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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

New Hampshire: We won!



Bravo, New Hampshire!




By a 50-vote margin, the NH House of Representatives again today rejected the legalization of casino gambling in New Hampshire.

We appreciate all the calls and emails supporters like you made to Legislators. These won the day!

Appreciatively,

Steve Duprey and Harold Janeway
For Casino Free NH and the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling

For more information: casinofreenh.org
Our mailing address is:
Casino Free New Hampshire
2 Eagle Square, Concord, NH, United States
Concord, NH 03301
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Wow! Alabama Fireworks for Overstated Projections


A GAZILLION JOBS! BUCKETS OF $$$!




INSTEAD OF SOUND FISCAL POLICY.....



Report says Alabama could raise $400 million with lottery, four casinos
By Mike Cason | mcason@al.comAL.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on April 27, 2015

sen del marsh horizontal mug.JPGSen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston


Alabama could raise about $400 million in new revenue with a lottery and casinos at the state's four greyhound tracks, according to a report released today by Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh.
State lawmakers will consider the report as they decide whether it's time to propose gaming as a way to help fund services in Alabama.

"At a time when we are talking about either massive budget cuts or higher taxes, this is something we certainly need to look at and consider," Marsh said in a news release.

The president pro-tem's office commissioned the study by the Auburn University at Montgomery Institute for Accountability and Government Efficiency.

The study found that a state lottery would generate $332 million in revenue after prizes and expenses are paid.

It found that adding slot machines and table games at dog tracks in Birmingham, Mobile, Macon County and Greene County would raise $64 million to $74 million, depending on whether the state imposed a tax of 13 percent or 15 percent.

Marsh said he commissioned the study to get an independent set of numbers about what gambling could mean for state revenue.

The state faces a projected shortfall of $200 million or more in the General Fund in 2016.

A lottery would not come in time to fix that problem because it would require voter approval in a constitutional amendment and months to set up.

Casino games would also require a constitutional amendment but could potentially produce revenue next year if a special election was called rather than waiting until scheduled elections in 2016.

The earliest special election would be three months after the session in which the proposed constitutional amendment is passed.

But the General Fund problems are not confined to 2016. The Legislature has relied on transfers and one-time sources to cover the gaps in the budget for years.

Rachel Adams, spokeswoman for House Speaker Mike Hubbard, issued a statement about the AUM report:

"Speaker Hubbard is reviewing the study and formulating an opinion, but even if a referendum were
held, it would take place well into the next fiscal year," Adams said. "This proposal does not solve our 2016 budget problem and an immediate solution is still required."

Gov. Robert Bentley has proposed raising taxes on cars and tobacco and eliminating some credits and exemptions to raise $541 million in revenue to cover the 2016 shortfall and stabilize the General Fund in future years.

Legislators have not voted on any of the eight bills in Bentley's package 16 days into the 30-day session.

Marsh said the gambling revenues can be an alternative.

He plans to meet with the Senate Republican caucus on Tuesday to discuss the report. The senator said he sent it to all 34 other senators on Friday.

Marsh, an advocate for downsizing state government, said the state has about 5,500 fewer employees than in 2010 and said it could reduce the state workforce by probably another 3,000 through attrition.

But he said that would not resolve the long-term concerns of funding Medicaid, mental health, prisons and services for senior citizens.

The report estimated that casinos at the four greyhound tracks would create about 11,000 jobs.

Suman Majumdar, a senior consultant for AUM Outreach, said that would include jobs at the casinos and one adjoining hotel at each site.

The economic impact of the casinos was estimated at $800 million annually.

Updated at 5:34 p.m. to say casino games might provide revenue in 2016 if they are approved in a special election.



http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/report_says_alabama_could_rais.html





We tried to tell them....





Once upon a time, Massachusetts Governor Deval "Slot Barn" Patrick spent a bucket of taxpayer $$$ to have Casino Shills prepare a report proving that 3 Glorified Slot Barns would create a GAZILLION JOBS and BUCKETS OF $$$$!







