{"id":27099,"date":"2020-05-18T12:42:40","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T20:42:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/?p=27099"},"modified":"2023-03-11T03:57:42","modified_gmt":"2023-03-11T11:57:42","slug":"green-shoots-in-gaming-mega-jottings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/green-shoots-in-gaming-mega-jottings\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Green shoots&#8221; in gaming; Mega-Jottings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yJviZ4-WgsY\" width=\"450\" height=\"253\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>According to the <strong>American Gaming Association<\/strong>, 82 of 989 casinos in the <strong>United States<\/strong> have reopened, many\u00a0of them in <strong>Louisiana<\/strong> starting today. But don&#8217;t take our word for it. Use the AGA&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americangaming.org\/research\/covid-19-casino-tracker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"broken_link\">Coronavirus tracker<\/a>, which keeps you abreast of casino closures\/reopenings. It&#8217;s a handy research tool. The AGA&#8217;s main legislative priority is to ride herd on the <strong>Heroes Act<\/strong>, defining its three priorities in the legislation as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensuring government loan programs are accessible to all segments of the gaming industry.<\/li>\n<li>Advancing measures that protect AGA members from additional economic harm and enhance financial solvency.<\/li>\n<li>Policies to aid the industry&#8217;s recovery over both the short and long-term.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Patience will be a must for <!--more-->AGA President <strong>Bill Miller<\/strong>, as he doesn&#8217;t expect the Heroes Act to pass until well into June. On the health front, a newly bearded Miller <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cheddar\/status\/1261041403347570688\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">takes to Twitter<\/a> to advocate keeping the &#8220;green shoots&#8221; of the industry congruent with &#8220;a both safe and fun&#8221; gaming experience. &#8220;Health and safety have to be number one, two and three,&#8221; Miller says, looking toward the development of a <strong>Covid-19<\/strong> vaccine as the time when things can return to normal (if we&#8217;re not over-interpreting).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the AGA takes a victory lap on the second anniversary of the legalization of sports betting across the nation. Twenty-one states have enabled it (plus the <strong>District of Columbia<\/strong>), 16 more are considering it <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23114\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/miller.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/miller.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/miller-150x114.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/>and $22 billion has been wagered, engendering $190 million in taxes. (Miller is that rare industry lobbyist who doesn&#8217;t complain about paying the taxman.) As though to mark the anniversary, <strong>NASCAR<\/strong> resumed yesterday\u2014undoubtedly to the hosannas of bettors everywhere\u2014and one of the rare upsides of <strong>Coronavirus<\/strong> is that it will eat holes in state budgets that will make sports betting more attractive. We welcome more states into the big tent.<\/p>\n<p>R.I.P., <strong>Diamond Jacks<\/strong>. The <strong>Shreveport<\/strong> riverboat casino is a permanent casualty of the pandemic-propelled shutdown. Anybody need a used riverboat? States where casinos are expected to open imminently <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-16327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Pechanga-300x131.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"131\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Pechanga-300x131.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Pechanga-150x66.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Pechanga.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>include <strong>Mississippi<\/strong>, <strong>Arkansas<\/strong> and <strong>South Dakota<\/strong>. In <strong>California<\/strong>, breakaway casinos include (in descending order of health rigor, with <strong>Valley View Casino<\/strong> leading the way) <strong>Viejas Casino &amp; Resort<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Harrah\u2019s Resort Southern California<\/strong> and\u00a0<strong>Sycuan Casino Resort<\/strong>. Next month they will be joined by giant <strong>Pechanga Casino Resort<\/strong>, which has already reopened its RV park and golf course. In <strong>Arizona<\/strong>, all the major tribal casinos should be back open by the time you read this. They are adopting <strong>Las Vegas<\/strong>-style health precautions. Others, however, are waiting a couple of weeks and four have announced no resumption date.