30th
December Las Vegas Source:
Press release
In
what was perhaps the last important casino news of the millennium. Park
Place announced that the acquisition of Caesars was now officially completed.
The company that was formerly the casino division of the Hilton Hotel group
now owns or has an interest in 29 properties. Brand names in the Park Place
portfolio including Bally's, Caesars, Flamingo, Grand and Hilton.
Total gaming floor area at a reported 2 million sq ft. equates to approximately
27 soccer pitches.
29th
December Las Vegas Source:
PR Newswire
Mikohn
Gaming Inc. has announced that it has come to a settlement with Shuffle
Master Inc. with respect to patent litigation between the two companies.
Progressive Games Inc. a subsidiary of Mikohn had claimed that aspects
of the progressive bonus on Let it Ride and Bahama Bonus table games had
infringed upon its patents.
The agreement, that appears at face value to be extremely complex looks
set to ensure some future co-operation between the two companies.
28th
December Missouri Source:
Dow Jones/Excite
The
11 Missouri Riverboats posted a combined win of $77.5 million in November.
This was a 6% increase on 1998's results. Total attendance's for the month
were just under 4 million, an average of approximately 12,000 per ship
per day.
The results released by the Missouri Gaming Commission when analysed also
show that gaming win averaged $19.50 per passenger day. Casino Aztar had
the highest revenues at $28 per passenger day, unfortunately it has the
lowest daily attendance of the 11 at an average of 2,200. Harrah's Maryland
Heights had the highest daily attendance at over 18,800 and a win of $19
per passenger.
27th
December Texas Source:
Press release
Multimedia
Games Inc. have announced that they have entered into an agreement with
Williams Gaming Inc. to modify slots and video games in the Williams range
for class III Native Indian gaming in Wahington State.
The deal, which covers more than 90 different games is contingent upon
Williams receiving regulatory approval by the State authorities.
26th
December Las Vegas Source:
AP/Canoe Canada
The
Associated Press carried an interesting story concerning the now high tech
war that casinos are fighting against cheats. In Las Vegas itself, according
to the article the authorities arrest 600 persons on suspicion of cheating
each year.
Facial recognition technology that is being increasingly used by police
forces around the world to monitor sports events and city centres is now
also being employed by casinos. The albums of old grainy black and white
photographs (the "Griffin") that still have to be consulted to identify
a suspect are now being replaced by software that can search though an
image database of known casino cheats for a match.
With the transfer of a screen grab from the casinos surveillance system
the correct identification may also be made from a remote location. This
is a useful tool for many small surveillance units that enables then to
continue to monitor the games in progress.
High-Tech
raises the odds against casino cheats (new window)
26th
December Colorado Source:
Dow Jones/Excite
The
48 Colorado casinos in the three permitted areas of Black Hawk, Central
City and Cripple Creek posted a November win of $47.2 million. This is
a 17% increase over November 1998 when a win of $40.3 million was recorded.
There are 212 tables and around 13,534 slots in the state. Because of the
low stake regulations on table game play per position revenues per day
range from a lowly $175 in Central City to $413 in Black Hawk.
21th
December Las Vegas Source:
Press release
Paul-son Gaming Corp. the Las Vegas based casino equipment supplier has
released preliminary second quarter results. The company expects to show
a loss for the quarter due to lower revenues and tax deferrals. Lower revenues
being attributed to a lack of new casino openings in the quarter. The company
manufactures its tables, casino furniture and dice in San Luis, Mexico.
20th
December Mississippi
Source: ABC Newswire
The
Isle of Capri in Mississippi, the states newest casino has laid of an unspecified
number of personnel. The company blames over staffing at opening as well
as slower than expected business.
16th
December Las Vegas
Source: Press release
Shuffle
Master Inc. has announced year end results along with details of the companies
present operations. There are presently 2,257 leased shuffling machines
in operation. On the table games front the two copyrighted games of Three
Card Poker and Let it Ride have 188 and 424 tables placed respectively.