Former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger and Governor Michael Dukakis pointed out the overstated projections in the expensive report.

Flim-Flammed by the Casino Vultures!


Who was listening?






Their chief argument is that casinos will fuel an economic boon, providing 6,500 construction jobs and 10,000 permanent jobs, virtually all of them unionized, with benefits and an average yearly salary of about $45,000 (more with tips). The casinos have pledged millions of dollars annually to their host and surrounding communities, thanks to the “repatriating” of cash that Massachusetts residents will no longer be dropping in other states.


FROM:

Penn National: 200 CONSTRUCTION JOBS = 6,500 ?


 
 
 
 
Elected officials, those who should know better, LABOR UNIONS and the KoolAid consumers lined up to believe the Fairy Tale.



Genting opens a Super Duper Glorified Spa & Slot Barn and employs 1100?


[Elsewhere, you'll find the numbers of workers LAID OFF by Casino Closings and Bankruptcies in Atlantic City. And you believed it?]

I testified on Beacon Hill about the phony promises, suggested that if GUARANTEES were 
mandated,  you'd see those numbers return to reality.

Below is yet another article that destroys the Massachusetts Mega Myth:


Recruitment day for 1,100 jobs at Birmingham resort

The drive to find 1,100 staff for the new Resorts World Birmingham entertainment complex has been stepped up with a recruitment day planned for next week.
 
 
 
The centre, based at the NEC, will have an 11-screen cinema operated by Cineworld, a 900-delegate conference centre called The Vox, an Asian-themed spa with swimming pool, shops and restaurants when it is opened this Summer.

And now bosses have started recruiting for the huge leisure complex - the first of its kind in the UK.

A recruitment day is being held at the Genting Arena at the NEC on May 6.

People interested in jobs at the Genting International Casino, four-star boutique hotel, spa and shops can go along to the arena in Pentigo Way from 10am to 8pm or register online at www.resortsworldbirmingham.co.uk/careers.

Representatives of a range of employers that are recruiting will be present to explain the jobs that are available and answer questions.
 
A complimentary shuttle bus will run throughout the day from Birmingham Moor Street Station to and from the Genting Arena every hour from 9 am to 6pm on the day.

Among the retailers that will be opening outlets at the £150 million Resorts World are Nike and Gap.

Genting UK is building the complex opposite the Genting Arena, which it sponsors.

The impressive glass front of the building and integral structural work are now complete.

The five double-storey building will feature 50 discount outlet brands, 12 restaurants, with Pizza Express and TGI Fridays already signed on, five bars, a late night lounge and nightclub.

Genting marketing director Barry Clemo said they were looking to recruit from the local area to fill roles. Some senior roles in the management offices and casino have already been filled.

The range of jobs on offer will also include housekeeping roles, chefs, reception, bartenders and waiting staff as well as a number of administrative and accounts roles within the hotel, spa and casino.


Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is working with Resorts World Birmingham to help local people apply for opportunities at the complex and are also providing support to help them prepare for interviews.

Director of Human Resources for the Birmingham development, Julie Davies, said; "This is a significant boost to the jobs market in the area. When we are fully operational and all of the tenants have completed their recruitment process 1,100 full time equivalent jobs will have been created across retail, hospitality, operations, security, maintenance and gaming.

"There will be a wide range of jobs for prospective employees to come and discuss with us and I would urge anyone who would like to work at one of the UK’s most exciting venues joins us on May 6 to hear about the fantastic opportunities we are creating”



http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/04/28/recruitment-day-for-1100-jobs-at-birmingham-resort/

 

Monday, April 27, 2015

No to Brockton casino



The YouTube video below is of REVEL, the twice bankrupt Mega Monster in Atlantic City that CLOSED:






Why would Massachusetts believe it is 'DIFFERENT' and exempt from the problems experienced elsewhere with Predatory Gambling?


