Monthly Archives: September 2021

PROVIDENCE Rhode Island firstand largest state-operatedbut privately owned casino is about to getbigger.

State officials from the governor on down were slated to join union leaders at a groundbreaking Thursday for an anticipated $100-million expansion of theBallys Twin River Casino Resort in Lincoln.

The expansion mandated in the law that authorizeda new, no-bid 20-year state Lottery and casinocontract will add a projected 40,000 square feet to the gambling floor, a 10,000-square-foot spa, andwhat is being described as an "enhanced food hall area."

Todays ceremony marks the beginning of our $100-million investment in the state of Rhode Island, and we are thrilled to break ground on a project that will involve approximately 20 construction trades over the course of the next 12 to14 months, said Paul Juliano, vice president of operations for the Ballys Corporation, which is now the operating name ofthe IGT-Twin River partnership.

Juliano emphasized that the casino "will remain fully operational throughout construction."

"Undoubtedly, the combined improvements we will make in our facilities and in our customer offerings will well-position our Rhode Island properties to continue to play a key role in the economic prosperity of our state,'' Juliano said.

Among those expected to attend in addition to the governor and legislative leaders: AFL-CIO President George Nee and Michael Sabitoni, president of the Rhode Island Building & Construction Trades Council.

Suffolk Construction will serve as the general contractor.

We celebrate the fact that over 20 unions and hundreds of union members will have a hand in expanding, modernizing and operating'' the casino, Sabitoni said.

Bally's has appended its name to the two Twin River casinos in Rhode Island, in Lincoln and Tiverton, which now offer "Ballys dice, cards, gaming chips and table game layouts."

An additional 40,000 square feet of gambling space on the first floor. Thiswill allow the majority of the gambling to occur on one floor, freeing up the second floor for "an additional entertainment offering."

A 14,000-square-foot Korean-style spa attached to the hotel.

Improved air circulation and lighting, and greater separation between nonsmoking and smoking areas.

Modernized casino space with upgraded pathways, amenities and design features.

An additional food hall, bar areas and public restrooms.

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Twin River Casino in Lincoln is about to get a lot bigger. Here's what that means - The Providence Journal

Like many malls across the country, the numbers of anchor stores and occupied shops at River Oaks Center in Calumet City have declined in recent years.

As a result, the city's mayor has proposed to turn the shopping center into a multi-use entertainment district, which he said could generate upward of $500 million.

"Imagine a mall of the future where you have residential housing, where you have condos," Jones said. "We want to turn this into an entertainment district where everyone will come to Calumet City for two or three days as opposed to coming here for two or three hours."

The entertainment district might even feature a casino, according to the mayor.

But there's a hurdle that stands in way of the proposal moving forward.

Calumet City owns the building that once housed Sears, but not the other side of River Oaks Center. Jones would not elaborate on how the city would take over the remainder of the mall if it isn't for sale, but did say there are multiple legal options.

"We want to work [with] them on some kind of agreement that we can take over this mall," he said.

The mall's owners, Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group, said their teams had a productive meeting with Jones on Friday and have scheduled a follow-up conversation to continue the discussion.

The companies' full joint statement is listed below:

Earlier today, the Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group leasing and management teams had a productive meeting with Mayor Thaddeus Jones about the future of River Oaks Center. We have already scheduled a follow up conversation to continue the discussion, and we look forward to providing the community with more insightwhen there is news to share.

In the meantime, we are remaining committed to the future of River Oaks Center, our leasing and management teams have signed over a dozen new deals on-property thus far this year, on top of the renewals, relocations, and expansions they've secured with existing tenants. We are also taking steps to make any necessary upgrades to the shopping center, ensuring it provides a graceful shopping experience for guests."

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Mayor Hopes to Transform River Oaks Mall Into Entertainment District With Casino - NBC Chicago

Baton Rouges three casinos collectively took in 7% less revenue last month than in August 2020 and 30.5% less than in July, according to todays report to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.

Every river-adjacent casino in the state reported a double-digit decrease from July to August, including LAuberge Baton Rouge, down 33.4%, the Belle of Baton Rouge, down 31.4%, and Hollywood Baton Rouge, down 22.2%. The state as a whole was down 27.4%.

Compared to August of last year, Hollywood was up 5.2%, while LAuberge was down 10.5% and the Belle of Baton Rouge was down 16.9%, according to the reported totals.

The state as a whole was up 5.2% year-over-year.

Casinos are hoping for a revenue boost from newly legalized sports betting. Last month, the gaming board approved emergency rules to get the process rolling, though the casinos havent started taking bets yet.

