Although I can’t imagine that too many of our readers are strangers to Las Vegas, perhaps there are a few. In that case, USA Today found somebody — well, me — to offer some helpful tips. For instance, here’s the family friendly version of Vegas. If you are a first-timer, these are the must-sees. For foodies, naming just 10 places to eat is very limiting, but you can’t go wrong with these. Say you’re a little more familiar with Las Vegas but crave a romantic getaway. Try anyplace on this list. And if you’re of a hipster bent, you can’t go wrong with this list. Enjoy!
Neil Bluhm‘s Rush Street Gaming is tiptoeing back into Massachusetts (perhaps 
here), where opportunity still exists in the southeast region. However, its interest comes with conditions. It wants “Region C” applicants to have their land costs exempted from the $500 million minimum investment set by the state. It also wants the application deadline pushed back to year’s end. Bluhm’s reasons include the contention that Region C won’t support more than $500 million — especially if a (non-taxpaying) tribal casino opens in the area. The developer doesn’t want to spend more than $375 million or $400 million on a Region C casino (which would also have competition from a Penn National Gaming slot parlor in Plainville).
Land, interest payments, mitigation costs and infrastructural improvements, Bluhm argues, should all count toward the total cost, which otherwise would near $700 million: “it needs to fit the size of the project to the size and risks of the market.” Loosening the rules, Bluhm’s lawyer says, will produce a more competitive process and better product for eventual customers, while sticking to the codified minimum investment courts the risk of financial failure. He also rationalizes that less-stringent rules will bring more competition out of the woodwork, hence the continuance until New Year’s Eve. Perhaps the Massachusetts Gaming Commission will take a page from KG Urban and postpone until Oct. 23, effectively splitting the difference between the current, July 23 deadline and year’s end.
Well, if you thought the Massachusetts casino-approval process was too slow, we’ve finally found some people who think it’s not stately enough.