DONNA LEWIS, Brockton: No to Brockton casino

Posted Apr. 27, 2015 at 12:01 AM
Updated at 7:17 AM 



I vote no for a casino in Brockton. I believe it will cause more violence, poverty and hungry, homeless children. Why bring another addiction into this already addicted city.
Can't Mayor Bill Carpenter and other city officials figure another more productive way to bring revenue and jobs to Brockton? Ways to not encourage more crime?
DONNA LEWIS
Brockton
http://www.enterprisenews.com/article/20150427/OPINION/304289999/1007/OPINION



COLLEEN ROBERTS, Brockton: Casino isn’t the right solution for Brockton


Posted Apr. 22, 2015 at 8:54 PM
Updated Apr 22, 2015 at 8:57 PM 



In regards to the proposed casino here in Brockton, I’d like to express my strong no vote (“Brockton casino proposal coming down to ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” April 15).
I don’t believe a casino is the answer to the many needs the city of Brockton has. As residents of the city since 1983 and having raised our children here, my husband and I have a deep concern about the city’s future. The bright picture that the gaming company and Mayor Bill Carpenter are painting has a dark underbelly that will suck the life out of our city.
When I was growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, at one point my family lived near a horse racing track. My father gambled, (mostly poker), but he also delved into the ponies. One payday he lost his entire check and we had an empty refrigerator. Imagine that happening thousands of times over when hardworking people hope for riches and end up in rags.
The gaming company is out to make the owners wealthy, not the residents of Brockton and the surrounding towns. I believe that the cities and towns around casinos do not prosper and that gambling invites more crime. As if we don’t have enough drugs, gang activity, prostitution, murders and other crimes of our own to deal with! Our children and young people deserve better than this.
The gaming company will promise the world to get a foothold in Brockton. I don’t believe the company will deliver on any of it. The casino will come, make its millions, and leave our city worse off.
There is a better way to change our beloved Brockton into the kind of city families will flock to.



http://www.patriotledger.com/article/20150422/OPINION/150428366/2014/OPINION



Harrah's [now Caesars, the bankrupt disaster]] determined that 90% of their profits came from 10% of their patrons, a fact they have never disputed. 
That's GAMBLING ADDICTION! 

The Gambling Industry exists only by creating NEW Gambling Addicts. 

Studies have determined that proximity increases GAMBLING ADDICTION - the closer a Slot Barn is to you, the more likely you'll GAMBLE, the more likely you or someone you know will become a GAMBLING ADDICT.


When a public hearing was conducted in Raynham, no single person asked questions about Parx Gambling operation in Pennsylvania. 

In 2011, I posted this: 
Parx: The McDonald's of Gambling Addiction and Child Abandonment 

Parx, an indistinguishable Slot Barn, has become the poster child for Child Abandonment..... 

Parx is only casino with child-abandonment problem..... 

"You said 150 to 200 times a year," he repeated. "That's three to four times a week, essentially." 

"Yes," Jonas confirmed, most of his players fit that profile. In fact, because Parx players tend to live within 20 miles of Street Road, many go even more frequently. 

"We have customers," Jonas boasted, "who give us $25, $30 five times a week." 

At the end of the Yellow Brick Road, there is NO Wizard and no Magic Formula for politicians bereft of ideas who allow themselves to be dazzled by false promises

Pete Rose Gambling Problem Ruined His MLB Career, Until Now




Pete Rose Gambling Problem Ruined His MLB Career, Until Now


http://guardianlv.com/2015/04/pete-rose-gambling-problem-ruined-his-mlb-career-until-now/





Sunday, April 26, 2015

New Hampshire: Casino bill includes ample protections






Where have we heard that before?





Sunday, April 26, 2015

Casino bill includes ample protections



Telegraph Editorial
 



In a state whose motto is “Live Free or Die,” where the first state-sponsored lottery began in 1964, where you can drive without wearing a seat belt or having liability insurance, and where motorcycle helmets are optional, the intense opposition to casino gambling has always seemed a bit incongruous.
The aversion to expanded gambling becomes even more perplexing in the context of New Hampshire’s fondness for raising revenues from non-residents by taxing of other human vices such as alcohol and cigarettes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Here's how it goes.....we told ya so!


