Gaming News Archives

LAS VEGAS -- Las Vegas Sands said it swung to a first-quarter loss as resort construction costs escalated, the U.S. economy weakened and competition in Macau intensified. via KVVU-TV Henderson

Casino developer Lakes Entertainment Inc. of Minneapolis says it's joining Myohionow.com to pursue a $600 million casino resort in southwest Ohio. via WLWT-TV Cincinnati

“The commitment to outstanding performance from each of our employees made this recognition possible”

MGM MIRAGE STOP THE UNION - BUSTING www.MGMSecurityUnion.Org Forbes magazine names MGM MIRAGE as One of the 'Best Managed Companies in America' LAS VEGAS, Jan. via Ntimc.org

TITLE: Owner, Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Tracinda Corp., which holds a majority stake in casino and hotel operator MGM Mirage Inc., and is the largest shareholder of Delta Petroleum Corp., an oil and gas ... via Ann Arbor News

“We're working on plans to accommodate our guests' smoking”

No Atlantic City casino will go totally smoke-free this fall in order to comply with a tough new smoking law, the casinos said Tuesday. via New Jersey News

“Every line of our operating expenses is being examined in minute detail to cut any fat out of the operation that has built up over the past years - so no sacred cows”

THE poker machine maker Aristocrat Leisure yesterday warned it was expecting a fourth consecutive year of relatively flat profit growth, blaming the US economic decline for flagging orders of new machines in ... via The Sydney Morning Herald

Australian shares eased 0.2%, as financial shares resumed falls on renewed concerns about bank profits, while Aristocrat Leisure dropped on a downbeat outlook. via The Sydney Morning Herald

Poker machine maker Aristocrat Leisure has forecast a relatively flat full year trading result, given "challenging'' market conditions and the effect of the stronger Australian dollar. via The Age

“Industry must invest more to strengthen and in particular to regularly update the PEGI system so that it becomes a truly effective pan-European tool”

The video gaming industry must do more to protect minors from unsuitable material and cooperate better with national authorities in the European Union , the European Commission said Tuesday, after conducting a ... via PC World

“Simpson really wants to do it. Trump and NBC are thinking about it, but are being very cautious. There's a certain amount of heat associated with Simpson.”

O.J. Simpson leaves the Clark County Detention Center after making bail following his court appearance on charges including kidnapping, assault and burglary September 19, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. via KOKI

“It started to build upon itself, like putting together pieces of a puzzle”

Station Casinos owners Lorenzo Fertitta, left, and brother Frank explain their vision Tuesday for Viva, which, at $10 billion, would become the most expensive casino complex ever built. via Las Vegas Sun

BATON ROUGE, La. - An Arkansas man has won the $1.6 million Lotto jackpot from April 19, the Louisiana Lottery announced Thursday. via Hattiesburg American

The Las Vegas Strip's three top casino executives have been named to a Republican finance committee charged with raising money for John McCain's presidential bid. via KPHO-TV Phoenix

“As we continue in our transitional phase, we believe Michael is the right person and has the requisite experience to lead us through this period and leverage our ADW platform and United Tote”

Youbet.com, Inc. announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Chairman of the Board Michael Brodsky as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. via Freshnews

Las Vegas Sands Corp. plans to open its second retail mall in Macau in July, as part of the company's latest expansion in the booming Chinese gambling enclave. via KTVN Reno

“This accomplishment underscores our continuing commitment to environmental sustainability.”

Harrah's Entertainment -- Hotels, 4/25/2008 8:15:00 AM Green is not just the color of money at Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. via Hotels

“I don't think there will be any important casino projects in Macao next year”

Except for the existing casino projects, the government of Macao Special Administrative Region will neither grant any new gaming concession or sub-concession nor approve any land for the building of new casinos ... via People's Daily Online

“We didn't do any of what he recommended”

Las Vegas Sands Corp. President Bill Weidner said Wednesday that he didn't like working with Hong Kong businessman Richard Suen and would have stopped trying to negotiate a deal with him if Suen didn't have a ... via RGT Online

“What you don't want is people going out of business because they grow too quickly and then have collection issues.”

