It’s more important to have a money-losing casino (upon which absolutely nobody has bid) in Chicago than to lower the über-confiscatory 72% tax rate. So says state Sen. Dave Syverson (R), a real crank. As Syverson puts it, “The problem with that is that means the state would be getting about 
$150 million a year less in revenue from Chicago. That’s about 15% of the entire capital plan.” Oh, Laura mercy, as Pogo would say. Somebody should ask Syverson what he plans to do when no casino is built and there’s exactly $0 going into the capital plan. Somebody must have asked Syverson if this was sour grapes, since he represents Rockford, soon to be home of a Hard Rock-branded casino. Seemingly high on happy dust, he replied, “Chicago’s casino is going to be the most successful and the biggest, and it’s going to generate the most revenue. The idea of giving them a much better deal than Rockford gets, it just isn’t fair, one, and then second, it’s going to hurt the state’s revenue.”
* Encore Boston Harbor, despite a public show of contrition, continues to charge $7 for shuttle buses and water-taxi rides. As Dr. Phil would say, “What the hell are you thinking?” On a happier note, a new, three-tier loyalty program is scheduled for early next year. Can you earn 
points for paying water-taxi fees? The appointment of Brian Gullbrants as casino president appears to be part of a larger management shakeup, with Eric Kraus coming aboard as senior vice president of communications and public affairs, and Jenny Holaday the new executive VP of operations. As Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox put it on a conference call, “We’re learning each and every day to become more local, make sure we’re giving the customers what they want.“
* In addition to eschewing resort fees, the Four Queens in encouraging Instagram moments on its casino floor, in a departure from industry 
tradition. The Strat is on the bandwagon, too. As Strat exec Brian Stanton told the Los Angeles Times, “We want our guests to have fun playing table games. If part of that fun is taking a photo to capture that moment, we welcome it.” Good man. MGM Resorts International doesn’t share Stanton’s sentiment, while Caesars Entertainment belies its name with a stick-in-the-mud attitude toward photography of table games. At least MGM created a “selfie-safe zone” at Park MGM. Guys, we’re talking about an era in which people aren’t really living unless they share the experience online. Get with it.
* Speaking of MGM, it and its rivals for Osaka will find out who their joint-venture partners will be in June. Possibly putting the cart before the horse, Osaka officialdom will select private-sector partners, leaving the 
choice of casino operator up to the national government. This didn’t work so well when Macao yoked together Sheldon Adelson and Galaxy Entertainment (another Osaka aspirant), whose public divorce led to the concession/subconcession arrangement that exists to this day. One thing Osaka candidates know for sure is that infrastructurally challenged Yumeshima Island will be the casino site. Meanwhile, national policy creeps forward at a weary-snail’s pace, with acceptance of resort proposals set for January of 2021. Construction in Osaka, if selected, is not expected to happen until autumn of that year. Casino companies will have their work cut out for them trying to get megaresorts ready in time for the 2025 World Expo.