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Baton Rouge casino revenue for August down from a year ago - Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

In its 22 years under Chinese rule, Macau evolved from a sleepy and slightly sleazy Portuguese colony to the biggest gambling jurisdiction in the world. Fueled by foreign investment, laissez-faire oversight, and billions of gamblers a short flight away, casino revenue on the island reached a high of 363 billion pacatas, or $45.4 billion, in 2013, compared to $10.3 billion in Las Vegas.

Recent signals from Beijing, however, suggest the party may be over.

Lei Wai Nong, Macaus secretary for economy and finance, announced yesterday (Sept. 14) the government would begin reviewing the casino industry, with an eye toward tightening oversight in areas such as licensing, employee welfare, and daily supervision. This follows proposals to increase the number of casino inspectors from 192 to 459, and previous efforts to regulate illegal lending and cash transfers related to gambling.

The prospect of tighter controls over the industry come as casino operators prepare to rebid next year for the licenses necessary to operate in Macau. The new scrutiny opens up the possibility that companies found wanting could lose the right to offer gambling, and with it, their billion dollar investments. Investors, fearing the worse, this week dumped shares of casino companies with Macau properties like MGM China and Wynn Macau in record volumes, costing the industry $18 billion of market value. Analysts quickly downgraded the casino operators.

Over the past several months, China has been cracking down on perceived social vices and financial excesses of all sorts. On Aug. 17, Chinese president Xi Jinping took aim at the nations super rich, calling for common prosperity for all and leading to pledges from communist party officials to carry out reasonable adjustments. Soon after, the government placed restrictions on video games, which a state media outlet referred to as spiritual opium, restricting the days and hours they could be played by children under 18. Sectors ranging from technology to for-profit education have also fallen under Chinas crosshairs.

Casinos, palaces of capitalistic decadence, might seem ripe for draconian measures. But Beijing may also fear the potential flight of foreign investors.

Gambling has been a major industry in Macau since the 19th century, and starting in 1962, was largely run as a licensed monopoly by Stanley Ho and his company, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau. Then under Portuguese control, Macau had a reputation for lawlessness and corruption, which boiled over in 1997 as a gang war broke out among the Triads, organized crime syndicates, resulting in dozens of deaths. After control of the island passed from Portugal to China in 1999, authorities clamped down on crime and broke up Hos monopoly in 2002, opening the island to outside investors as well as mainland tourists.

Casino operators from the US, Malaysia, and Australia leapt at the chance to tap the worlds biggest gambling market. In 2007, Las Vegas Sands, the company controlled by latebillionaire Sheldon Adelson, opened the Venetian Macau, at the time the worlds largest casino. Other companies followed, and Macau soon surpassed Las Vegas as the worlds gambling capital. By 2020, there were 41 casino in Macau, supplying 80% of its tax revenue and three quarters of its jobs.

A 2014 crackdown on corruption and illegal money transfers led to a decline in gambling revenue, but Macau has largely been a success story for Beijing, enjoying unprecedented prosperity and a measure of corporate respectability. Particularly compared to its neighbor, Hong Kong, Macau has not actively resisted Chinese control and has caused few problems.

Significant new restrictions on the casino industry could upend that delicate balance. While a return of Triad gang wars seems unlikely, Beijing may be loathe to invite instability back to the region.

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Macau's casinos could be the next target in China's crackdown - Quartz

Nearly 130 miles south of New York City lies what once was the countrys preeminent getaway destination. This Eastern seaboard town had it all: economic boom through tourism, economic boom through corruption and racketeering, economic boom through unenforced prohibition- and that was even before the advent of legalized gambling! Though no longer labeled The Worlds Playground, episode four of What We Do In The Shadows (FX) titled The Casino reminds us that though Las Vegas looms larger and prettier, Dirty Jerseys Atlantic City still remains something more real: The Devils Playground.

Its all aboard! at the Vampire Residence, as the crew is packing their trunks for a vacation. The Guide (Kristen Schaal) seems a bit taken aback by this with the backlog of Vampiric Council matters to be attended to, but its been several decades since last the crew cut loose and let their hair down. However, Shaun (Anthony Atamanuik) and Charmaine (Marissa Janet Winkour), whom you may remember from the Superb-Owl party last season have decided to renew their vows and planned a group getaway, with the whole gang invited! Viva Atlantic City (which, Laszlo tickles on the ivories), leading us into an unorthodox main title, complete with footage of their travel into the nocturnal mecca of sin.

It should be noted, before they leave, they must pack the soil of their coffins, as mere documentation for travel will not suffice. Without the ancestral terra firma, the vampires cannot eat, sleep, leave and their powers wane.

Settling into their hotel rooms, Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) is already at it snapping Polaroids of banal things, Guillermo (Harvey Guillen) is setting out his cot, Nandor (Kayvan Novak) is attending to his soil while Laszlo (Matt Berry) is plowing his love Nadja (Natasia Demetriou).

