Anyone remember Gov. Steve Beshear (D)? For the five years, he’s been spinning his wheels, trying to get gambling expanded in Kentucky past horse racing. When Beshear ran for reelection last year, his GOP opponent, then-state Senate President David Williams claimed he’d support only slightly less gambling than Beshear. Turns out that Williams just funning us, having reverted to obstructionism in the upper house. Beshear removed that obstacle by plunking Williams into an open seat on the bench, but approval of the necessary constitutional amendment is far from a done deal. However, if a revision of the Bluegrass State’s tax code creates a revenue shortfall, Beshear’s finally got some stick to go with his carrot.
Kentucky may get a nudge from Isle of Capri Casinos‘ new, $135 million Cape Girardeau casino. Its opening was overshadowed by stormy events on the East Coast but Isle has a new, signature property that is positioned to draw from both Missouri and Illinois. The immediate target in its sights is the Harrah’s Metropolis riverboat. Meanwhile, Caesars Entertainment execs are busy overseas, touting the value of their $578 million golf course in Macao. Since — like any Gary Loveman-run enterprise — it’s been losing money, Caesars Golf Macao is going to be a tough sell. Or, as President of International Development Steven Tight tactfully put it, he was not sure Caesars would turn a profit on the liquidation. Whatever the links bring, don’t expect the money to go into paying down debt but into building East Coast projects like Suffolk Downs and the like, as it tries to expand as fast as possible before the bill comes due.
Almost lost underneath the clatter of Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman 
Stephen Crosby‘s missteps is the news that Neil Bluhm (left) has weighed into the Massachusetts market. With smash successes in Des Plaines and Philadelphia under his belt, Bluhm qualifies as a casino heavyweight now and the timing of his entry is interesting: right after the Mashpee Wampanaogs‘ compact with Gov. Deval Patrick was forcefully rejected by the Obama administration. Given the sudden vacancy in southeastern Massachusetts and the dearth of rival projects to Caesars’ Boston-area one, I’d be very much surprised if Bluhm pursued the hotly contested western end of the Bay State. As for Crosby’s latest stumble, in a well-meaning attempt to stir up some competition for those eastern licenses, he urged Hard Rock International‘s local associates to look elsewhere. Feeling pressured, the Hard Rock partners did not take kindly to Crosby’s advice.
