
A poker dealer lays out charity fundraiser competition chips at a Salem, N.H. makeshift casino; the New Hampshire legislature now wants to approve one legitimate land casino for their state (Image: VNews.com)
New Hampshire may have a reputation as a quiet, relaxed state where sleep and breakfasts and a little skiing are about the most exciting happenings around, but that image may be about to alter. With everyone in the region accumulating their gambling industries, it seems as though the Granite State may be ready to join into the brick-and-mortar race and welcome a land casino of these own.
Representing the Future
Based on reports, over 100 representatives in the state House of Representatives have actually signed on to a bill that would welcome only one casino to their state of the latest Hampshire. That’s significantly more than half the quantity of representatives that would need to sooner or later vote for such a bill to pass through the house.
The public declaration had been meant as a sign of early strength for the bill. A total of 108 representatives publicly supported the bill, making up a group that is bipartisan of Democrats and 25 Republicans. Many of those representatives also took part in a press conference to strongly show just how they felt about bringing casino gambling to New Hampshire.
‘We have actually momentum because we listened,’ said Representative Katherine Rogers. ‘We heard the concerns of House users final spring whom stated we didn’t have the best regulatory framework.’
All Systems Go
The bill that is new concerns, giving their state plenty of oversight over the casino bidding process and providing financing for issue gambling services. The bill allows for starters casino, with all the license for that casino going through a bidding process that is competitive. It would also create a New Hampshire gaming commission that would oversee not merely the casino, but also the lottery that is existing racing, and charitable gaming operations in the state.
‘There are major improvements that could make sure expanded gambling is a deal that is good the citizens of New Hampshire,’ said Representative Jeremy Dobson.
Late this week, the House methods Committee held a hearing on the bill, known as HB 1633. Supporters described the financial benefits of a casino, saying it could make revenues that are significant requiring a broader taxation enhance. It would be a brand new source of jobs in a state that tends to lose young employees to other parts of the united states.
‘We are running away from time and energy to attract individuals stay in New Hampshire and to give people jobs right here,’ said Diana Lacey, president of the State Employees’ Association.
One concern raised at the hearing had been the basic concept that casino gambling may maybe not fit in with all the current ‘brand’ New Hampshire has within the minds of tourists and visitors.
‘We don’t have such a need that is chronic this income that paradise players slots our company is willing to endure the burdens plus the expense and the damage to our brand,’ stated Concord developer Steve Duprey. While some supporters revealed that New Hampshire’s motto is ‘Live Free or Die’ which will suggest that citizens must certanly be permitted to choose whether they desire to play at a casino or perhaps not Duprey countered that the state nevertheless had to create decisions in what’s right and acceptable for New Hampshire.
But other people disputed the branding claim. Pat Griffin, a brand new Hampshire resident who had worked in advertising and marketing for the state’s tourism industry, revealed that 41 other states involve some form of casino gambling, and that hasn’t affected most of their brands. For instance, Colorado has 41 casinos, but is still understood for its mountains and skiing. One casino, he said, defintely won’t be the tipping point that changes just what New Hampshire means to site visitors.
Toronto Man Wanted After Failure to Pay $12.9M to Las Vegas Casinos
A nomination that is new ‘World’s Dumbest Criminals’ could be a Canadian man who reportedly owes the Venetian casino in Las Vegas and an added $12m in IOUs and is now AWOL and wanted
There are certainly a few items that can get you nominated for ‘World’s Dumbest Criminal’: robbing a bank with surveillance cameras everywhere, attempting to take a police automobile, and many certainly near the top of that list would be skipping out on major casino gambling debts. Not smart, not smart at all.
That’s what one Toronto high-roller is finding out after failing to repay some $12.9 million in losses to two Las Vegas casinos, dating all the real means back again to 2008. Authorities are actually seeking him out to file costs in the situation.
Not-Yet-Arrested Development
43-year-old Semion Kronenfeld is now named on a Clark County District Court arrest warrant, following a jury that is grand him on 12 counts of felony theft, writing bad checks, and obtaining money under false pretenses. This puts Kronenfeld in a particular kind of stupid category, since it’s certainly one of the biggest casino that is unpaid cases ever in Nevada, and if convicted, the sole place this Canadian will likely be rolling dice is inside a state penitentiary, possibly for decades.
The Clark County indictment that has been handed down this week says that the high-roller failed to settle $7.9 million back in October of 2008 on IOUs made out to the casino that is venetian the vegas Strip. Then, simply two weeks later, Kronenfeld presumably pulled a similar quantity on the Stations Casino-owned Green Valley Ranch casino, located in Henderson, just outside of Las Vegas proper; he reportedly stiffed that property for $5 million.
According to Nevada law, unrepaid casino IOUs are considered fraudulent checks. With a bounty that is prosecutorial of % for ‘processing and prosecution’ placed on any pre-trial settlements for these cases, many such incidents are placed to sleep without any charges being filed; obviously, who has not been the situation right here, however.
As of this writing, Kronenfeld stays AWOL, according to prosecutor Jake Merback, who heads up Clark County’s bad check unit, and calls to Kronenfeld’s attorney in Las Vegas, Craig Mueller, were not returned.