Lincoln, Rhode Island residents overwhelmingly OPPOSED 24/7/365 GAMBLING.
Guess what they got from the bankruptcy court?

Lost Local Control!



Anticipating Massachusetts Slot Barns, Twin River got table games.



During one of the Edumacational Forums conducted by the Massachusetts Gambling Commission [no longer available on their web site - the video seems to have disappeared], it was readily acknowledged that Plainridge [AKA Penn National] would return for table games, an expansion of Predatory Gambling.



During one of the early Gambling Hearing held on Beacon Hill in Gardner Auditorium, the public was told that the state becomes a partner in the success of Predatory Gambling, the state becomes addicted to the Gambling Revenues.




There will never be a limit.




RHODE ISLAND

Twin River wins approval for hotel




By Jennifer Bogdan

Journal State House Bureau
Posted Apr. 25, 2015 at 9:16 PM


PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Gov. Gina Raimondo has signed legislation clearing the path for Twin River to build a hotel at the state's only full-fledged casino.

State law prohibited a hotel from being built on the casino's sprawling Lincoln property in recognition of concerns once voiced by the Providence hotel industry, which feared competition.

But with the state facing imminent competition from Massachusetts casinos, elected officials favored lifting the restriction. Massachusetts' first gambling facility — a slots parlor in Plainville — will open in June just 12 miles from Twin River.

"As our neighboring states look to draw revenue and economic development away from Rhode Island, we need to examine every possible way to remain competitive and create more economic opportunities here in Rhode Island," Raimondo said in a statement.

Twin River Management Group will now vet the site plan with officials in Lincoln.

"We're grateful for the support we receive from the legislature and governor in lifting the prohibition on a hotel at Twin River," casino spokeswoman Patti Doyle said.

Twin River officials have said the hotel will be built in the style of a Courtyard Marriott or a Hampton Inn. The four-story hotel will have 150 to 250 rooms and cost $30 million to $35 million to construct.

The project is expected to create roughly 200 temporary construction jobs and 100 full-time jobs for employees needed to operate the hotel.

The House legislation was sponsored by Rep. Jeremiah T. O'Grady, D-Lincoln. The Senate bill was sponsored by Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin, D-Providence. There was no substantive difference in the bills signed into law aside from sponsorship.

Twin River officials have said the hotel is not intended to draw in gambling from a larger radius. Instead, officials have said the focus remains on retaining "convenience gamblers" within the surrounding area who might be tempted to cross the Massachusetts border.

Casino officials have said they will not seek any tax breaks or concessions for the project.

Twin River and Newport Grand, the sources of a large share of state revenue, are under threat from gambling expansion in Massachusetts. Plainridge Park Casino — with 1,250 slot machines — will open this summer just 12 miles northeast of Twin River in the Massachusetts town of Plainville. In 2017, three resort casinos — with table games, hotel rooms, shops and other amenities are scheduled to begin opening across the the Bay State.

That competition — possibly joined by a tribal-run casino in Taunton — will drain millions of dollars in revenue from Twin River and Newport Grand.

The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council, citing a recent analysis conducted for the Chafee administration by Christiansen Capital Advisors, forecasts a 13.8-percent decline in the state’s video-gambling revenue in 2016, and as much as 40 percent in later years.

“A hotel would complement table games and help Twin River to differentiate itself from the Plainridge casino,” said Alex Bumazhny, a Fitch Ratings financial analyst. “It could soften the blow from the new competition in Massachusetts but not offset it entirely.”


http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20150425/NEWS/150429507/101193/NEWS0301

Maine: Ever the expansion of GAMBLING!




Maine casino report adds new twist to gambling debate


Public hearings set for Monday on slew of bills to expand gaming

Published 12:31 PM EDT Apr 25, 2015
 
 
Gambling
Don't spend on unhealthy habits: A night at the casino can occasionally bring you a win, but more often than not, it's the house that comes out ahead.
 
