It’s G-Day plus four and questions continue to mount about Caesars Entertainment‘s partnership with the Gansevoort hotel chain. In particular, what didn’t the company’s compliance not know about Arik Kislin and when did they not know it? Suffolk Downs might be excused for not performing its due diligence but what’s Caesars reason? How couldn’t they have seen this problem coming?
In the meantime, Caesars is making nice with a federal grand jury that is investigating potential improprieties at Caesars Palace. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network seems to be working its way down the Strip, having exacted a $47 million fine from Las Vegas Sands earlier this year for unspecified misconduct. Perhaps Sands ratted somebody out to get such leniency. If that’s the case, Caesars execs should prepare their testimony — and it looks like exactly what they’re doing.
It’s safe to attend The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas again. Thanks to truly loutish behavior by the Culinary Union, protests have been canceled for the near future. Considering the verbal abuse that Culinary members heaped upon tourists, I wouldn’t blame Cosmo CEO John Unwin for not wanting to negotiate — are these the kind of people you want representing your property?
Keep the champagne corked. The government of Sri Lanka, roiled by internal dissent, has suspended approval of two casino resorts. Although approved by the cabinet, the enabling legislation has been taken off the parliamentary floor, undoubtedly to the chagrin of James Packer (right) who was due to invest $350 million in a Crown-branded getaway. The dissenters. Buddhist monks who promise to protest if the legislation goes any farther. For the sake of a colorful story, I hope that Packer gets his casino and the monks get their protest. Talk about ‘local color’!
Family friendly resort by day, giant nightclub by night? That’s what Troy Freeman wants to build in the southwest valley. I wouldn’t say he’d crackers — fan-shaped bowling alleys are an intriguing design concept. But he is running at some of the most crowded marketing segments in Las Vegas with few brand names at his side. We’re not exactly hurting for bowling or movie theaters, for that matter. Good luck to Freeman because he’s going to need a fair amount of it.
The accused Bally’s gunman, a certain Benjamin Frazier, was a two-time loser who evidently decided to go for three. The unfortunate moral of his story is that if you want to go to a nightclub and bust a cap in somebody’s ass, no one will make a serious effort to prevent you. Heck, even casinos in freaking Macao have metal detectors at their doors. Here, you could waltz right up to the cage, draw a weapon and rob the casino with total impunity (as has happened on multiple occasions). Why knock over a bank when a casino is so much softer a target?
