
A poker dealer lays out charity fundraiser competition chips at a Salem, N.H. makeshift casino; the brand New Hampshire legislature now really 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 might be about to change. With everyone else in the region accumulating their gambling industries, it appears as if the Granite State may be prepared to join within the brick-and-mortar race and welcome a land casino of these own.
Representing the Future
According to reports, over 100 representatives in the continuing state House of Representatives have actually signed on up to a bill that would welcome only one casino to hawaii of the latest Hampshire. That's more than half the number of representatives that would need certainly to sooner or later vote for such a bill to pass through the home.
The public declaration was meant as a sign of early strength for the bill. A total of 108 representatives publicly supported the bill, making up a bipartisan group of 83 Democrats and 25 Republicans. Many of those representatives even took part in a press conference to show just how strongly 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 springtime who said we didn't have the proper regulatory framework.'
All Systems Go
The bill that is new concerns, giving the state lots of oversight over the casino bidding procedure and providing financing for issue gambling services. The bill would allow for just one casino, with all the license for that casino going right on through a bidding process that is competitive. It would also create a brand new Hampshire video gaming commission that will oversee not just the casino, but also the current lottery, racing, and charitable gaming operations within the state.
'There are major improvements that can make sure expanded gambling is a deal that is good the citizens of New Hampshire,' said Representative Jeremy Dobson.
Late this week, the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on the bill, known as HB 1633. Supporters described the economic benefits of a casino, saying it could generate revenues that are significant requiring a wider income tax increase. It would also be a new source of jobs in a suggest that tends to lose young workers to other parts of the nation.
'We are running away from time to attract individuals to stay in New Hampshire and to here give people jobs,' said Diana Lacey, president of the State Employees' Association.
One concern raised at the hearing ended up being the basic concept that casino gambling may perhaps not fit in with the current 'brand' New Hampshire has in the minds of tourists and visitors.
'We would not have such a chronic need for this income that our company is willing to put up with the burdens while the expense and the injury to our brand,' stated Concord developer Steve Duprey. While some supporters revealed that New Hampshire's motto is 'Live Free or Die' which may suggest that residents should really be allowed to choose whether they want to try out at a casino or not Duprey countered that the continuing state nevertheless had to produce decisions about what's right and acceptable for New Hampshire.
But other people disputed the branding claim. Pat Griffin, A new Hampshire resident whom had worked in marketing and advertising for hawaii's tourism industry, stated that 41 other states involve some as a type of casino gambling, and that has not impacted nearly all of their brands. For example, Colorado has 41 casinos, but is nevertheless known because of its mountains and skiing. One casino, he said, defintely won't be the point that is tipping changes exactly what New Hampshire means to site visitors.
Toronto Man Wanted After Failure to pay for $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 one other $12m in IOUs and is now AWOL and wanted
There are a things that are few can get you selected for 'World's Dumbest Criminal': robbing a bank with surveillance cameras everywhere, wanting to take a police car, and many certainly towards 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 neglecting to repay some $12.9 million in losses to two vegas gambling enterprises, dating all the real means back once again to 2008. Authorities are now actually seeking him out to file charges in the instance.
Not-Yet-Arrested Development
43-year-old Semion Kronenfeld is now called on a Clark County District Court arrest warrant, after a grand jury indicted him on 12 counts of felony theft, writing bad checks, and obtaining cash under false pretenses. This puts Kronenfeld in a special kind of stupid category, as it's certainly one of the biggest casino that is unpaid situations ever in Nevada, and if convicted, truly the only place this Canadian are going to be rolling dice is in a very state penitentiary, perhaps for decades.
The Clark County indictment that was handed down this week claims that the high-roller failed to settle $7.9 million back in October of 2008 on IOUs made out to the Venetian casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Then, just 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.
Based on Nevada legislation, unrepaid casino IOUs are considered fraudulent checks. With a prosecutorial bounty of 10 percent for 'processing and prosecution' put on any pre-trial settlements of these cases, numerous such incidents are put to bed without any charges being filed; obviously, who has not been the actual situation right here, though.
Around this writing, Kronenfeld continues to be AWOL, according to prosecutor Jake Merback, who heads up Clark County's bad check unit, and calls to Kronenfeld's attorney in nevada, Craig Mueller, had been not returned.
