{"id":25931,"date":"2020-01-27T11:53:26","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T19:53:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/?p=25931"},"modified":"2023-08-07T05:51:06","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T13:51:06","slug":"its-greek-to-them-super-bowl-odds-amuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/its-greek-to-them-super-bowl-odds-amuse\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s Greek to them; Super Bowl odds amuse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite having lost its bid for the Hellenikon<\/strong> megaresort concession, Hard Rock International<\/strong> isn’t taking rejection lying down. \u201cWhile we are disappointed by this news, we are more disappointed in the process. Hard Rock firmly believes it was wrongly disqualified based on an inaccurate \"\"rationale and a clear conflict of interest. Hard Rock engaged its legal counsel in Greece<\/strong> and has retained counsel in Brussels<\/strong> to review the matter,\u201d the company stated. The “inaccurate rationale” would be a complaint that Hard Rock didn’t explain how its project was to be financed. The “clear conflict of interest” is that \u201cThe law firm advising the Hellinikon IRC Tender Committee<\/strong> and the Hellenic Gaming Commission<\/strong> on our disqualification has also represented a member of the competing bidder since 2008.” An unnamed member of the Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment<\/strong>-led consortium is also accused of being part of a “price-fixing cartel.”<\/p>\n

The Hellenikon site is described by Global Gaming Business<\/em> as “weed-choked and decrepit,” and yet “enviably located on the blue waters of the Athenian Riviera.” The casino, which does not have to be large (but we suspect will be) is but one of several moving parts toward creating a seaside resort of varied appeal<\/a>. Promised are “landmark buildings and state-of-the-art infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n

MGE CEO Mario Kontomerkos<\/strong> set no small goal for himself, saying,\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s our hope that Inspire Athens<\/strong> would be the catalyst that sparks the entire \"\"development of the Hellenikon area into the coveted Athenian Riviera, forever redefining the modern identity of Greece\u201d and growing tourism 10%. He’s also set the target\u00a0of making the project Europe<\/strong>‘s #1 convention destination. Stated MGE, “Inspire Athens intends to be southern Europe\u2019s center for A-list music concerts, theatrical performances, major sporting events, and other arts and cultural activities on a weekly basis.\u201d Considering that Inspire Incheon<\/strong> is costing $1.6 billion, its Grecian sister will represent a sizable chunk of the overall, $8.6 billion project tab.<\/p>\n

* In a week we’ll be counting up all the money generated by Super Bowl<\/strong> betting and half of it is expected to be generated<\/a> by prop bets. Regulators in Indiana<\/strong> and New Jersey<\/strong> have approved this year’s prop bets, and the two states have four wagers in common:<\/p>\n