At dinner, as the vampires struggle with how to convincingly eat, and the girls are gab about deals on fashion, Shaun proposes a toast to his wife and good friends. All eleven of them. Oh, we know why the nocturnal nabobs were invited group rate! and the number is not lost on Shaunie. Hes a massive Oceans 12 fan, as youll remember from the Superb-Owl episode, but now tearfully respects 11 as a prequel.

He brings the room up by shouting out to Laszlo, Frankie (Gavin Fox) and Mikey, before Mikey passes stone-cold out, causing the rest of the party to think hes plastered before the nights begun. Judging by the craven smile on ones face, we know who the culprit is.

Laszlo summarily commands the erstwhile familiar to fetch a broom from the hostess, as if he still thinks hes a familiar. Even Gizmo himself thinks that the transition to bodyguard status has been non-existent. Nandor does remind them that Guillermo no longer holds such a subservient title, so his inclusion is of import. Colin co-signs, citing that office drones work harder when feeling part of a family, thus neglecting their own families and building a higher threshold for degradation. Upon returning to his seat, the vampires ham-fistedly grill him on his interests, including his love life in order to gain more insight or feign more interest in someone theyve largely seen as a breathing piece of furniture in the house.

Guillermo is coy about divulging, but Laszlo breaks the seal, as is customary, citing the most beautiful thing in the world as fucking. Personally, who could blame the libertine lothario? Before Guillermo could spill the beans on his worldview on that due to his parents, which the vampires are waiting on with bated breath, Shaun interrupts.

It turns out that rascal Frankie put glass in the piccata, so the House comped the group a bunch of chips. With that, the group breaks off to hit the casino, leaving Guillermo all by his lonesome. Their respect is to be earned and it may take more than just saving their lives once to get there.

Charmaine and the girls decide to hit up a Rat Pack revue, which tickles Nadja to no end, thinking they are the OG lounge luminaries she partied with back in ACs heyday. Though she cannot imbibe with the women, Nadja still has a swingin time as if she had, calling out to them and reminding, spread eagle what they might have forgotten over the years.

At the tables, Colin is getting his crunk on, boring his competitors and the dealer with palaver about the Monaco Grand Monday nights fight of Jackson vs. Rodriguez.

Elsewhere, Nandors livin it up with his newfound love and no, it aint Guillermo. Its the Big Bang Theory slots. Hes more animated than Guillermos ever seen him, especially when hitting it big, causing him to shout Bazinga! (which is the war cry of Sheldon.)

While an overzealous Nadja takes the girls backstage at the Rat Pack revue, freaking out the trio (that bear zero passing resemblance to the originals), Colins all but drained the last of his little island of gamblers. Nandor is riding high on this new addiction, but the sun is coming up and they all must retire.

Theres only one problem- nobody can slumber. At hand lies the even bigger cause- their ancestral soil is gone all because of Colin. His favorite show (the in-house Monaco Grand commercial) he was caught up in binge-watching had him neglect noticing housekeeping doing what they do best. The vampires can already feel their powers wax and wane, as Laszlo goes from bat form to sparrow form, which is not only adorable but also a clever answer to a question I never had.

This prompts Nandor to send Guillermo on a journey and Nadja sending her beloved to ask his bestie, Shaun into lending him his credit card for the mission with no questions asked, since his power of persuasion is kaput. Laszlo proceeds with trepidation, as he doesnt want to jeopardize the only real human friendship he has on this blue spinning marble. Surprisingly, Shaun feels the love and lends him the credit card, on the sole proviso of being paid back ASAP, as the Commemorative Patrick Ewing Discover Card is an emergency only piece of plastic and with that, Guillermo heads to Europe!

At the Vow Renewal Ceremony, Nadja, Laszlo, and Nandor are fading and fast. This is a limbo from which they may never return. Colins still fine, still snapping photos, such as when Nadja succumbs to her soupy brain and falls down. In fact, what seems like weeks to the vampires only is 14 hours to Colin.

From the bustling Heathrow International to the majestic Paralia Urika Beach in Antipaxos to the precarious South Iranian Border (formerly Al Qolnidar), Guillermo shows why he not only protec, he attac but most importantly, he bringin dat shit bac.

Back in the rooms, as Nandor enjoys Chuck Lorres splooge on TV, Laszlos having a moment, guilt-ridden over the $7500 hes taken. By virtue of being a true gent, he goes down to explain himself. This only pours more salt on the wound when he learns that Shaun used to have a big-time gambling problem, with his second vow renewal this trip to not romance those demons.

Well, there are three absolutes in this world of chance you can set a watch to odds are lucky for a reason, never bet on the Knickerbockers, and that there are no absolutes.

This comes as a huge blow to Laszlo, but his dear Nadja attempts to remedy the situation by using her feminine wiles with her old pals, the Rat Pack and when that fails, she uses her next best non-vampiric asset: threats. Though she does fall flat, quite literally, she does succeed in collecting, as sometimes pity is more useful than power.

