Archive for December, 2009

Americans aren’t likely to travel anymore in 2010 than they did this year, according to a new USA Today poll. Only 16 percent of respondents plan to fly more or stay more often in hotels next year than in 2009, and 30 percent said they would fly less frequently and plan fewer hotel... »

The ++deterioration of Strip hotel room rates appear to be ending, with rates in the JP Morgan survey up through the first three weeks of January. Especially notable is that rates for the New Year’s Eve weekend are 16 percent higher than last year. Room rates quoted to free and independent travelers for the week... »

Now that CityCenter is open, it’s time to welcome two more upscale hotel towers – the 374-room HRH Tower at Hard Rock and the 1,201-suite PH Tower at Planet Hollywood just across from CityCenter. HRH is part of a larger expansion at Hard Rock that included its convention-oriented 450-room Paradise Tower last summer. The new... »

Maryland’s biggest slot parlor is closer to becoming reality. Anne Arundel County Council has finally rezoned land to allow David Cordish to build his casino near Arundel Mills shopping mall. Cordish Co. has already received a state license to put 4,750 slots near the mall, and could have the facility opened by December 2011, AP... »

Ohioans are a step closer to a referendum to decide whether Gov. Ted Strickland can order slots at state racetracks or the legislature can authorize them. LetOhioVote.org has submitted 325,496 names on petitions for such a referendum next November, 84,000 more than needed, the Columbus Dispatch reported. The group is neutral on whether slots should be... »

Maryland is starting to look like Kansas, or maybe Philadelphia – casinos approved but not opening. In the latest, Maryland’s slots commission has rejected Baltimore City Entertainment’s bid to build a 3,750-machine slots parlor in downtown Baltimore. Commissioners have been frustrated by Baltimore City’s failure to meet deadlines and pay $19.5 million in required fees,... »

“The Virginia Lottery needs to embrace new technology such as Internet gaming and video lottery terminals if it wants to grow revenue in the future,” the Newport News Daily Press reported after speaking with lottery Executive Director Paula Otto. Otto thinks Internet gaming is inevitable, and said the lottery is open to discussions about adding... »

The chances of a full-fledged casino in metropolitan New York City have just grown substantially. The federal government has given tribal recognition to the Shinnecock Indians who have a reservation in Southampton at the affluent eastern tip of Long Island. If that land is taken into trust, which seems likely given it is an existing state... »

Having just approved four casinos in a referendum last month, Ohioans will get the chance next November to allow slot machines at racetracks. LetOhioVote.org says it has enough signatures to qualify for a referendum, and will submit more than 300,000 names to the state by the December 20 deadline. If Ohioans vote for slots, it would... »

The proposal to legalize Internet poker within California, discussed for awhile, will soon be formally proposed, the Los Angeles Times reported. According to the newspaper, Morongo Indian casino and Commerce Casino card club are leading a consortium of casinos and card clubs to offer legislation next month. While legal issues might make implementation tricky, such as... »