Isle answers your questions

In the wake of a March revenue report from Louisiana‘s casinos, a reader asked why the Crown Lake Charles and Grand Palais riverboats report revenues separately, despite being berthed cheek by jowl. My surmise was that they hold discrete licenses. Ergo, separate revenue reports. Through the magic of Twitter, however, I was able to put the question to Isle of Capri Casinos CEO Virginia MacDowell and her marketing chief, Julia Carcamo (above, with office visitor). Ms. McDowell replies: “You are correct re Crown LC and Grand Palais.”

Adds Ms. Carcamo, “The revenues are associated with two licenses. BTW, by coincidence, my first casino job was on the Grand Palais when it was in New Orleans. Small world!” Given the very incremental gain Isle makes by having two boats anchored on Lake Charles, you’ve got to wonder if it’s just a matter of time before it applies to the state for permission to set sail for another Pelican State market — preferably one not about to be invaded by Dan Lee. After all, Pinnacle Entertainment decided that two licenses on one lake was overkill and portaged one to Baton Rouge (where completion continues to fall behind schedule, now pushed back to summer of 2012).

P.S.: Hey, buy a clue, Las Vegas Sands President “$2 Million Mike” Leven. There are plenty of constructive uses of social media. We’ve just witnessed one. Isle gets it. Why can’t you?

Speaking of Isle, its Waterloo, Iowa property gets roasted in customer reviews on American Casino Guide. “Isle Waterloo” is an apt handle for this casino, which was the last stand of the Bernie Goldstein administration before going into exile. Its opening drew attention to the fact that Isle was growing revenues at the time by adding casinos, while same-store lucre was declining. If it wasn’t a Waterloo for Goldstein it was certainly a watershed moment, complete with an ‘Isle-style water feature.’