This is basically all for naught, however, as the amassed wealth is a mere 300 clams. Hubby isnt quite sure they were the hepcats she used to hang with, but Nadja wants none of that heresy.

Nandor listlessly bops away at his favorite slot, but not even Colin pointing out that he got a couple of Koothrapalis, a Hofstader, four Wolowitzes, and a Penny could prepare Nandor for getting him noodle baked about what the Big Bang Theory actually means.

They map out on opposite walls of the room in marker their views on the creation of the world, Colins being heliocentric and Nandors being one hes believed for seven and a half centuries: that the world rests on four elephants that reside on the back of a gigantic turtle. Hes been converted, due to science and logic trouncing fantasy and whim and even more depressed due to the fact that were but a spec of cosmic dust in the grand scheme of things.

A contemplative Nandor sits atop the Monaco Grand Hotel and Casino, feeling lonely as ever, even as Guillermo is soaring right above him with a little piece of home in hand.

Upon arrival, Guillermos greeted to a room of emotional and mental anguish across the board- Laszlos regret of possibly causing his best mortal friend financial and marital ruination, Nadjas rumination of the Rat Packs fall from grace, Nandors existentialist crisis, and Colins castrated viewing of his favorite tv show with the volume off.

Its time for Guillermo de la Cruz to put Frank Farmer to shame, first by getting everybody to night-nights and pumping up the volume on Colins show as he works on his plan on how to get them out of the jam.

Once they are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as evidenced by their inherent treatment of him, Guillermo lays out the scheme with some Danny Ocean panache. At 6.47 pm, hell head to the box office to get the tickets to the fight. At 6.52 pm in the elevator, Nandor is to meet one of the boxers, Eli Jackson to hypnotize him. At 6.55 pm, Laszlo is to hypnotize the other, Arturio Rodriguez. At 6.59 pm, Colin Robinson is to place a nice, simple bet. At 8.00 pm, they all take their seats at the fight and, well, Ring-A-Ding-Ding

Ten seconds into round six, Nadja triggers the hypnosis of both pugilists by yelling out Aint That A Kick In The Head causing a knockout that can only be likened to when one successfully pops the cork off a bottle of champagne.

Colin collects the cash, they all experience a flying on earth known as the escalator, hand over the winnings to a thankful Shaun who swears off gambling (before betting it all on 12 as they walk away) and head back into the party bus for, but not before giving Guillermo a welcome to the family card of sorts.

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'What We Do In the Shadows' Recap: The Casino - The Workprint

We've learned more details about the Illinois Gaming Board's action last week in regards to the casino license sought by Walker's Bluff.

The gaming board's director of policy Joe Miller says members did not license Walkers Bluff at their meeting on September 9.

Rather, the Board approved a request from Walkers Bluff to amend its application to forgo operation of a temporary facility.

On September 3, the Williamson County Board approved an amendment to the economic development plan for Walkers Bluff, which now plans to move directly to construction of its permanent casino facility instead of operating a temporary casino as it initially intended to do while the permanent casino is under construction.

During the gaming board meeting, Walkers Bluff said the need for local infrastructure and road improvements drove this decision.

Walkers Bluff expects to seek approval from the Illinois Gaming Board to commence construction sometime in October with the estimated construction to last around 18 months.

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Walker's Bluff Hopes to Move Forward Soon with Permanent Casino Facility - WSIU

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohios casino and racino industry set another monthly record, taking in $194.3 million in gambling revenue in August after paying out winnings, reports from the states casino control and lottery commissions show.

The revenue for the 11 facilities topped the previous August record of $172.1 million, set a year ago, with a gain of 12.9%. Ahead of the pandemic, the August record had been $164.4 million, set in 2019.

But despite the August record, business slowed the last full month of the summer. Monthly revenue records were also set in July ($211.2 million) and June ($196.8 million).

Through the first eight months of 2021, gambling revenue has totaled nearly $1.6 billion statewide. About a third of this money is turned over to the state in the form of taxes and fees.

In the Cleveland/Akron market last month:

* MGM Northfield Park had revenue of $23.3 million, up 20.8% from $19.3 million in August 2020.

* JACK Cleveland Casino had revenue of $21.9 million, up 20.2% from $18.2 million.

* JACK Thistledown Racino had revenue of $17 million, up 20.8% from $14.1 million.

Ohios four casinos are permitted to run table games, poker rooms and slot machines under the regulation of the Ohio Casino Control Commission. The seven racinos come under the regulation of the Ohio Lottery Commission, and are not permitted to offer only skilled-based, instead using slots-like machines known as video lottery terminals.

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Ohio casinos, racinos smash August record with $194 million in gambling revenue - cleveland.com