Apparently the Culinary Union‘s secret-ballot election is so secret that it is off-limits to members of the media. Instead, the Culinary will stage a pair of dog-and-pony shows tomorrow at which interviews and b-roll filming will be possible. I don’t know if I’ve seen anything so stage-managed since Steve Wynn’s Showstoppers. Also, as though to maximize the inconvenience to tourists and locals alike, civilians are advised to avoid the Las Vegas Boulevard/Tropicana Avenue intersection “as tens of thousands of union members are expected to attend the two sessions [at the Thomas & Mack Center] and cast their votes.” It’s difficult to say how the vote will go but casino executives have made a bad habit of bragging on their tax-cut windfalls in investor calls. They can’t very well poor-mouth the Culinary on the one hand and rake in nine-figure governmental with the other.
* In New Jersey, engineer Hirsch Singh (R) is running for a seat in the House of Representatives on the promises that A) he was worth $2 million and B) he’d use it to fund his campaign. Turns out that the 33-year-old Hirsch, who still lives with his father, is worth as little as $51,000 plus money that came from casino winnings. “Hit black 13 on Roulette in Atlantic City after the first annual GOP Leadership Summit ;-),” wrote Hirsch in an official filing complete with smiley face. Atlantic County Republican Party Chairman Keith Davis didn’t share the levity, saying, “A lot of people supported [Singh] based upon the personal wealth he pledged was going to be brought into this campaign.” Time for Singh to hit the casino floor again.
* Scientific Games continues to pivot toward an Internet focus, rearranging its executive chairs once more. Gaming novice Doug 
Albregts is the new chief executive officer of gaming, edging aside Derek Mooberry, who stays on as executive vice president of strategic products. Steve Schrier comes over from Playtech to be chief commercial officer of SG Digital. With Barry Cottle having ascending to CEO, we’d say the other shoe has dropped were it not for a feeling that additional footwear is going to fall as the company reinvents itself.
* Do you live in Arizona but tire of driving to Las Vegas? Two rival bus companies are angling to reinvent Vegas as a bus-propelled, day-trip market. Germany‘s FlixBus will service the Tucson and Phoenix markets, with rates from the latter starting at $9.99 a head. Its competitor, Megabus, is offering lower fares but operating only from Phoenix. An 8:30 a.m. departure should have Phoenicians in Sin City by 1 p.m. They can gamble for five hours and take the 6:20 p.m. back if they like, although Phoenix is rife with gaming options. More likely, this will be an affordable means of having a weekend in Vegas. And just think: no parking fees!
