
A poker dealer lays out charity fundraiser competition chips at a Salem, N.H. makeshift casino; the New Hampshire legislature now desires to approve one legitimate land casino for their state (Image: VNews.com)
New Hampshire may have reputation as a quiet, relaxed state where bed and breakfasts and a little skiing are about the most exciting happenings around, but that image could be about to change. With everyone in the region accumulating their gambling industries, it appears as though the Granite State may be ready to become listed on within the brick-and-mortar race and welcome a land casino of the 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 players paradise slots to hawaii of the latest Hampshire. That’s a lot more than half the quantity of representatives that would need to ultimately vote for such a bill to pass through the house.
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. A lot of representatives even took part in a press conference to show so how strongly they felt about bringing casino gambling to New Hampshire.
‘We have 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 hawaii lots of oversight over the casino bidding procedure and supplying money for issue gambling services. The bill will allow for starters casino, using the permit for that casino going through a competitive bidding process. It would also create a New Hampshire video gaming commission that will oversee not just the casino, but also the lottery that is existing racing, and charitable gaming operations within the state.
‘There are major improvements that could make sure expanded gambling is a good deal for the citizens of New Hampshire,’ said Representative Jeremy Dobson.
Late this the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on the bill, known as HB 1633 week. Supporters revealed the financial benefits of a casino, saying it could generate revenues that are significant requiring a wider income tax increase. It would be a source that is new of in a declare that tends to lose young workers with other parts of the united states.
‘We are running away from time to attract people 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 was the concept that casino gambling may maybe not easily fit in with all the current ‘brand’ New Hampshire has within the minds of tourists and visitors.
‘We do not have such a need that is chronic this revenue that our company is willing to put up with the burdens and the cost and the damage to our brand,’ said Concord developer Steve Duprey. While some supporters revealed that New Hampshire’s motto is ‘Live Free or Die’ which may suggest that citizens ought to be permitted to choose whether they desire to play at a casino or maybe not Duprey countered that the continuing state nevertheless had to make decisions in what’s right and acceptable for New Hampshire.
But other people disputed the branding claim. Pat Griffin, A new Hampshire resident who had worked in advertising and marketing for their state’s tourism industry, pointed out that 41 other states possess some form of casino gambling, and that hasn’t impacted most of their brands. For example, Colorado has 41 gambling enterprises, but is still understood because of its hills and skiing. One casino, he said, will not be the tipping point that changes just what brand New Hampshire means to site visitors.
Toronto Man Wanted After Failure to pay for $12.9M to Las Vegas Casinos
A new nomination for ‘World’s Dumbest Criminals’ is actually 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 always a things that are few can get you nominated for ‘World’s Dumbest Criminal’: robbing a bank with surveillance cameras everywhere, trying to take a police automobile, and many truly 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 woefully to repay some $12.9 million in losses to two Las Vegas gambling enterprises, dating all the real method back to 2008. Authorities are now seeking him out to file fees in the instance.
Not-Yet-Arrested Development
43-year-old Semion Kronenfeld is now called on a Clark County District Court arrest warrant, after having 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 unique kind of stupid category, since it’s one of the biggest unpaid casino debt instances ever in Nevada, and if convicted, truly the only place this Canadian will be rolling dice will likely be in a very state penitentiary, possibly for decades.
The Clark County indictment that was handed down this week says that the high-roller failed to repay $7.9 million back in October of 2008 on IOUs made out to the casino that is venetian the Las 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.
In accordance with Nevada legislation, unrepaid casino IOUs are considered fraudulent checks. With a prosecutorial bounty of 10 per cent for ‘processing and prosecution’ put on any pre-trial settlements for these cases, many such incidents are placed to bed without any charges being filed; clearly, that has not been the scenario right here, though.
As of this writing, Kronenfeld remains 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 had been placed in casino credit reports as having his or her own owning a home business, based in Ontario. Apparently he also holds a passport that is israeli is proven 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 hardly the actual only real bad-debt that is large to hit Nevada’s gambling enterprises in recent years. One particular high-profile case involved the former owner of chatchke-manufacturer Oriental Trading Co., Terrance ‘Terry’ Watanabe, who had been indicted in 2009 after it absolutely was 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 a settlement for an amount that is undisclosed reached in July 2010.
