Las Vegas Review-Journal
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Gaming Column Item
Four months after holding elections, dealers at Wynn Las Vegas are negotiating a union contract with the casino. Negotiators for Wynn Las Vegas and New York-based Transport Workers Union of America have held five sessions since the dealers voted by a margin of 444-149 in May to unionize.
Greg Kamer, attorney for Wynn Las Vegas, said talks are proceeding with the next meeting scheduled for Oct. 23. The union effort was a reaction to a move last year by Wynn Las Vegas to add certain managers and casino supervisors to the dealers' tip pool.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Greg Kamer, attorney for Wynn Las Vegas, said talks are proceeding with the next meeting scheduled for Oct. 23. The union effort was a reaction to a move last year by Wynn Las Vegas to add certain managers and casino supervisors to the dealers' tip pool.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Gaming Column Item #1
O.J. Simpson's much-ballyhooed visit to Las Vegas gave Palace Station some unwanted publicity.
But not all publicity is bad publicity. The off-Strip casino is probably now more well-known than Bellagio.
The alleged robbery, for which the disgraced Hall of Fame football player charged with 10 felonies, took place in a Palace Station hotel room.
For a week, images of the Palace Station's exterior and train locomotive marquee were blasted across the nation's media. Station Casinos spokeswoman Lori Nelson tracked more than 4,000 television news stories that featured video of Palace Station.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
But not all publicity is bad publicity. The off-Strip casino is probably now more well-known than Bellagio.
The alleged robbery, for which the disgraced Hall of Fame football player charged with 10 felonies, took place in a Palace Station hotel room.
For a week, images of the Palace Station's exterior and train locomotive marquee were blasted across the nation's media. Station Casinos spokeswoman Lori Nelson tracked more than 4,000 television news stories that featured video of Palace Station.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
NEVADAN AT WORK: Certified chef serves as tastemaker for Station Casinos' culinary future
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Gaming Column Item #1
Harrah's Entertainment has built a reputation by looking for new ways to ease the flow of customers from property to property.
Now this effort has moved to the employees.
The gaming giant introduced a new employee hot line last week for its on-call banquet servers, allowing them to work at the company's multiple properties.
Debbie Munch, Harrah's spokeswoman for the Las Vegas area, said the workers benefit from more job opportunities while the properties benefit from a deeper pool of experienced servers.
Before the change last week, workers were tied to the property at which they were originally employed.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Now this effort has moved to the employees.
The gaming giant introduced a new employee hot line last week for its on-call banquet servers, allowing them to work at the company's multiple properties.
Debbie Munch, Harrah's spokeswoman for the Las Vegas area, said the workers benefit from more job opportunities while the properties benefit from a deeper pool of experienced servers.
Before the change last week, workers were tied to the property at which they were originally employed.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Harrah's after the fiscal benefits of physical fitness
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Note: This article first appeared in the Sept. 10 issue of the Las Vegas Business Press.
Note: This article first appeared in the Sept. 10 issue of the Las Vegas Business Press.
Gaming Column Item #2
Harrah's Entertainment is receiving support for its philanthropic endeavors from the two private-equity firms that are taking the gaming giant private through a $17.1 billion buyout.
Karl Peterson, a partner at Texas Pacific, Rick Press of Texas Pacific and Apollo Management founding partner Marc Rowan were in the crowd when Harrah's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Loveman bestowed Harrah's Foundation's $30 million gift to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Karl Peterson, a partner at Texas Pacific, Rick Press of Texas Pacific and Apollo Management founding partner Marc Rowan were in the crowd when Harrah's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Loveman bestowed Harrah's Foundation's $30 million gift to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Study: Gambling in check for British
By Arnold M. Knightly
Review-Journal
A gambling study will demonstrate the British casino industry has taken a proactive and socially responsible role in dealing with problem gambling, the new chief executive officer of London Clubs International said Friday.
The study by academics in the United Kingdom hopes to establish a baseline on the rate of gambling and problem gambling in the region.
John Bruns, the newly appointed CEO of London Clubs, believes gamblers know what they're doing.
"These players have means and they choose to game," Bruns said. "It's their form of entertainment. They are not at risk and they are not vulnerable."
The report by the independent Gambling Commission on the prevalence of gambling is due Wednesday .
