Crown Resorts, under investigation in New South Wales, evidently decided it could no longer afford to half-ass it without a CEO (a position that had gone unfilled for three years) and elevated CFO Ken Barton to 
the job. Congratulations … we think. Also, Chairman John Alexander is out and Executive Director Helen Coonan takes his place. “Alexander stepping down is not a good thing but the greater problem that they do seem to have is all the issues related to the sale to” Melco Resorts & Entertainment, said CPS Capital Associate Director Dale Raynes. “They needed to tighten the ship and prove that they have the relevant management in place.” Coonan describes the moves as a response to investor feedback. Crown is being probed, in part, to determine if the Melco sale benefited Stanley Ho, persona non grata Down Under.
* Definite congratulations to three casino giants that made Forbes‘ Most Admired Companies list. They are Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International. (Better luck next year, Caesars Entertainment.) Sands, MGM and Wynn took the #4, #5 and #6 spots, in that order. Marriott International held the top spot in the “Hotels, 
Casinos & Resorts” category. You’d think that MGM would have a legitimate claim for having suffered in the wake of the Mandalay Bay Massacre but Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson wrapped the mantle of martyrdom around himself. “We’ve faced immense challenges in our communities with the destruction caused by Typhoon Hato in Macau and the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas,” he proclaimed, before deferring credit to his employees: “Through it all, our dedicated Team Members … rose to the occasion for our communities as part of Sands Cares’ response in the face of these terrible events. They are the reason we are again joining this prestigious list of global leaders.”
Wynn was carried by its quality of products and service (#1), despite low scores for use of corporate assets and quality of management. Yeah, they 
mean you, Matt Maddox. MGM’s financial soundness was questioned but it did well in social responsibility and innovation, while Sands scored fairly highly in people management, use of corporate assets, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value and—no surprise here—global competitiveness. Casino.org argues that these scores will strengthen these companies’ hands as they jockey for position in Japan—assuming the Japanese government wants to put its brand-new casino industry into the hands of the gaijin.
* A bill enjoying bipartisan support in the Indiana Lege would allow police officers in casinos to carry guns. They wouldn’t be allowed to drink before or during going there, but it’s hoped this high-profile presence would act as a deterrent to the shootings and robberies that have roiled casinos in other states. We’ve advocated this measure for some time. When is Nevada going to follow suit?
