{"id":20198,"date":"2017-09-18T07:46:28","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T15:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/?p=20198"},"modified":"2022-08-15T06:57:57","modified_gmt":"2022-08-15T14:57:57","slug":"adelson-cools-on-japan-revel-mystery-deepens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/adelson-cools-on-japan-revel-mystery-deepens\/","title":{"rendered":"Adelson cools on Japan; Revel mystery deepens"},"content":{"rendered":"

Details of Japan<\/strong>‘s casino-implementation bill are starting to trickle out: a blend of tax rates for mass-market play (22%) and VIP action (12%), a minimum gambling age of 20 and casino\u00a0\"\"square floors no bigger than 15,000 square feet. Limitations like these, as well as the fear of casino-entry taxes are causing some trepidation among casino developers. Sheldon Adelson<\/strong> takes umbrage at the size restriction in particular, threatening to shrink his investment<\/a> from $10 billion to $5 billion. He told Asia Gaming Brief<\/em> that it was impossible to build “the best kind of [megaresort]” if handcuffed in that way. At least the tax rate, mild by U.S. standards (and those of Macao<\/strong>) should give some reassurance to Adelson and his rivals.<\/p>\n

While Sheldon, Jim Murren<\/strong> and Steve Wynn<\/strong> have focused on the big Japanese cities, the obscure metropolis of\u00a0Tomakomai<\/strong> has suddenly become a hot property. The 10 companies reportedly descending upon it include\u00a0Caesars Entertainment<\/strong>, Galaxy Entertainment<\/strong>, Hard Rock International<\/strong> and Clairvest Group<\/strong>, although the latter’s spotty resum\u00e9 is unlikely to find favor with Japanese regulators.<\/p>\n

* A curious odyssey is playing out in Atlantic City<\/strong>, where Glenn Straub<\/strong> continues to deny he has received any offers for \"\"Revel<\/strong>. The mystery bidder has revealed itself as Keating & Assoc<\/strong>., a private equity fund from Wall Street<\/strong>. Going public with its courtship, Keating is offering $225 million for Revel, which would give Straub a tidy profit. His continued head-in-the-sand attitude toward the whole affair is more than slightly baffling.<\/p>\n

* WalletHub<\/strong> has declared Las Vegas<\/strong> to be the “most fun” city in the United States<\/strong>, out of 150 cities surveyed. Sin City comes out tops in dance clubs and restaurants per capita, as well second in bar accessibility and fifth in attractions per capita. However, it is only 40th in price of beer. Boo! Enough with the $7 mug of suds already! Congrats on the high accolade, however.<\/p>\n

* According to Nevada<\/strong>‘s Legislative Counsel Bureau<\/strong>, you can light up a spliff in public now. However, “in public” doesn’t mean “in a casino.” The Nevada Gaming Commission<\/strong> has made it plentifully clear that casinos had better not allow marijuana use on the premises, lest they provoke the wrath of Jefferson Beauregard Sessions<\/strong>. As for consumption, prior to the Legislative Counsel Bureau’s opinion, most politicians held \"\"it to mean ‘confined to private residences.’ Said state Sen. Tick Segerblom<\/strong> (D), the father of legal pot in the Silver State, “We\u2019re inviting 40 million people to come here and buy marijuana, but then we turn around and say there\u2019s no place to use it. I think Vegas is perfect for this. That\u2019s what we do. We regulate vices … Frankly, I think marijuana fits in with our image.” Added the Marijuana Policy Project<\/strong>‘s Morgan Fox<\/strong>, “If we want to regulate this just like alcohol, we need to treat it like alcohol.” Good point.<\/p>\n

According to NBC News<\/strong>, the ruling means that you could even mix marijuana use with your yoga session (does it make the limbs more limber?). But the prospect of public pot lounges is \"\"chafing Gov. Brian Sanoval<\/strong>‘s ass. \u201cI did not support them previously. I don\u2019t support them now,\u201d he said, citing fear of the aforementioned J.B. Sessions<\/a>. Carla Lowe<\/strong> of Citizens Against Legal Marijuana<\/strong> is busy trying to put the genie back into the bottle. “Every major social problem is simply exacerbated when you have higher amounts of marijuana available,” she said, using a familiar anti-casino argument. “What is going to be the impact on these people that are driving home and what\u2019s going to be the impact on crime?” We’ve heard that all before, Carla. You and Sheldon Adelson can share some sour grapes together.<\/p>\n