Think you’ve got a casino, Landing International? Guess again. Ground had scarcely been broken on a $1.5 billion megaresort, which had been making headlines across the Pacific Rim, when Philippines despot Rodrigo Duterte unilaterally canceled the 
project. A flunky said Landing International’s lease payments were “unconscionable” and that they put the government at a disadvantage. This makes the second casino shot down by Duterte, who nixed a $500 million Melco Resorts & Entertainment project in April. Landing Int’l vowed to fight on, issuing a statement that read, in part, “Unless the lease contract is canceled or nullified on solid legal grounds by the courts, Landing has reason to believe that it is a valid leaseholder and can legally proceed with its project.” Considering that the casino would have a relatively small number of gaming positions, Duterte’s objection obviously isn’t concerned with gambling per se, although he clearly likes governing by whim, Landing Int’l being the latest victim of his authoritarian rule.
* Elsewhere in the neighborhood, Hard Rock International is looking to double down on its presence in Australia. Although it could point to its unerring success as a casino brand, Hard Rock’s emphasis on entertainment will be music to the ears of Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones, who said, “When we go to market on the Gold Coast, we’re making it clear that the focus should be on big-name entertainment, bringing the likes of Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Jennifer Lopez to the Coast to perform.” Considering how things ended between Ozzie celeb James Packer and Carey, we wonder if he’d welcome her presence Down Under.
* If you haven’t gambled at Newport Grand Casino, you have until August 28 to do so. That’s the night the charmless aluminum barn closes in favor of a new casino at Tiverton Casino Hotel, which will open Sept. 1. There you’ll find a thousand slots, 32 table games and a fitness center to keep you in gambling trim. There will be five dining options, none of them formidably up-market. Newport has been wringing its hands about the closure of the casino but voters have only themselves to blame, having disapproved table games.
By contrast, Tiverton rolled out the welcome mat, even permitting round-the-clock operation. Newport now has to figure out what to do with the former jai alai fronton that will now be a drag on civic finances. As for Tiverton, we’ll wager that some of the first guests will be executives from nearby Plainridge Park, sussing out the new competition.
* Look out, Macao. Tourism in Singapore was up 7.5% in the first half of 2018 and a quarter of the 2 million-plus visitors were 
from China — 10% more than last year. No word yet on how Marina Bay Sands did but Resorts World Sentosa was reported as seeing a 4.5% increase in foot traffic. Considering how far it has fallen behind Sands in revenue, it could use the extra business.
* If you can wait until December, you’ll be able to enjoy microbrews at Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, which is building its own in-casino brewery, the first of its kind in New York State. It’ll give you a reason to travel to St. Regis Falls. As described by the Press Republican, Maple Brewery will be difficult to forego: “The 1,400 square foot addition will feature more than eight handcrafted beers on tap that will be served throughout the gaming floor. The four barrel system will be producing 160 half kegs of beer per month with the expectation to distribute to local bars, restaurants and convenience stores.”
Adds Director of Food & Beverage Toby TenEyck, “A 12-seat bar will be added for guests to come in and taste some of the signature ales on tap as well as a rotating menu of seasonal ales. The beer will also become a component of some the menu items including braised items, sauces and chocolate cake.” Sounds irresistible.
* Watch your back, slow-moving check-in clerks: Biometric technology is coming to take your jobs. It’s already being rolled out in hotels in China and I won’t be surprised to see it on the Las Vegas Strip before too long, depending on the terms of the latest Culinary Union contract.