 
 
AUGUSTA, Maine —Lawmakers have long lamented that Maine's lack of a comprehensive gambling policy has allowed casino developers to write the rules and use the citizen initiative process to let voters decide their fate.
Yet, attempts to change that have never come to fruition.

A $150,000 report commissioned by the Legislature last year concluded that Maine has room for more casinos and provided a blueprint for establishing a competitive bidding process for granting licenses.

The report's findings are giving new hope to those who have promoted that idea for years as they begin to make another push next week.

But proposals to open the door to more gambling, which a legislative committee will consider Monday, will likely face continued opposition from casino operators in Bangor and Oxford.

They have warned that their businesses can't handle any more competition.

The Legislature's Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee will hold public hearings at 9 a.m. Monday on 10 gambling-related bills.
 
The bills include a proposal that would allow the Maliseet Indian tribe to build a casino on tribal-owned land in Aroostook County.
http://www.wmtw.com/news/maine-casino-report-adds-new-twist-to-gambling-debate/32570328


For additional information:

WhiteSand Gaming Report


WhiteSand Gaming



Maine Gaming from Pechanga   














Saturday, April 25, 2015

Congress Must Blunt New Tribal Recognition Rules


The same Beacon Hill politicians who misled the media and the public about Predatory Gambling have maintained their blinders with BIA's proposal.






How many Massachusetts Tribes have applied for recognition?

Betcha they don't even know.




Congress Must Blunt New Tribal Recognition Rules



Schaghticokes





If the Obama administration approves new federal tribal recognition rules, the administration and Congress had better help states deal with the consequences. Two measures that would help Connecticut are:

Decoupling tribal recognition from the ability to operate a casino.

Creating an expedited process to consider land claims that newly recognized tribes may file.

This is a matter of some urgency. Despite vehement opposition from Connecticut, other states and many Indian tribes, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has nearly finished drafting new rules for tribal recognition, the CT Mirror reports.

Under the guise of streamlining the recognition process, the BIA is making it much simpler. This could be a boon to three putative Connecticut tribes that have thus far failed to gain federal recognition. The Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation of North Stonington, the Golden Hill Paugussett Nation of Bridgeport and the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation of Kent, which have been rejected because they failed to prove their continuous existence as a community and continuous political governance, could now strike it rich.


Federal recognition is a gaming permit in states that allow gambling. The federal Indian Gaming Act of 1988 allowed tribes to operate any kind of gambling that was legal in its state. Casino gaming was allowed in Connecticut because of its "Las Vegas Nights" law, which allowed charities to run casino-style fundraising events, though these didn't include highly profitable slot machines.

The two tribes that gained federal recognition, the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegans, opened casinos and were given the exclusive right to operate slot machines in return for 25 percent of the net revenue, per the deal negotiated in the early 1990s by Gov. Lowell Weicker. But a decade later, state lawmakers, concerned that a reconstituted "casino tribe" would gain federal recognition, revoked the Las Vegas Nights law.

Would the elimination of that law block a new Indian casino? It's unlikely, with two casinos going night and day, but possible. If it did, a newly recognized tribe might file a land claim and try to negotiate for a casino or two. With the General Assembly considering allowing the Mashantuckets and Mohegans to open more casinos, the state would likely be saturated with them.

Curiously, after Connecticut's governor and congressional delegation vigorously opposed the new rules, the BIA put in a provision that would allow a "third-party veto," that is, an entity such as the state that had earlier opposed the recognition of a tribe could veto recognition if that tribe applied again. But on Thursday, the CT Mirror reported that the BIA had withdrawn the third-party veto provision. One is left to wonder who influences the BIA.

In any event, Congress should step up. No one really cares if the Eastern Pequots — pretty much one or two families — and the other tribes get a certificate from the BIA saying they are an officially recognized tribe. The concern is whether they can run a casino (and get other federal benefits). The two should be considered separately.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act is there to help tribes promote "economic development, self-sufficiency and strong tribal governments." It is there to promote intact tribal communities, not fragmented tribes that have mostly assimilated into surrounding cities and towns. Congress should create a two-step recognition process, one that acknowledges the existence of a tribal community such as the Eastern Pequots, and a second that determines its casino-worthiness.