Kronenfeld’s case went public back 2009, at which point the Canadian was placed in casino credit reports as having their own estate that is real business, based in Ontario. Apparently he also holds a passport that is israeli is recognized to have multiple spellings of his last name, sometimes spelling it ‘Cronenfeld.’
In Good Business with Other Big Losers
While enormous, Kronenfeld’s case is scarcely the sole bad-debt that is large to hit Nevada’s casinos in recent years. One such high-profile case involved the former owner of chatchke-manufacturer Oriental Trading Co., Terrance ‘Terry’ Watanabe, who ended up being indicted in 2009 after it had been alleged he failed to pay right back (then) Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc (now Caesars Entertainment) in the total amount of $14.75 million in IOUs. However, Watanabe counter-sued Harrah’s and money for an amount that is undisclosed reached in July 2010.
And Watanabe is not truly the only other gambler that is high-profile get caught without repaying his debts; notorious porn-purveyor Joe Francis of Girls Gone crazy fame was also the niche of a IOU dispute with Wynn Resorts Int’l to the tune of $2.5 million. And NBA that is former All-Star Walker whom pleaded responsible before his case stumbled on trial received a five years’ probation phrase and had to fork over $770,000 in restitution.
Florida Faces Battle associated with Bulging Wallets by Warring Casino Factions
It is a battle to the finish, with he who spends most having a good shot at winning, as casino and anti-casino factions face down in Florida (Image: istock)
Las vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson often lobbies for gambling enterprises and sometimes lobbies with gusto and lots and lots of cash against them(as in his massive anti-online campaign for the past year); but whatever he does, he does it. So that it should come as no surprise that his company is certainly one of several casino that is major backing 100 lobbyists (well-armed with every politician’s favorite kind of homage: moolah) whose goal will be to place some pressure on Florida’s legislators regarding the Sunshine State’s stalled land gaming status.
Fighting for County Rights
Demonstrably, gambling clothes with something to gain are most enthusiastically behind this posse that is legislative funding; which puts Genting during the front for the line; they are trying to get into the Miami beachfront market having a Resorts World Miami project for a long time now without success. This could be the standoff of all of the standoffs: because very recently, top state lawmakers managed to make it clear that the entire problem of gambling in Florida is low on their importance totem pole this year.
Nonetheless, money talks and you know what walks, so last week Florida’s Senate Gaming Committee chair Garrett Richter promised to introduce a fresh bill permitting two resort casinos that could go up in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Those two spots just happen to be precisely where both Adelson’s Sands and Genting have been hoping to secure casino sites by way of amazing coincidence. And more good luck: Florida’s 60-day legislative session kicks off on March 4, so it is all just in the nick of time. Yessirree, Bob, those homage gifts can function the Red Sea when delivered over lunch at a fancy tallahassee eatery, it would seem.
Richter who just per week before was decrying how impossible it absolutely was to coordinate each of Florida’s various and sundry video gaming factions is now saying that while the dilemmas at hand remain complex, he intends getting this casino plane ‘off the ground.’
He’ll have his work cut out him early Xmas presents for him, no matter how many lobbyists give. Florida’s compact with the Native American Seminole tribe gives that group exclusive legal rights to popular and high-end (i.e., really profitable) table games like baccarat and blackjack. The 2010 compact did perhaps not encompass craps or roulette, and requires the Seminoles to fork out $250 million a year to florida through 2015. After that, tribal leaders aren’t planning on backing down easily; Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen reportedly told scouts from Sands and Genting when they first began their push two years ago that ‘[it shows] a Seminole lady on here, that is not somebody from Las Vegas,’ referring to images in the Florida state flag.
And there is yet more technical political waltzes happening within the Sunshine State, because former Governor Charlie Crist has decided he wants their old task straight back, meaning he would have to unseat governor that is current Scott come November. Adelson, of course, has been known to throw his weight via his bankroll around in a election or two, and with Scott since the incumbent that is republicanCrist was also Republican back when he ended up being governor, but has since switched to first being an Independent, and today a Democrat), Scott no question could use the Sands CEO’s support.
To the final end, Scott had a meeting with Adelson in Las Vegas shortly after using office in 2011, of which time he claimed to be in favor of resort casinos in their state. Throwing even more fire onto this situation that is already incendiary the reality that the Seminole tribe donated a cool half-million to Scott’s rebid campaign last year: the largest single political donation made for the year. Talk about being taken in two directions.
Lines in the s that are sand(
As well as the battle lines have already been drawn elsewhere, too: unsurprisingly, entrenched Florida icon Walt Disney Co. has made their views loud and clear on their opposition to casino expansion in the continuing state, and backed it up with $1.7 million spread among legislators over the last couple of years. Specialists predict campaign contributions will get even more excessive, in order to match Adelson’s nearly limitless governmental budget to bring lawmakers around. In reality, the COO associated with the operating supply behind the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach says he expects all of it to show into ‘ a major food fight’ before the election 12 months is over.
Of course, there’s always a naysayer, and Senator Gwen Margolis (D-Miami) has already created a bill to place an end to your lobbying some would say madness that is vote-buying. She wants to end the ‘sea of money [that] was sloshing into the campaign coffers’ and states only a statutory law against it’ll do just fine. Deemed the Public Confidence in Gaming Act, we want her the best of luck in getting this thru. It probably appears as good a possibility of making it as absolutely absolutely nothing.