Chinese officials said they won't approve new casino licenses in the booming gambling enclave of Macau, a move akin to slapping table limits on resort operators who want to raise their bets on a region ... via RGT Online

Richard Brown resigned Monday as chief executive officer of the parent company of the Stratosphere and both Arizona Charlie's, a Securities and Exchange Commission filing shows. via RGT Online

“We're excited to announce this key milestone for The Water Club, bringing this unique hotel experience one step closer for guests”

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., The Water Club, A Signature Hotel By Borgata, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and MGM MIRAGE , began accepting hotel reservations today. via Hospitality Net

Macau's government will stop approving land for new casinos to slow a gaming explosion that threatens the city's social development, the chief executive said. via Bloomberg.com - Asia

“We're now at a stage to review and estimate the development of the industry”

Shares of casino operators with properties in Macau climbed Tuesday after the Chinese enclave's leader said it will place a hold on new gambling licenses. via News Observer

“With just 10 Democratic Primaries yet to be decided, Australian punters have given the Illinois senator a strong lead over the former first lady Hillary Clinton”

Australian punters are backing US Democratic front-runner Barack Obama as hot favourite to win his party's nomination as presidential candidate and to go on and win the November election, Sportingbet Australia ... via The West Australian

“These guys are coming off their thrones because we are now a threat to their empire”

At Luxor, targeted first, owner MGM Mirage fights back with carrots and sticks Las Vegas Sun Security guards are trying to organize a union on the Strip, and the move has brought a strong response from casino ... via Chicago.indymedia.org

“At this stage we've held some assessments and discussions and followed the Central Government's (Beijing's) directives on the gaming industry and decided to take these policy measures”

Macau, the world's largest gaming hub, said it would rein in the booming industry by halting the issue of new licences and freezing land allocations for the construction of more casinos. via The Age

“The New York-based famous property developer was impressed by both Qatar's booming economy and its exciting investment opportunities.”

MANHATTAN real estate mogul, entrepreneur and TV celebrity Donald Trump was "impressed" by The Pearl-Qatar during his unofficial visit to the island last week. via Gulf Times

ATLANTIC CITY - Any hope that the casino industry had finally begun to rebound in February was shattered by a dismal March. After a modest 1.5 percent increase in February, revenue from the city's 11 casinos sank 9.9 percent, to $395 million, last month, according to figures released Thursday by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.

Even the powerhouse Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, the city's top-grossing casino, stumbled last month. Borgata's gaming revenue declined 13.4 percent to $57.5 million. Harrah's Atlantic City was the only casino that nearly eked out a gain. Table game revenue surged 40 percent at Harrah's to offset a 6.2 percent decline in slot winnings. Overall, Harrah's revenue slipped just 0.7 percent in March, a month helped by the grand opening of the casino's new 960-room hotel tower.

“Neither Bill nor I violated fiduciary responsibilities. Period.”

On cross examination from his own attorney, Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson attempted to retract his testimony this morning that Las Vegas Sands executive Bill Weidner breached his fiduciary duty to ... via Las Vegas Review Journal

In its 50th anniversary season in 2008, Scioto Downs is offering horsemen several series for trotters and pacers of various ages and levels of earnings. via Hoof Beats

“The contestants think he is the Pope. He thinks he is the Pope. He shakes everyone's hand, even those who don't want to shake it.”

Simon Cowell and Donald Trump were voted the best bosses in a new survey by Parade.com. The 'American Idol' judge and business executive Trump topped the list of the best possible employers, with Trump ... via The Elements

“Don't ever write another word about me, or you'll need an eyepatch over your other eye.”

Criss Angel, seen here with his girlfriend Miss Nevada Veronica Grabowski , threw a hissy fit when she didn't win the Miss USA pageant over the weekend. via The Superficial

Two initiative petitions that would cap revenue for the Las Vegas tourism authority and generate more funds for education or public safety can stay on the ballot, a judge ruled Friday. via The Modesto Bee

“Trends in Las Vegas and across the U.S. have been softer this year, as both gaming and nongaming revenues have been impacted by a difficult economic environment”

Share prices of the major casino operators tumbled Tuesday, the day after MGM Mirage said it eliminated 440 manager and supervisory level positions at both property and corporate levels. via Hotels

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is denying he owes a consultant millions of dollars for helping secure a business venture in Macau, China. via KXNT-AM Las Vegas

WAM Dubai, Apr 16th, 2008 : Atlantis, The Palm will open this September as the flagship resort on The Palm Jumeirah - the first resort to open its doors on Dubai's revolutionary island. via Hotels

The Nasdaq 100 slid Thursday, with shares of Focus Media Holding Ltd., recording losses as uneasy investors digested earnings reports and disappointing economic readings. via Canadian Business Magazine

Donald Trump says he is willing to spend millions of his own money to buy out the developer behind the Encap project, a troubled plan to transform polluted wetlands into a housing and golf complex. via New Jersey News

“The fact of the matter is that our business, week to week, is improving. This was something, irrespective of the economy, that we needed to do.”