<\/p>\n<p>In Louisiana, aside from the demise of Diamond Jack&#8217;s, the reopening of <strong>Harrah&#8217;s New Orleans<\/strong> was delayed by <strong>New Orleans<\/strong> Mayor <strong>LaToya Cantrell<\/strong>. Gov. <strong>John Bel Edwards<\/strong> (D, <em>right<\/em>) is limiting attendance to <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-21400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Edwards.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"183\" height=\"275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Edwards.jpeg 183w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Edwards-100x150.jpeg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 183px) 100vw, 183px\" \/>25% of capacity, saying,\u00a0\u201cWhile we\u2019re easing restrictions, it\u2019s not mission accomplished. We\u2019re not declaring victory. There\u2019s still Covid out there.\u201d In neighboring Mississippi, Gov. <strong>Tate Reeves<\/strong> (R) has tacitly indicated that casinos are green-lit for May 21. <strong>Golden Nugget Biloxi<\/strong> GM <strong>Chett Harrison<\/strong> is champing at the bit, saying,\u00a0\u201cGive us the word and give us three to four days, and we\u2019ll be ready.\u201d No doubt <strong>Tilman Fertitta<\/strong> is chewing on Harrison&#8217;s butt to get back in the game, Employees (but not customers) will be temperature-monitored for the virus. Next door in <strong>Alabama<\/strong>, the <strong>Poarch Creek Band of Indians<\/strong> is keeping its casino powder dry, telling customers to be patient a little longer. It&#8217;s a similar state of affairs in <strong>Ohio<\/strong>, where <strong>MGM Northfield Park<\/strong> expects to be shuttered through August 31.<\/p>\n<p>Arkansas Gov. <strong>Asa Hutchinson<\/strong> (R, <em>below<\/em>) reopened casinos today, albeit at 33% capacity.\u00a0<strong>Quapaw Nation<\/strong>&#8216;s <strong>Saracen Casino<\/strong> is even going so far as to require that its customers don masks. <strong>South Dakota<\/strong> is claiming last-to-<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-18998\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/AsaHutchinson-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/AsaHutchinson-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/AsaHutchinson-101x150.jpg 101w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/AsaHutchinson.jpg 210w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/>close\/first-to-reopen bragging rights, although we clearly recall <strong>Montana<\/strong> resuming business a week earlier. Currently marking its first week back in business, South Dakota is mandating <em>two<\/em> slot machine spaces between players but four punters to a table game. Reported <strong>Liv Hospitality<\/strong> CEO <strong>Caleb Arcenaux<\/strong>,\u00a0\u201cWe were about 15 percent or 20 percent higher than a typical weekend business, which is significant. Cabin fever\u2019s real, and I think people wanted to get out and experience gaming again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As <strong>Detroit<\/strong> casinos wait for May 28, <strong>Michigan<\/strong>&#8216;s tribal <strong>Island Resort\u00a0&amp; Casino<\/strong> remains in yes-no-maybe status (the last mooted reopening was May 16). Whenever it <em>does<\/em> reopen, <strong>Macao<\/strong>-style safety measures will be in place.\u00a0<strong>Iowa<\/strong>&#8216;s 19 casinos are on hold until May 27 and projections of revenue decline for this fiscal year range from 7% to 20%. Although some Hawkeye State casinos are pretty small potatoes, all are expected to emerge from the shutdown intact. <strong>Oklahoma<\/strong>&#8216;s tribal casinos are a patchwork of reopenings and postponements, impossible to summarize. Surrealistic sights on Sooner State casino floors have included a patron smoking a cigar through his mask.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, <strong>Missouri<\/strong> casinos were to have been open by now but that&#8217;s been pushed back to June 1. <strong>Ameristar St. Charles<\/strong> is expected to be first out of the gate (counties are staggering their reopenings), news that <strong>Boyd Gaming<\/strong> will welcome. Across the river in <strong>East St. Louis<\/strong>, the city is strangling on the shutdown of <strong>Casino Queen<\/strong>. The cash cow supplies $700K of the city&#8217;s budget.<\/p>\n<p>Readers polled by <em>Global Gaming Business<\/em> think recovery will come first to tribal casinos (55%), followed by regional ones (25%). The <strong>Las Vegas Strip<\/strong> is a decided underdog at 7% and <strong>Singapore<\/strong> brings up the rear with 2% (casinos are still closed in the city-state).