New Yorker economic columnist James Surowiecki puts current consumer-spending strends in perspective — and what he finds should gladden the hearts of casino owners. Basically, he finds historical evidence the current tendency toward thriftiness will soon pass. Of course, when Americans' savings rate (now 6%) dipped below 0%, that should have been a canary-in-the-coal-mine moment for heedlessly expansionist gaming moguls. But they'd probably laid off the canary in order to "maximize shareholder value."
If wishing made it so …
… Chicago would have had a casino a long time ago. Some city parents think they've found the perfect site, but it's still a long shot. Just keep it out of the Loop, OK? Seriously, downtown Chicago is looking livelier than it has in a while and doesn't need a big-ass casino plunked in its midst. The likelihood that it would be Windy City version of, say, a classy anomaly like MGM Grand Detroit is pretty remote.
So much for speculation that Australian casino magnate James Packer would get into the running for Fontainebleau. Seems that Packer is buying up Crown Ltd. stock instead. (Indeed, why would Packer write off his F'bleau investment, then double down on the failing development?) Packer has raised at least $772 million by disposing of non-gaming assets and appears on course to make a takeover bid for Crown, of which he owns 40% at present.