MGM Mirage, the Strip's largest casino operator, is laying off some 440 management employees at both the property and corporate levels, a response to the souring national economy but also part of a corporate ... via Hotels

“We expect an uptick in the business as new and expansion opportunities open”

Casino equipment maker International Game Technology on Thursday said second-quarter earnings dropped 16 cents from the previous year as North America product sales declined and costs and operating expenses ... via Las Vegas Sun

An eastern Kentucky woman has won $1 million on a scratch-off Kentucky Lottery game. via WKYT-TV Lexington

As reported by the St. Petersburg Times: "The state's only Las Vegas-style slots outside South Florida could flash and spin as soon as next week at Tampa's Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. via RGT Online

“I think we will be friends again”

Related: 'Runway' fits on Lifetime, Weinstein says UPDATED 1:27 p.m. PT April 15, 2008 NEW YORK -- "Project Runway" made a splash at Lifetime Networks' upfront presentation Monday, in some ways overshadowing ... via Hollywood Reporter

As reported by the Kansas City Star: "The Las Vegas Sands Corp. convinced Edwardsville officials that it deserved a shot at managing a state-owned casino. via RGT Online

“She said wherever Paul is, she wants to be there for daughter Beatrice. And Bea should have the same life with her as with Paul. "Heather says that she wants the country house, one in London, one in New York, one in LA - even one in the Hamptons”

London, April 16 : It looks like a share of Sir Paul McCartney's fortune was not enough for Heather Mills - now she has vowed to buy her own house in every place where he owns a pad in the world. via The London News.Net

As reported by the Connecticut Day: "Lately there has been an influx of unionization efforts at Foxwoods Resort Casino. via RGT Online

“What gives us the right to tell them no?”

Gov. John Baldacci vetoed a bill Tuesday to allow slot machines on Indian Island, saying it has not gone before voters, and lawmakers upheld the governor's action on a proposal that's been around since last ... via The Boston Globe

“We do research from time to time, and we're doing lots of research at the moment”

Changes are in store for Powerball, the flagship game of North Dakota's lottery, in part because it generates large jackpots less frequently than its operators would like, the state lottery director says. via NewsOK.com

The network is developing a series executive-produced by Donald Trump, about life inside a pricey New York apartment building. via MediaPost Publications

Federal occupational safety and health officials are reviewing how Nevada state safety investigators handled the probe of the deaths of two maintenance workers last year at a Las Vegas hotel-casino. Richard ... via RGJ.com

“The existing building is not what I would call a five-star center”

Owners of The Venetian and Palazzo resorts plan to open a new convention center that would be among the country's largest in early 2010, according to an official at Las Vegas Sands Corp. via Hotels

Foxwoods Resort Casino reported a net slot win of $60.8 million, an $8.3 million decrease from March 2007. via Hartford Courant

“The economy was beginning to worsen and clearly was not going to get better in the immediate term.”

MGM Mirage Inc., the largest casino operator on the Las Vegas Strip, told more than 400 middle management employees Monday they would be terminated immediately in a cost-saving move, the company said.

The decision will save $75 million annually and came after the company saw weakness since August at its properties, which include Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mirage and Mandalay Bay, spokesman Alan Feldman told The Associated Press.

The move is the largest and swiftest by a casino operator in the current economic downturn, although the use of so-called 'extra board' employees such as dealers and busboys who take fill-in shifts as needed has been down citywide. Read more

“I wanted to split it up. I'd still love for him to do something downtown.”

Real estate mogul Donald Trump and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman exchanged pleasantries Friday morning. via RGT Online

“The Palazzo is to be commended for achieving LEED certification. This facility is one that both the community and its guests can be proud of”

The Palazzo Las Vegas, a Las Vegas Sands Corp. property, recently announced that the U.S. Green Building Council presented a Silver LEED Certificate . via Clean Edge

The President Casino in downtown St. Louis temporarily closed Saturday morning and remains closed due to rising flood waters on the Mississippi River, according to the casino's owner and operator Pinnacle ... via St. Louis Business Journal

“Well I think Rosie is a very abusive person. She's a slob and I'm not surprised to see it. "I would imagine that being her son is not fun. I know Rosie very well... She's a very bad person.”

Caption: Donald Trump. The 57th Annual Miss USA Competion held at Planet Hollywood. via ContactMusic.com

“One way casinos compete is by increasing their payout”

If you own a grocery store or a hamburger stand, the potential for new competition is a fact of life. via Hotel Online

There was one top winner in the latest Win for Life game, Virginia Lottery officials said Sunday. via WSLS

Ivana Zelnicek Winklemayr Trump Mazzuchelli added another bauble to her marital charm bracelet Saturday at a wedding where men were asked to wear white and didn't, women were asked not to wear white and did, a ... via PalmBeachDailyNews

Donald Trump says he's started settling lawsuits filed by early buyers of condos at his Trump International Hotel and Tower in downtown Chicago. via Fort Mill Times

“Illyira has had success in arranging equity funding and has substantially progressed in negotiations with its debt financiers”

The A$3.3 billion buyout offer by second-generation media tycoons Lachlan Murdoch and James Packer for Australia's Consolidated Media Holdings was withdrawn yesterday, becoming the latest casualty of the ... via FinanceAsia

“It would not even be possible to set forth in 200 words every provision of an initiative of any length”

The Nevada Resort Association and Las Vegas Sands Corp. filed a notice Friday to appeal Senior Judge Miriam Shearing's April 3 decision that the initiative petition was legal and the teachers could gather ... via Las Vegas Sun

Ivana Trump is getting hitched.