<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Jottings<\/strong><\/em>: According to an <em>S&amp;G<\/em> source, <strong>MGM Resorts International<\/strong> has renounced parking fees in Las Vegas. Could it be too good to be true? Forget buffets at the <strong>Tropicana Las Vegas<\/strong> and <strong>M Resort<\/strong>. You&#8217;ll get prepackaged sandwiches and like it &#8230; <strong>Wynncore<\/strong> remains closed but its golf course will resume play May 18. Now if we could only afford the $$$ greens fees &#8230; Expect a thermal screening when you visit a <strong>Station Casinos<\/strong> property. We know you want to gamble but don&#8217;t do it with your life\u00a0&#8230; Journalist <strong>Bill Sokolic<\/strong> reports that &#8220;the\u00a0[<strong>Las Vegas Convention &amp; Visitors <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-15714\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/LVCVA-expansion-300x197.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"197\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/LVCVA-expansion-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/LVCVA-expansion-150x98.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/LVCVA-expansion.jpg 653w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Authority<\/strong>] has introduced a budget for the upcoming fiscal year that\u2019s been slashed by 36 percent from last year\u2019s. The $160.6 million spending plan includes $65 million for advertising, also down 36 percent from last year. The budget anticipates a hiring freeze, 168 layoffs and cuts to salaries and benefits of $23.7 million&#8221; &#8230; The indefinite shutdown of <strong>New Jersey<\/strong> casinos continues to roil <strong>Atlantic City<\/strong>&#8216;s convention economy. Lamented <strong>Meet AC<\/strong> Vice President of Sales <strong>Sandi Harvey<\/strong>,\u00a0\u201cOver 50 <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-16132\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/bowie.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"208\" height=\"260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/bowie.jpg 208w, https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/bowie-120x150.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px\" \/>percent of our events have rebooked for 2021\u201d &#8230; <strong>MGM China<\/strong> CEO <strong>Grant Bowie<\/strong> is opting for\u00a0early retirement at the end of this month. However, he&#8217;ll stay with the company in an advisory capacity until sometime in 2022. The news flummoxed analysts, who said (as we have) &#8220;<strong>MGM Cotai<\/strong> [is] not ramping up as well as expected&#8221; and expressed surprise that MGM had no succession plan in place. They&#8217;ll need all the advice from Bowie, a 12-year Macanese veteran, they can get &#8230; The new statement in fashionable beachwear is <a href=\"https:\/\/news.iheart.com\/featured\/coronavirus\/content\/2020-05-15-the-trikini-is-the-new-beachwear-for-the-coronavirus-era\/?mid=397659&amp;rid=45220968&amp;sc=email&amp;pname=newsletter&amp;cid=NATIONAL&amp;keyid=National%20iHeart%20Daily%20NewsTalk&amp;campid=headline6_image\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"broken_link\">the trikini<\/a>, invented by <strong>Tiziana Scaramuzzo<\/strong>. Are we going to see them when Vegas pool season belatedly gets into gear? The suits&#8217; bright color schemes are said to be an almost-perfect antidote for pandemic blues &#8230; Why count on a casino to provide you with a mask and gloves? <strong>McCarran International Airport<\/strong> is installing vending machines that dispense PPE. It&#8217;s a national first and will also provide hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. The inventory is priced to move and whoever had this idea deserves a raise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to the American Gaming Association, 82 of 989 casinos in the United States have reopened, many\u00a0of them in Louisiana starting today. But don&#8217;t take our word for it. Use the AGA&#8217;s Coronavirus tracker, which keeps you abreast of casino &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/green-shoots-in-gaming-mega-jottings\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[249,135,109,179,23,60,244,34,274,44,18,190,287,283,58,86,84,75,63,62,53,245,259,35,39,71,115,69,33,234,108,182,74,243,57,31,9,20,233],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27099"}],"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=27099"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27099\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32450,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27099\/revisions\/32450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lasvegasadvisor.com\/stiffs-and-georges\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}