Las Vegas-based Harrah's Entertainment paid $570 million for London Clubs in December, giving it six casinos in England, two in Egypt and one in South Africa.
Bruns, who joined Harrah's in 2000, replaced Bill Timmins, London Clubs' longtime chief executive officer, before the acquisition.
Bruns said the pending study could also help clarify what the government plans to do with future casinos.
An independent Casino Advisory Panel, formed after the Gambling Act passed in January, awarded the city of Manchester a "supercasino" with 1,250 slots. However, the House of Lords in March voted against the plan, simultaneously killing plans for 16 smaller casinos that would have been built around the United Kingdom.
Harrah's Entertainment, the only major Las Vegas-based operator in the region, MGM Mirage and Las Vegas Sands Corp. have all expressed interest in developing large casinos. Harrah's is developing clubs in Glasgow, Scotland, and the English cities of Manchester, Leeds and Blackpool, to accompany the recently opened Nottingham club.
Bruns assumed his position Sept. 1, coinciding with the opening of a new London Club in Nottingham.
The same day, the Gambling Act of 2005 took effect, replacing most of the region's gambling regulations, some of which were 160 years old.
Bruns said every day reveals more about the business and political climate in London.
"It's in transitional times right now," Bruns said. "We thought deregulation was going to provide a lot of things for the casino industry. It's turning out to be more like reregulation."
Adding to the uncertainty are questions about the government of Gordon Brown, who replaced Tony Blair as prime minister in June.
Gaming industry watchers wonder if the government will make sweeping changes to casino licensing laws before general elections are held in 2009 or 2010.
Bruns also said the company is in a "freeze mode" on the issue of open admissions, which was once expected to be lifted with deregulation. Players now have to show proof of their identity before they can gamble at a London Club.
However, the European Union expressed concerns about possible money laundering issues if the requirement is lifted.
Harrah's is awaiting clarification from the European Union before proceeding with open admissions.
"I can't think of more exciting times than now to be in London during this discovery stage," Bruns said. "The question is, 'What will the business environment look like going forward and how can we compete effectively within that market?' "
London Clubs in the U.K. are considerably smaller than casinos in Las Vegas and have licenses for 20 slots, 40 electronic roulette games and unlimited table games.
Review-Journal
A gambling study will demonstrate the British casino industry has taken a proactive and socially responsible role in dealing with problem gambling, the new chief executive officer of London Clubs International said Friday.
The study by academics in the United Kingdom hopes to establish a baseline on the rate of gambling and problem gambling in the region.
John Bruns, the newly appointed CEO of London Clubs, believes gamblers know what they're doing.
"These players have means and they choose to game," Bruns said. "It's their form of entertainment. They are not at risk and they are not vulnerable."
The report by the independent Gambling Commission on the prevalence of gambling is due Wednesday .
Las Vegas-based Harrah's Entertainment paid $570 million for London Clubs in December, giving it six casinos in England, two in Egypt and one in South Africa.
Bruns, who joined Harrah's in 2000, replaced Bill Timmins, London Clubs' longtime chief executive officer, before the acquisition.
Bruns said the pending study could also help clarify what the government plans to do with future casinos.
An independent Casino Advisory Panel, formed after the Gambling Act passed in January, awarded the city of Manchester a "supercasino" with 1,250 slots. However, the House of Lords in March voted against the plan, simultaneously killing plans for 16 smaller casinos that would have been built around the United Kingdom.
Harrah's Entertainment, the only major Las Vegas-based operator in the region, MGM Mirage and Las Vegas Sands Corp. have all expressed interest in developing large casinos. Harrah's is developing clubs in Glasgow, Scotland, and the English cities of Manchester, Leeds and Blackpool, to accompany the recently opened Nottingham club.
Bruns assumed his position Sept. 1, coinciding with the opening of a new London Club in Nottingham.
The same day, the Gambling Act of 2005 took effect, replacing most of the region's gambling regulations, some of which were 160 years old.
Bruns said every day reveals more about the business and political climate in London.
"It's in transitional times right now," Bruns said. "We thought deregulation was going to provide a lot of things for the casino industry. It's turning out to be more like reregulation."
Adding to the uncertainty are questions about the government of Gordon Brown, who replaced Tony Blair as prime minister in June.
Gaming industry watchers wonder if the government will make sweeping changes to casino licensing laws before general elections are held in 2009 or 2010.