The ex-wife of real estate mogul Donald Trump is tying the knot Saturday evening with Italian entrepreneur Rossano Rubicondi, her spokeswoman Catherine Saxton said.

The wedding is taking place at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's opulent seaside mansion in Palm Beach. The estate also hosted the billionaire's wedding to Slovenian model Melania Knauss in 2005.

Donald Trump, whom she divorced in 1990, is attending, as are their children.

'Ivanka is the maid of honor and her two sons are giving her away,' Saxton said. Read more

“But this re-branding of the corporate name can open exciting new opportunities for us in the future.”

Saturday, April 12, 2008 Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. said today its board of directors has approved a plan to change the company's name to Caesars Entertainment Corporation, pending regulatory approvals. via Vegas Syndicate

“I don't know, we'll see. Fundamentally, I'm a Democrat”

A 26-year-old entrepreneur from Texas was named Miss USA on Friday, besting 50 other beauty queens for the coveted crown. via Athens Banner-Herald

Terry Lanni, the chief executive of casino giant MGM Mirage Inc., received $9.6 million in compensation in 2007, and was so enamored of the company's planned CityCenter complex in Las Vegas, he bought a ... via KLAS-TV Las Vegas

Donald Trump says he'll wait to build a second high-rise to augment his new gold-plated Trump International Hotel & Tower on the Las Vegas Strip. via KTVN Reno

“We envision this property will become the hub of Park Highlands, providing residents with a wealth of entertainment options in a complex designed to have minimal impact on nearby residential areas.”

LAS VEGAS, April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boyd Gaming Corporation and Olympia Gaming , an affiliate of the Olympia Group, announced today that they have formed a joint venture to develop a proposed casino, ... via Hotels

“I had the popular vote and Piers had the money. It was Trump's decision, and he placed more importance on the money”

Sean Penn and his wife, Robin Wright Penn, have withdrawn their divorce petition. via Asbury Park Press Online

The National Labor Relations board has set a union election at the Foxwoods Resort Casino for May 1 for the 310 employees in the engineering department. via Chicago Tribune

“I think my record speaks for itself.”

Miss USA contestants meet Beckie Hughes, Miss Colorado USA 2008; Raquel Roxanne Beezley, Miss California USA 2008; Rachel Howells, Miss Arkansas USA 2008; Kimberly Joiner, Miss Arizona USA 2008; Keisha Walding, ... via Athens Banner-Herald

“It's been a very bad investment”

For many investors, the condo hotel may go down as the Pets.com of the real-estate bubble. via EHotelier Global Hospitality News

“The total annual environmental savings generated as a result of our commitment to 'green' technology and construction is staggering and we are convinced that this will have a positive impact for years to come.”

Thursday, April 10, 2008 The Palazzo Las Vegas, a Las Vegas Sands Corp. property, announced that the U.S. Green Building Council made its "green" status official with the presentation of a Silver LEED ... via Vegas Syndicate

“I'd like to do some more of the acting stuff”

After getting fired by Donald Trump on "The Celebrity Apprentice," country singer Trace Adkins is turning to the make-believe world of daytime television. via Florida Times-Union

Texas Hold'em Poker Blog - The Pokerati Blog - DanM and his team cover all aspects of Texas Hold'em from the great state of Texas including Texas and US Gambling law developments Harrah's to change name to ... via Las Vegas Blog

The company seeking a contract to build a southeast Kansas casino wants the state to relax its rules. via WIBW-TV Topeka

“Mr. Arneault has advised us that after 13 years as CEO, he does not intend to enter a new employment agreement, but would remain for a reasonable period if required for a smooth transition.”

Edson R. "Ted" Arneault, chairman and CEO of Mountaineer Race Track & Resort in Chester, W.Va., plans to step down at the end of the year, according to a filing by racetrack operator MTR Gaming with the U.S. ... via Pittsburgh Business Times

“I've admired Jerry's career for many years and am delighted that he will bring his exceptional talent and vision to the Wynn Resorts family”

LAS VEGAS, April 7, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Architectural Interior Designer Jerry Beale has been named Senior Vice President of Design and joins Roger Thomas to assume the creative leadership of Wynn ...