Several potential owners of Cannery Casino Resorts want to withdraw from the process rather than disclose their identities to Pennsylvania regulators. In addition, Gretel Packer, sister to Crown Ltd. CEO James Packer, has asked to pull back her license application.
This development inspires no end of questions. If Pennsylvania holds its ground and the Crown affiliates who are insisting upon secrecy pull out, does the whole Cannery deal begin to unravel? (Crown says no.) Was a similar identity waiver granted in Nevada? If so, why? Who are these mystery investors and why is their anonymity so important?
Considering that a gaming license is a privileged and highly prized asset (to say nothing of a potentially lucrative one), there's no conceivable justification for the citizens of Pennsylvania to be kept in the dark about who's behind the Crown Ltd. bid. If the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board accedes to Crown, its already shaky credibility will be shot.
