax revenues."

There's that magical billion-dollar number again.

... Might as well tackle Ohio while we're at it:

"The Ohio State Racing Commission has unanimously voted in favor of a proposal to allow video slot machines at seven racetracks. Thursday's vote sends a recommendation to lawmakers asking them to approve the plan, which the commission says would create 150 new state employee jobs and bring in $1.3 billion for the state by 2013. About $625 million of that would go into a fund for primary and secondary schools. Track owners have said they want the Legislature to legalize slot machines, saying they need other sources of revenue to raise purse levels to those offered in neighboring states that have slots," reports the Associated Press.

... The video slots are a separate issue from the actual casinos that have been proposed for Ohio:

"When Pennsylvania lawmakers opened the door to gambling in their state in 2004, they drove a hard bargain: Casinos would have to hand over 55 percent of their profits to the government. Four years later, when the governor of Maryland got behind a proposal for slot machines in his state, he turned the screw even tighter: a 67 percent tax on gambling profits. Now, however, the promoters of a proposed ballot measure for gambling in Ohio are suggesting a tax rate that seems downright modest in comparison. If voters approve casinos in Columbus' Arena District, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo, each would be taxed at a rate of 33 percent."

Here's a helpful graphic from the Columbus Dispatch.

... Heck, we'll toss in an update from Indiana, free of charge:

"When Penn National Gaming this summer opens its $326 million expansion at Lawrenceburg, it will be celebrated for the 125 contractors it employed during construction. And the glitzy trappings of the Vegas-scale gaming parlor, with its 300 plasma screens and 60-foot video board. But few will recognize the new Lawrenceburg casino for what it really is: an act of self-defense. ... The 270,000-square-foot expansion and its Hollywood rebranding will be part of a larger attempt by Wyomissing, Pa.-based Penn National to lay down roots in Cincinnati. [The casino] wants to reclaim customers lost to two new horse-track casinos in Indianapolis and prevent encroachment by developers who have staked claims to potential casino sites from Louisville to Wilmington."

Odds and ends

The new and improved Meadows casino in Washington County will open April 15 ... Big fire at the Empress Casino in Illinois ... Tropicana hopes to regain control of its Atlantic City casino ... More bad news for Detroit: The Greektown Casino is in default ...

Should casino executives be allowed to run for office in Atlantic City? The answer used to be no -- that way, casino bosses and political bosses couldn't be one and the same. But now?

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em:

"Gov. Jon Corzine has signed a new law that will allow for casino workers to run for City Council in Atlantic City. The law ends a decades-long ban on casino workers holding public office. The original law was put in effect to ensure that the casino industry did not have a controlling hand in government. The plan has backfired, however, in recent years with corruption running rampant in city government ... The power that casinos already possess has been shown in a recent smoking ban for Atlantic City. Once the ban was in place, casino owners raised concerns about how the ban would effect business, and the city quickly eliminated the ban for casinos."

Schadenfreude

2009-03-13T18:42:00Z

On one hand:

"Just when it appeared things could not possibly get any worse for the recession-ravaged casino industry, along came February. Revenue plummeted a breathtaking 19.2 percent -- the biggest monthly drop ever in Atlantic City's 31-year history of legalized gambling -- to offer more evidence that customers have cut back on discretionary spending for casino trips during the economic meltdown. Fierce competition from Pennsylvania's slot parlors added to the misery."

And on the other hand:

"The economic woes dragging down most industries across America have one noisy, colorful, animated exception -- Pennsylvania's slot machines. At a time when other sectors are contracting, the six casinos that have been operating for more than a year showed 14.3 percent growth in February 2009 revenue compared to February 2008, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported yesterday. The growth occurred despite this year's February having one less day than in the 2008 leap year."

Why is Pennsylvania hammering Atlantic City? Here's one reason -- tax free comps:

"For Pennsylvania's seven slots parlors, giving away tax-free credits -- $21.1 million worth in January alone -- is more than just a marketing tool. Gaming operators here say it has become one of their most powerful weapons for siphoning business away from Atlantic City's casinos. The New Jersey Legislature decided in 2004 to phase out the tax on complimentaries, and it expires June 30, said state Casino Control Commission spokesman Dan Heneghan. The change cannot come soon enough for Atlantic City, as all of Pennsylvania's gambling halls, from Mohegan Sun in Wilkes-Barre to Mount Airy Casino Resort in the Poconos, are ramping up free slot play heavily this year. Look for the Pennsylvania comps to come even more fast and furious after June."

