Cherokee go to D.C. (maybe); Ivey cleaned out

Native American tribes have a hard time being heard in Washington, D.C.  So it was past time that the Cherokee Nation took advantage of a treaty provision two centuries old and nominated a delegate to our nation’s capitol. The actual decision hasn’t been made but the tribe is mulling it more seriously than at any time previous. “Over 184 years ago, our ancestors bargained for a guarantee that we would always have a voice in the Congress. It is time for the United States to uphold its end of the bargain,” proclaimed Principal Chief John Hoskin Jr. (We agree.) If it does, the 300,000-strong Cherokee would join Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands in have delegates who can vote in committee but not on the floor.

Hoskin’s choice, Kim Teehee, has Washington experience from her time in the Obama administration, as senior policy advisor for Native American affairs in the Domestic Policy Council, which gives her a leg up on your average freshman congresswoman. She’d provide a welcome, indigenous voice to the frequently stale debate on Capitol Hill. And, given the Cherokee’s considerable gaming holdings, which include a Hard Rock-branded casino and Will Rogers Downs, Teehee would be poised to be an important influence-maker for the casino industry If it happens, the Cherokee will have one foot in statehood and one in sovereign nationality. Then again, Congress could always refuse to seat Teehee (breaking yet another treaty in the process). Throw the bums out!

* Las Vegas easily absorbed 1,202 new hotel rooms last month, with occupancy at 91%. That’s thanks in part to 499,000 conventioneers, a 22% increase (and including the ASD Show, which actually concluded in August). Average room rates on the Las Vegas Strip were $136/night and occupancy was 93%. While auto traffic was static at the California border was static, it was up 4% on all major highways (thank you, Utah).

* Casino regulators cracked knuckles in Iowa. Out $20,000 is Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino for allowing underage play. “For Prairie Meadows, this was the second incident in the last 365 days. If there would happen to be a third, those fines would escalate,” said Iowa Racing & Gaming Administrator Brian Ohorilko. William Hill failed to upload self-exclusion data into its screening program, which is considered the same as allowed barred patrons to play. Pay the man $5,000.

* Speaking of payment, Phil Ivey is out $124,410, monies confiscated by Borgata and seen by some as the end of Ivey’s World Series of Poker career. This won’t be the last time the U.S. Marshals show up to take Ivey’s dough, as he owes MGM Resorts International $10 million, a figure that would drive a lesser man to suicide. Ivey was found guilty of cleaning Borgata out of $9.6 million by the technique of ‘edge sorting’ and the judge threw in Ivey’s $500,000 craps payday for good measure. All of which means Ivey is going to be avoid U.S. tourneys and stashing his cash offshore. Since British casinos already have an eye out for Ivey’s edge-sorting at baccarat, he may have trouble finding the money to satisfy the court.

* This is a fine story about beer tourism. However, it fails to mention a single casino resort—not even The Venetian, which has its own cicerone (a sommelier for beer). Tsk, tsk.