Requirements might be a self-contained reservation settlement with continuous government — actually, we could use today's BIA recognition standards.

And, should these fragmented tribes decide to file land claims — potentially tying up thousands of acres in Connecticut — there should be a way to adjudicate them quickly. We can't rewrite history, we can only try to treat everyone fairly.



http://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-tribal-recognition-rules-20150424-story.html

Bradenton Mayor voices opposition against gambling expansion


The ENDLESS EXPANSION of Gambling never ends!




Bradenton Mayor voices opposition against gambling expansion

 
Posted: Friday, April 24, 2015 5:50 am
 
BRADENTON, Fla -- Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston and other city leaders are voicing their opposition to expanding gambling in Florida.
 
The controversial issue is being debated in Tallahassee right now.
The mayors support existing agreements with the Seminole Tribe, who have the right to establish gambling attractions.

But, State House members are trying to undo the agreement with a bill headed to the House floor.

The Senate, however, appears unlikely to support the measure.




http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/bradenton-mayor-voices-opposition-against-gambling-expansion/article_56e8709a-ea67-11e4-8e77-f70d77d759bc.html

 

New Hampshire: Wednesday, April 29th Hearing






The House vote on Senate Bill 133 will be held next Wednesday, April 29. We ask that you reach out to your State Representative and urge them to vote against the bill.
Our message is simple. Don't push the panic button. For 30 years the state has balanced its budget and provided programs and services without resorting to casino gambling.
Any revenue the state may gain from casino gambling will be offset by crime, addiction and other social costs. Is it worth trading services to one group of vulnerable citizens by creating another group of vulnerable citizens?
The bottom line is that for casinos to win, state residents have to lose. Millennium Gaming will be the big winner if the State grants it a Salem casino monopoly and nothing can prevent a future legislature from diverting the promised revenue sharing that was tacked onto the bill as a sweetner.

Once casinos are legalized there is no turning back. No state stops at one.

Your call could make the difference in Wednesday's vote.

Appreciatively,

Steve Duprey and Harold Janeway
For Casino Free NH and the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling

For more information: casinofreenh.org
Our mailing address is:
Casino Free New Hampshire
2 Eagle Square, Concord, NH, United States
Concord, NH 03301


Thursday, April 23, 2015

Lots of smoke around Steve Wynn’s money


Of the aging Nip 'N Tuck King .....




much can be said....





.....the failure of Corporate Media to ask the right questions, report accurate information has defined this issue....the Gambling Industry now OWNS you!






Lots of smoke around Steve Wynn’s money

Steve Wynn.
Globe file 2014
Steve Wynn.



WHEN YOU follow Steve Wynn’s money, there’s no smoking gun.
Just a lot of smoke.
 
On Oct. 1, 2014, Wynn Resorts — the developer of Wynn’s Everett casino — gave $2 million to the Republican Governors Association. That same day, the RGA contributed $1.1 million to Commonwealth Future, the political action committee that backed then Republican gubernatorial candidate — and now governor — Charlie Baker. The next day, Commonwealth Future allocated $1.1 million to purchase TV ads that attacked Democrat Martha Coakley.

Overall, the RGA spent $11.2 million to help Baker become governor. In December, a few weeks after his election, Baker told a Florida conference of fellow Republican governors: “First of all I want to just thank the RGA for your support in both elections. It made a huge difference in our campaign.”

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts expanded gaming law — Chapter 23K Section 46 — specifically bars any gaming license applicant from making a political contribution that directly or indirectly benefits any public office holder or candidate running for public office.

But speaking of smoke, here’s some more from the Massachusetts gambling commission, which is charged with enforcing the law. It formally granted a license to Wynn on Nov. 6, two days after voters rejected a referendum to ban the casino industry from Massachusetts. But because the commission voted to give Wynn a conditional license on Sept. 16, its members do not consider him “an applicant” at the time of his $2 million contribution to the RGA.

