Guardian found allies in lawmakers both Democratic and Republican<\/a>, as well as in Tropicana Casino & Resort<\/strong> prexy Anthony Rodio<\/strong>, Other Atlantic City legislators seemed resigned to defeat. State Sen. James Whelan<\/strong> (D, below<\/em>) said of the new-casino movement, “This has done Deeming the Boardwalk’s current monopoly of “little continuing benefit,” casino consultant Steve Norton<\/strong> also called for getting as big a slice of the pie as possible from northern casinos. That said, he lauded Guardian’s optimism<\/a>, adding, “I just hope it’s not too little, too late.” (I’d never agree that Guardian’s boosterism is “too little,” regardless of timing.)\u00a0\u201cHow long would it be before a casino gets put in Suffern<\/strong> [New York]? And if they put a casino in Jersey City<\/strong>,” Guardian indirectly replies, “there\u2019s land on the west side of Manhattan now for a casino there. Any success of a casino in North Jersey would be short-lived.\u201d<\/p>\n Indirectly endorsing Guardian’s viewpoint, New Jersey Casino Control Commission<\/strong> Chairman Matthew Levinson<\/strong> said the obituary notices were premature<\/a>. He noted improved hotel occupancy and convention bookings.\u00a0“What you might not know, or can’t see yet, is that Atlantic City is healing and getting better,” he maintains.<\/p>\n * A bizarre piece of legislation sponsored by Sheldon Adelson<\/strong> died a quiet death in the Nevada Legislature<\/strong>. It sought to define online gambling in the Silver State as a poker-only proposition. Funny thing is, that’s the status quo<\/em> and Adelson’s bill left lawmakers scratching their heads<\/a>. Perhaps things would be different if there were a legislative appetite to legalize online slots and blackjack, but the political appetite for that doesn’t exist, so the sultan of Las Vegas Sands<\/strong> didn’t get his way for once.<\/p>\n * James Packer<\/strong>‘s Crown Resorts<\/strong> derives half its profits from * An ongoing casino recovery on Mississipp<\/strong>i’s Gulf Coast powered the state’s gaming-revenue numbers<\/a> last month. The 8% growth in coastal revenues pushed Mississippi numbers up 2% overall. Riverboat counties, however, saw no end to a three-year malaise, with revenues slumping 3%. Thank heavens for Beau Rivage<\/strong> and its smaller fellows on the coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After seemingly being in shock from the stampede to put casinos in northern New Jersey, civic leaders of Atlantic City are starting to put up a fight. The terms of battle vary, with some dead-set against a breaking of … Continue reading ![\"tony-rodio\"](\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/tony-rodio-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a>who noted that many companies had been committed\u00a0in Atlantic City for decades and\u00a0\u00a0“It would be unfair to allow new companies who haven’t invested a dime or employed one person in New Jersey over the last 37 years to reap the benefits of a casino just outside of New York City.” (Take that, Hard Rock International<\/strong>!) Besides, Atlantic City’s $780 million tax contribution to the state should not be so quickly forgotten.<\/p>\n![\"Whelan\"](\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Whelan.jpg\")
<\/a>nothing but gain momentum.” In return for conceding defeat, he wants to see “significant dollars” returning to A.C. and only “limited” expansion. Careful, the horse is leaving the barn on that last point.<\/p>\n![\"packer\"](\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/packer.jpg\")
<\/a>Macao<\/strong> and, although Packer has admitted that the Macanese recession is more severe than he anticipated, Goldman Sachs Asset Management<\/strong> is backing Packer’s bet for the duration.\u00a0\u201cWe tend to be long-term investors and if you look at long-term trends in China what is pretty clear is outbound tourism is at a very early stage of development and you can make a credible case that it will continue to grow. Resorts and casinos in places like Macau will benefit enormously from that trend,\u201d said Goldman’s Dion Hershan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n