Kronenfeld's case went public back 2009, at which point the Canadian ended up being listed in casino credit reports as having his own real estate investment business, based in Ontario. Apparently he also holds A israeli passport and is known to have numerous spellings of his final name, sometimes spelling it 'Cronenfeld.'
In Good Company with Other Big Losers
While enormous, Kronenfeld's case is scarcely truly the only bad-debt that is large to strike Nevada's gambling enterprises in recent years. One particular high-profile case included the previous owner of chatchke-manufacturer Oriental Trading Co., Terrance 'Terry' Watanabe, who was indicted in 2009 he failed to pay back (then) Harrah's Entertainment, Inc (now Caesars Entertainment) in the amount of $14.75 million in IOUs after it was alleged. However, Watanabe counter-sued Harrah's and money for an amount that is undisclosed reached in July 2010.
And Watanabe isn't truly the only other gambler that is high-profile get caught players paradise free slots without repaying his debts; notorious porn-purveyor Joe Francis of Girls Gone crazy fame was also the niche of an IOU dispute with Wynn Resorts Int'l to the tune of $2.5 million. And former NBA All-Star Antoine Walker who pleaded bad before his case stumbled on trial received a five years' probation sentence and had to fork over $770,000 in restitution.
Florida Faces Battle associated with the Bulging Wallets by Warring Casino Factions
It's a fight to the finish, with he who spends most having a shot that is good winning, as casino and anti-casino factions face down in Florida (Image: istock)
Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson sometimes lobbies for casinos 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 it should come as no shock that his company is one of several major casino operators 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 legislative posse's funding; which puts Genting during the front for the line; they are looking 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 caused it to be clear that the complete problem of gambling in Florida is low on their importance totem pole this year.
Nonetheless, cash talks and you understand what walks, so week that is last's Senate Gaming Committee seat Garrett Richter promised to introduce a new bill allowing for two resort casinos that could go up in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. By way of amazing coincidence, those two spots just happen to be precisely where both Adelson's Sands and Genting have been hoping to secure casino sites. And more good luck: Florida's 60-day legislative session kicks off on March 4, so it's all just in the nick of the time. Yessirree, Bob, those homage gift ideas can part the Red Sea when delivered over lunch at a fancy tallahassee eatery, it would seem.
Richter who only per week before was decrying how impossible it was to coordinate all of Florida's different and sundry gaming factions is now saying that while the issues at hand remain complex, he intends to have this casino plane 'off the floor.'
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 rights that are exclusive popular and high-end (in other words., really profitable) table games like baccarat and blackjack. The 2010 compact did perhaps not encompass craps or roulette, and requires the Seminoles to shell out $250 million a to florida through 2015 year. From then on, tribal leaders aren't planning on backing down easily; Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen reportedly told scouts from Sands and Genting when they first started their push two years ago that '[it shows] a Seminole lady on there, that is not somebody from Las Vegas,' referring to images on the Florida state flag.
And there's yet more technical political waltzes going on into the Sunshine State, because former Governor Charlie Crist has decided he wants his old task straight back, meaning he'd have to unseat current governor Rick Scott come November. Adelson, needless to say, has been recognized to throw his weight via his bankroll around in a election or two, and with Scott once the incumbent that is republicanCrist was also Republican back when he ended up being governor, but has since switched to first being an Independent, now a Democrat), Scott no doubt could use the Sands CEO's support.
To your final end, Scott had a conference with Adelson in Las Vegas shortly after using office in 2011, at which time he claimed to take benefit of resort casinos in their state. Throwing even more fire onto this already incendiary situation is the reality that the Seminole tribe donated a very good half-million to Scott's rebid campaign last year: the largest single political donation created for the year. Talk about being taken in two directions.
Lines in the Sand(s)
While the battle lines were 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 past couple of years. Specialists predict campaign efforts are certain to get even more excessive, in an effort to match Adelson's very nearly limitless political 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 it all to turn into ' a food that is major' before the election 12 months is over.
Of course, there is always a naysayer, and Senator Gwen Margolis (D-Miami) has already produced a bill to place an end to the lobbying some would state vote-buying madness. She wants to end the 'sea of money [that] is sloshing into the campaign coffers' and states only law against it'll have the desired effect. Deemed the Public Confidence in Gaming Act, we desire her the best of fortune in getting this thru. It probably stands of the same quality a possibility of which makes it as positively nothing.