And Watanabe isn’t the actual only real other gambler that is high-profile get caught without repaying their debts; notorious porn-purveyor Joe Francis of Girls Gone Wild fame was also the topic of an IOU dispute with Wynn Resorts Int’l to the tune of $2.5 million. And NBA that is former All-Star Walker who pleaded responsible before his case came to trial received a 5 years’ probation phrase and had to fork over $770,000 in restitution.
Florida Faces Battle associated with the Bulging Wallets by Warring Casino Factions
It is 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)
Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson often lobbies for gambling enterprises and sometimes lobbies against them (as in his massive anti-online campaign for the past year); but whatever he does, he does it with gusto and lots and lots of cash. So that it should come as no shock that his company is one of several casino that is major backing 100 lobbyists (well-armed with every politician’s favorite type of homage: moolah) whose goal will be to put some pressure on Florida’s legislators regarding the Sunshine State’s stalled land gaming status.
Fighting for County Rights
Clearly, gambling outfits with something to gain are most enthusiastically behind this posse that is legislative funding; which puts Genting at the front side associated with line; they are hoping to get into the Miami beachfront market by having a Resorts World Miami project for a long time now without success. This could be the standoff of most standoffs: because very recently, top state lawmakers made it clear that the whole issue of gambling in Florida is low on the importance totem pole this year.
Nonetheless, cash talks and you realize what walks, so week that is last’s Senate Gaming Committee chair Garrett Richter promised to introduce a new bill making it possible for 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 luck that is good 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 part the Red Sea when delivered over lunch at A tallahassee that is fancy eatery it would seem.
Richter who only a week before was decrying how impossible it was to coordinate most of Florida’s different and sundry gaming factions is now saying that while the dilemmas at hand remain complex, he intends to have 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 offers that group rights that are exclusive popular and high-end (i.e., very profitable) table games like baccarat and blackjack. The 2010 compact did not encompass craps or roulette, and requires the Seminoles to fork out $250 million a year to florida through 2015. From then on, tribal leaders are not 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’s not somebody from Las Vegas,’ referring to images regarding the Florida state flag.
And there’s yet more technical political waltzes going on in the Sunshine State, because former Governor Charlie Crist has decided he wants his old work right back, meaning he would 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 as the incumbent that is republicanCrist was also Republican back when he had been governor, but has since switched to first being an Independent, and now a Democrat), Scott no doubt could use the Sands CEO’s support.
Towards the final end, Scott possessed a conference with Adelson in Las Vegas shortly after taking office in 2011, of which time he advertised to be in benefit of resort casinos in their state. Throwing even more fire onto this situation that is already incendiary the reality that the Seminole tribe donated an awesome half-million to Scott’s rebid campaign last year: the largest single political donation designed for the season. Talk about being drawn in two directions.
Lines in the Sand(s)
As well as the battle lines have now been drawn elsewhere, too: unsurprisingly, entrenched Florida icon Walt Disney Co. has made their views noisy and clear on the opposition to casino expansion in the state, and backed it up with $1.7 million spread among legislators over the past two years. Professionals predict campaign contributions are certain to get even more excessive, in order to match Adelson’s nearly unlimited governmental budget to bring lawmakers around. In reality, the COO associated with the operating arm behind the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach says he expects it all to make into ‘ a food that is major’ before the election 12 months is over.
Of course, there’s always a naysayer, and Senator Gwen Margolis (D-Miami) has developed a bill to put an end to your lobbying some would state madness that is vote-buying. She really wants to end the ‘sea of cash [that] is sloshing into the campaign coffers’ and states only a statutory law against it will do just fine. Deemed the Public Confidence in Gaming Act, she is wished by us the very best of fortune in getting this thru. It probably appears as good a chance of making it as positively nothing.