Bruns also said the company is in a "freeze mode" on the issue of open admissions, which was once expected to be lifted with deregulation. Players now have to show proof of their identity before they can gamble at a London Club.
However, the European Union expressed concerns about possible money laundering issues if the requirement is lifted.
Harrah's is awaiting clarification from the European Union before proceeding with open admissions.
"I can't think of more exciting times than now to be in London during this discovery stage," Bruns said. "The question is, 'What will the business environment look like going forward and how can we compete effectively within that market?' "
London Clubs in the U.K. are considerably smaller than casinos in Las Vegas and have licenses for 20 slots, 40 electronic roulette games and unlimited table games.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Gaming Column Item #1
Call it Trailer Station.
Station Casinos won preliminary approval from gaming regulators last week to operate a small trailer with 16 slot machines at the former Castaways site near Fremont Street and the Boulder Highway.
But don't sign up for those Boarding Passes too quickly. The trailer will have an eight-hour life span.
Station Casinos is protecting a grandfather clause on the site, which would allow the company to build a large casino without a now-required hotel component. To keep the old zoning alive, the company must have active gambling at least one day every two years.
The Castaways, which was best known as the Showboat, was imploded in January 2006 and the 26-acre site was turned into a dirt lot.
Station Casinos acquired the bankrupt Castaways in October 2004 for $33.7 million.
Gaming Control Board member Mark Clayton said requests similar to Station Casinos' appear two or three times a year from land owners around the state who want to protect entitlements.
Station Casinos spokeswoman Lori Nelson said a date has not been set for when the trailer will be on site. Las Vegas officials still need to approve the trailer.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Station Casinos won preliminary approval from gaming regulators last week to operate a small trailer with 16 slot machines at the former Castaways site near Fremont Street and the Boulder Highway.
But don't sign up for those Boarding Passes too quickly. The trailer will have an eight-hour life span.
Station Casinos is protecting a grandfather clause on the site, which would allow the company to build a large casino without a now-required hotel component. To keep the old zoning alive, the company must have active gambling at least one day every two years.
The Castaways, which was best known as the Showboat, was imploded in January 2006 and the 26-acre site was turned into a dirt lot.
Station Casinos acquired the bankrupt Castaways in October 2004 for $33.7 million.
Gaming Control Board member Mark Clayton said requests similar to Station Casinos' appear two or three times a year from land owners around the state who want to protect entitlements.
Station Casinos spokeswoman Lori Nelson said a date has not been set for when the trailer will be on site. Las Vegas officials still need to approve the trailer.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Gaming Column Item #2
Billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, typically media-shy, released a brief statement on the death of former casino executive Alex James Shoofey, who worked for the gaming pioneer in the 1960s.
"Alex was instrumental to the development and success of the International Hotel, and his contributions to Las Vegas cannot be overstated," said Kerkorian, 90, the largest shareholder in MGM Mirage.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Alex was instrumental to the development and success of the International Hotel, and his contributions to Las Vegas cannot be overstated," said Kerkorian, 90, the largest shareholder in MGM Mirage.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Friday, September 07, 2007
Punch in that PIN to wager: Device would allow use of debit card to buy gaming voucher
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Gaming Column Item #1
Olympia Gaming, which has delayed its planned $1 billion Southern Highlands resort project because of the fluctuating bond market, plans to break ground early next year on the $800 million Legends Marina Resort in Sparks.
The Northern Nevada project will sit on 14 acres next to a 1.2 million-square-foot retail and entertainment center being built by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based RED Development.
Olympia spokes man D.C. Graham said the connection to another development in Sparks and the smaller scale of the hotel-casino allows the project to move forward. The Sparks resort is scheduled to open in 2010.
Financing options for Southern Highlands project will be visited quarterly and will move ahead when the markets are right, Graham said.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
The Northern Nevada project will sit on 14 acres next to a 1.2 million-square-foot retail and entertainment center being built by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based RED Development.
Olympia spokes man D.C. Graham said the connection to another development in Sparks and the smaller scale of the hotel-casino allows the project to move forward. The Sparks resort is scheduled to open in 2010.
Financing options for Southern Highlands project will be visited quarterly and will move ahead when the markets are right, Graham said.
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Saturday, September 01, 2007
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