New products in the company portfolio include the ACE and KING shuffling
machines as well as the Three Stooges reel slot that debuted at the WGCE
in September.
15th
December Connecticut
Source: Press release
Foxwoods
(www.foxwoods.com)
continues to deliver some staggering gaming results. The resort has released
slot win for November at $58.8 million some 6% higher than in 1998. A payment
of $14.7 million (25%) was made to the State of Connecticut.
The property one of two Indian casinos in the state has a total of 6,000
slots and 350 table games. In a separate release it was also announced
that the resort that draws most of its clientelle from New York had also
received their 1 millionth bus passenger for 1999.
15th
December Detroit
Source: ABC-NewsWire
Motor City open for Gambling
14th
December Detroit
Source: Press release
Mandalay
Resort Group have announed that the Motor City Casino has been licensed
by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. The new casino, the second of the
proposed three for the Detroit metropolitan area will have 2,600 slots
and 136 table games. The company that was formerly known as Circus Circus,
has a 53% interest in the new opening.
13th
December San Diego
Source: Press release
Canada's
Int.Thunderbird
Gaming Corp. have announced that they have received a $3.25 million
dollars settlement from a Canadian Tribe. The company is now looking for
further opportunities in the State leading up to the March ballot on Proposition
1A.
The company has also signed a letter of intent to open a casino in the
5 Star Hotel InterContinental in the city of Guayana, Venezuela. The size
of the casino will be 7,850 sg ft on an initial 10 year lease.
Thunderbird
Update
13th
December Illinois
Source: Dow Jones/Illinois Gaming Board
The
change in the law in Illinois that has allowed the 9 Riverboats to engage
in dockside gaming instead of physically cruising continues to have a dramatic
effect on results. Admissions for the month were 1.5 million, up 37% on
November 1998. This is a daily average of 5,500 per vessel. Gross gaming
win being $124 million an increase of 28% over the previous November.
10th
December California & Mississippi
Source: Press releases
Hollywood Park Inc have announced that they are selling their Casino Magic
Bay St Louis and Boomtown Biloxi casinos to Penn National Gaming Inc. for
$195 million cash. The sale will be subject to the approval of the Mississippi
Gaming Commission.
Both casinos are permanently located barges on the Mississippi river with
adjoining facilities. Combined gaming floor statistics for the two casinos
being 73,000 sq ft with 2,440 slots and 77 table games.
10th
December Reno, Nevada
Source: Press releases
WMS
Gaming Inc. and International Gaming Technology have both released statements
that
the Patent lawsuits between the two companies have been resolved. The suits
by IGT against Williams revolved around IGT's Telnaes patent for virtual
reel technology.
As part of the agreed settlement Williams has agreed to pay IGT $28 million
and refrain from manufacture of certain models that infringe the patent.
2nd
December New Mexico
Source: Albuquerque Journal/AP
New
Mexico State Treasurer Michael Montoya has released records detailing revenues
from 7 of the 11 tribal casinos operating in the state. The New Mexico
Gaming Control Board had previously kept records secret.
Under current compacts tribes pay 16% of net revenues from gaming to the
state. Records released are from different time periods in 1997/98 and
1999
1st
December Detroit
Source: Detroit News
The
MGM Detroit has opened its Art Deco parking garage, complete with 125 surveillance
cameras, coat rooms and climate controlled walkways.
The $30 million structure can house 2,200 vehicles, giving the facility
a total of 3,300 on site free spaces. The average daily casino attendance
since opening has averaged 13,300.
1st
December Atlantic City
Source: Associated Press
Players
International Inc. has according to newspaper reports agreed to pay a $7
million fine to the Louisiana Gambling Control Board. It follows investigations
of illicit payments to family and friends of former Governor of Louisiana
Edwin Edwards in order to obtain casino licenses in Lake Charles.
Players is currently the target of Harrah's Entertainment who have tabelled
a bid of $425 million for the company.
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