MGM Resorts International is not going to sit idly by while the State of Connecticut tries to horn in on MGM Springfield‘s business. MGM President William Hornbuckle said the company 
was “not going to go peacefully” but would not give any specifics of the planned counteroffensive. While Connecticut still has to amend its constitution to permit a third tribal casino, MGM’s one-year postponement in Springfield, if permitted by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, gives both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino that much more runway to get their competing project aloft, especially since it’s going to be a quickie product.
Meanwhile, the decline of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods has been at least temporarily arrested. The former’s wagering ($580 million) was flat last month and Foxwoods enjoyed a 1% increase, to $485 million. Slot revenue was up by roughly a million dollars at both properties.
* MGM National Harbor is still a gleam in Jim Murren‘s eye, more or less, but half its tax payments have already been earmarked for local schools and libraries. That’s an estimated $21 million for education and edification.
* While we’re on the matter of taxes, Alabama state Sen. Del Marsh (below) is proposing a sweeping establishment of gambling in the Cotton State as 
an alternative to the tax increases proposed by Gov. Robert Bentley. Marsh is calling for a lottery and four Vegas-style casinos. The latter would be established at existing Class II facilities Victoryland and Greenetrack, and at new locations in Mobile and Birmingham. Marsh projects that this could generate $400 million in taxes, but he has to get it through both houses of the Lege and the voters as well.
“The gaming industry is already in Alabama and in states near us and we are not generating one dollar in state taxes from any of it,” says Marsh. Bentley responds that what the state needs is a near-term revenue fix, lest draconian cuts in state services have to be implemented, starting October 1. Bentley is staying neutral on gaming per se, characterizing it as a decision for the electorate.
* It’s official: There will be no vote on expanding New Jersey gambling beyond Atlantic City this year.
* Iowa casino patronage increased 3.5% last month, helped by Hard Rock Sioux City, which is a hit, a palpable hit. Only Prairie Meadows Track & Casino did more foot traffic. Hard Rock also took in $21 million more in the current fiscal year than did its Penn National Gaming predecessor, which was dragged kicking and screaming from the marketplace. It must, however, gross $20 million this month to meet Warner Gaming‘s revenue projections.
*Global Betting & Gaming Consultants has ranked the world’s top casinos for gross gaming yield (revenue minus player winnings) and #1 is … Galaxy Macau. Eight of the top 10 properties were in Macao and the other two were in Singapore. Way down on the list but tops on the Strip is Wynn Las Vegas, which gives Steve Wynn some good news during what’s been a rough week.