... "An employee of the Meadows Racetrack and Casino was arrested today and charged with stealing $246,301.61 from the facility using fake invoices. Thomas M. Reddy, 47, of Bridgeville, was arraigned today on one count of theft by deception and released on his own recognizance. Mr. Reddy, most recently the director of purchasing and facilities for the Meadows Casino, is accused of issuing fraudulent invoices for two companies, Innovative Cleaning Concepts and Total Mechanical Restoration. An investigation by the Allegheny County District Attorney's office, along with the Meadows and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, showed that the addresses for the companies were fake, and Mr. Reddy had deposited 147 checks into his personal bank account."

... and speaking of The Meadows:

"Billionaire James Packer today scrapped a $1.75 billion takeover of Cannery Casino Resorts LLC and sold his Australian cattle ranches to Guy Hands' U.K. buyout company, Terra Firma Capital Partners Ltd. Packer's Crown Ltd.. Australia's biggest casino owner, rose by a record 13.5 percent in Sydney trading after calling off the deal to buy U.S.-based Cannery, which would have given it three Nevada casinos and the Meadows racetrack near Pittsburgh."

Dispatches from the border

After years of getting denied by voters, casino-backers in Ohio think they've found a solution -- stop asking the voters for approval, and skip around the state constitution while you're at it:

"Even as out-of-state developers pitch a plan for casinos in Ohio's four largest cities, the state's ailing horse tracks are going to the legislature with a proposal for thousands of slot machines at their facilities. The seven tracks, including Scioto Downs south of Columbus and Beulah Park in Grove City, could get slot machines without going to the public for approval, according to an analysis by a member of the Ohio State Racing Commission ... The General Assembly could authorize a state agency, such as the Ohio Lottery Commission or the racing commission, to administer gambling at the racetracks. There would be no need to go to the voters despite the state constitution's restrictions."

Ohio's governor is reportedly against this plan.

... Forest City Enterprises, after years of trying to land a casino in Pittsburgh, in Ohio and elsewhere, apparently plans to sit this one out:

If 2009 becomes the breakthrough year for casino-style gambling in Ohio, [one] of Northeast Ohio's most stalwart supporters and advocates of gambling won't be at the table. Missing in the recent conversation about bringing slot machines and other games of chance to Ohio is any mention of Forest City Enterprises Inc., the Cleveland-based developer that in the past has been a serious player in efforts to get voters to approve casino gambling.

[For] Forest City, backing away from gambling this time around is a corporate decision. "We spent money on three of these (ballot initiatives in Ohio) and we just lost in Pennsylvania," said David LaRue, president and chief operating officer of Forest City's commercial group. "As a corporation, we've just decided gaming is not anything we want to own and invest in."

Forest City had hoped to put a $500 million slots casino in its Station Square development in Pittsburgh after Pennsylvania approved gambling in 2004. But the state gaming board selected another applicant after a protracted bidding and appeals process. Although it's sitting on the sidelines for the latest push in Ohio by would-be casino operators, Forest City might be willing to be a casino landlord.

Odds and ends

Gov. Rendell tells the Philadelphia casino licensees to start building, or else he may have to do something drastic: "If the legislature came to me with legislation saying, ‘Philadelphia's not cooperating, they're not participating, they're dragging their feet, and we've all done our bit -- the counties and municipalities are all up and running -- why should Philadelphia get any of the tax relief?' I would have to weigh that heavily." ... A $200 million casino is opening in Indiana: "Singer Justin Timberlake and actress Jessica Biel taking part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony." Weren't they just on Saturday Night Live together? ... Kansas is fighting over casinos ... Texas is wrangling over the same ... It's almost spring, meaning it's almost horse-racing season, meaning it's almost time for another round of "Can Horse Racing Survive in [Insert State] Without Slots?" stories. This week, it's New Jersey's turn:

"Gov. Jon S. Corzine has ordered the creation of a commission on the horse racing industry to assess the long-term viability of and recommend possible funding solutions for the financially-troubled sport. The move comes in the wake of a New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) budget report that projects shortfalls caused largely by a decline in horse racing revenue at the Meadowlands Racetrack."