{"id":11143,"date":"2013-07-17T15:00:24","date_gmt":"2013-07-17T23:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/?p=11143"},"modified":"2013-07-17T15:05:47","modified_gmt":"2013-07-17T23:05:47","slug":"springfield-mgm-wins-again-barton-congressman-or-con-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/springfield-mgm-wins-again-barton-congressman-or-con-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"Springfield: MGM wins again; Barton: Congressman or con artist?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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As predicted, voter turnout was low<\/a> but a victory is a victory, and MGM Resorts International<\/strong> went home a winner yesterday. Springfield voters ratified an agreement<\/a> between MGM and the city, 58% to 42%<\/a>. Scarcely had the last vote \"\"been counted when “MGM executives were already on the phones with Mayors, Town Managers and heads of regional organizations in the surrounding communities,” <\/em>according to a company press release. Both Hard Rock International <\/strong>and Mohegan Sun<\/strong> could find themselves outgunned now that MGM is going region-wide: The lion spent $1 million on Springfield alone, so you can imagine what kind of cash it could deploy against West Springfield<\/strong> and Palmer <\/strong>referendums. (It’s not shaping up to be a good week for Massachusetts aspirants Foxwoods Resort Casino<\/strong> and Mohegan Sun: The former lost a big tax case<\/a> and both casinos saw lower slot win — down 12% and Foxwoods and 8% at Mohegan Sun — although F-Woods CEO Scott “Woody” Butera<\/strong> (right<\/em>) was ready with another of his “everything is better than ever” pronouncements.”)<\/p>\n

MGM’s win wasn’t<\/strong> the crushing sort that Steve Wynn<\/strong> enjoyed in Everett.<\/strong> However, it looks far more solid than the situation in East Boston<\/strong>. There, Suffolk Downs<\/strong> will probably eke out a small majority<\/a>. At present, voters are divided 49% for and 43% against, as a host-community agreement takes shape<\/a>. (Undecideds in Springfield, though, broke heavily against MGM<\/a>.) However, a freakish number of undecided voters would have to break away from<\/p>\n

\"\"Suffolk Downs. Weak voter support and problems of solvency at Caesars Entertainment<\/strong> could give the Massachusetts Gaming Commission<\/strong> two critical reasons<\/a> to ixnay a $1 billion racino, even if it passes at the ballot box.\u00a0When considering Suffolk Downs’ owner, Richard T. Fields<\/strong>, the word “force” doesn’t come to mind<\/a>. “Farce” would be more like it, considering his interminable and failed attempt to buy the then-Trump Marina<\/strong>. Fields could never get the price low enough to where he could afford it. He’s also experienced the seamier side of Seminole <\/strong>tribal gaming and lived to tell the tale. As the Boston Globe<\/em>‘s Mark Arsenault<\/strong> describes him, Fields sounds like a relative dilettante and lightweight in the gaming world. It’s good thing Suffolk Downs has strong political ties but its leadership looks like an easy ‘mark.’<\/p>\n

There doesn’t seem to be any<\/strong> middle ground on Texas<\/strong> Rep. Joe Barton<\/strong> (R) and his new bill to legalize online \"\"poker. The mainstream press, as it is obligated to do, is treating the legislation as thoroughly legit<\/a> — although the Las Vegas Sun<\/em>‘s Anjeanette Damon<\/strong> does note that “It appears, however, that [Barton’s] ship has sailed.” States may be hesitant to support, for fear of crimping their own Internet<\/strong>-gambling options. Less charitable views<\/a> prevail amongst online-gambling cognoscenti.\u00a0One pundit dismisses Barton’s bill<\/a> as “the slimmest of reeds.” GamblingCompliance.com<\/strong>‘s North American Research <\/strong>Director Chris Krafchik<\/strong> savaged it, tweeeting that “Another moribund federal Internet gambling bill hardly constitutes momentum. Merely a placeholder to keep lobbying dough flowing<\/em>.” You may recall that I. Nelson Rose<\/strong> took a similarly skeptical view of Barton’s solicitude toward the casino industry two years ago, chalking it up as a cynical ploy to get casino-industry campaign contributions. Unless there’s something in it for the horsey set, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell<\/strong> (R-KY, left<\/em>) will keep anything remotely meaningful from happening in the upper house, where Majority Leader Harry “60 Votes” Reid<\/strong> (D-NV) can scarcely be said to be making a forceful push. But Barton’s biggest obstacle is the current Congress, on pace to be the laziest and least productive in the history of our republic<\/a>. Hold a vote for Internet poker? That’s good. Tell me another one.<\/p>\n

Over in the corner<\/strong> there, Sheldon Adelson<\/strong> is threatening to sit and hold his breath until he turns blue<\/a>. Or something of that ilk … while Revel<\/strong> scythed an entire stratum of management<\/a> (never a bad idea) and, coincidentally, recorded its first profitable week — ever. History’s verdict on Revel is far from being written.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As predicted, voter turnout was low but a victory is a victory, and MGM Resorts International went home a winner yesterday. Springfield voters ratified an agreement between MGM and the city, 58% to 42%. Scarcely had the last vote been … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[23,28,42,14,117,7,52,22,37,112,11,33,111,25,157,12,32,31,20],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11143"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11143"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11147,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11143\/revisions\/11147"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}