It’s not Wynn’s first show of generosity to that organization. Last August, the Globe reported on a $200,000 contribution the casino mogul made to the RGA in December 2013.
Steve Wynn’s political contributions are part of the backdrop to his effort to build the Everett casino.
Quote Icon
To be clear: The RGA transferred millions to Commonwealth Future. There’s no way to prove the exact dollars Wynn gave to the RGA are the same dollars the RGA contributed to the pro-Baker PAC and were then used to buy attack ads against Baker’s opponent.

The case is circumstantial, something like the one against Aaron Hernandez. It goes up against the RGA’s insistence that it accepts only “unrestricted, unearmarked contributions.” In Wynn’s case, a spokesman said, not one cent was directed to any political action committee connected with the 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial election.

Still, Wynn’s political contributions are part of the backdrop to his effort to build that Everett casino. They also play out against a sharpening focus on the 1.75 acres of Everett land he plans to purchase from the MBTA as the gateway to his casino.

It’s on hold, for now. Earlier this month, the Baker administration withheld a crucial permit from Wynn Resorts, after a top Baker official said the sale violated state law because it was authorized before the appropriate agency conducted a review of traffic and other environmental issues. With the outcome now in Baker’s hands, the details of that transaction are worth reviewing.

In October 2013, then-transportation secretary Richard Davey put a $30 million value on the MBTA parcel. At the time, site improvements were part of Wynn’s proposal to buy the land.

In August 2014, Wynn offered to buy the land for $6 million and Davey signed off on it.

On September 3, the MBTA put the land out to bid, with a stipulation that Wynn had the right to beat any offer. No one else bid on the property.

Now, as the state waits for Wynn to respond to questions relating to the environmental review, the MBTA land is being held in escrow, a Baker spokesman said. Once Wynn files his response, the public will have 30 days to comment.

So far, Baker is standing up for the public interest in the sale of public land.

But the politics are messy for the new governor. Wynn is represented by ML Strategies, a subsidiary of the law firm Mintz Levin. The president and CEO of ML Strategies is Stephen P. Tocco, a former secretary of economic affairs under former Gov. William F. Weld, who was Baker’s old boss. Weld, a “principal” at ML Strategies, sat beside Wynn when he appeared before the state gaming commission.

Tocco said he didn’t know about Wynn’s $2 million contribution to the RGA.

A Baker spokesman declined comment on it.

Somehow, smoke always makes it harder to see what’s going on.

Joan Vennochi can be reached at vennochi@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @Joan_Vennochi.
  http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/04/22/lots-smoke-around-steve-wynn-money/ywBmdrDkH2CzZcJhccezIM/story.html






...and you fell for it!


Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Mohegan Sun in South Korea because of Gambling Market Saturation







Clark Schultz, SA News Editor

  • Mohegan Sun is lining up an aggressive plan to build the largest casino in South Korea.
  • The complex would be built on property adjacent to the Seoul Incheon Airport and include a hotel and amusement park.
  • Mohegan's interest in South Korea comes after it was shut out of Boston and facing more competition from regional casinos in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York.
  • It would also be a $1.6B bet in a region where gambling is illegal except for foreign visitors.
  • The government in South Korea will grant a single gaming license sometime this year.
  • The slide in Macau revenue over the last year amid a crackdown from Beijing has increased the focus on new establishing new gambling hotspots in Singapore, Indonesia, and perhaps even Japan.
  • Related stocks: Wynn Macau (OTCPK:WYNMF, OTCPK:WYNMY, WYNN), Sands China (OTCPK:SCHYY, OTCPK:SCHYF, LVS), MGM China (OTCPK:MCHVF, OTCPK:MCHVY, MGM), Melco Crown (NASDAQ:MPEL), Galaxy Entertainment (OTCPK:GXYEF), SJM Holdings (OTCPK:SJMHF, OTCPK:SJMHY).
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