Biloxi –  Don’t miss IP’s Birthday Bash Wednesday, August 18, 2010! IP is ready to give presents galore to those with August birthdays. (more…)

Five Free Apps Deliver New Ways to Experience Strip’s Hottest Hotels

LAS VEGAS —  Continuing its legacy of innovation, MGM MIRAGE has launched five free iPhone apps delivering new ways to explore Las Vegas hotels and attractions. The applications are available through iTunes.

“Vegas Reality,” the city’s first dedicated Augmented Reality application, merges real Vegas with virtual Vegas for a multi-dimensional experience of its hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Feature-rich resort applications forMandalay Bay, MGM Grand and New York-New York deliver dynamic interactivity and a depth of content unparalleled in the hospitality industry. An app also has been launched for Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi, and more are underway for additional MGM MIRAGE Las Vegas properties and attractions.

“Entertainment of Las Vegas” delivers access to video previews, show times, event calendars, directions and ticket purchasing for all the MGM MIRAGE fun in the city.

(more…)

Vegas Mate is an interactive, location-aware city guide for Las Vegas, NV from the publishers of RateVegas.com

Read, write and share re views of your favorite hotels, restaurants and shows with other Vegas Mate users. (more…)

A combination of the Florida racinos, racetracks and jai alai frontons along with the Seminole Tribe of Florida have all added reasons for celebrations. The facilities are gaining various combinations of tax breaks and expansion of products and hours — courtesy of a wide-ranging gaming law the Florida Legislature and Gov. Charlie Crist approved in late April.

A central part of the new law is a Tribal-State Compact between the Seminoles and the state government that gives the Tribe the state’s permission to continue with Class III Las Vegas-style slot machines at all seven of their casinos and with blackjack and baccarat at five of those facilities. In return, the Seminoles will pay the state a minimum of $1 billion from their gaming revenues over the next five years.

The Compact will become effective upon approval of the National Indian Gaming Commission. As of late May, that federal agency was still reviewing the Compact. (more…)

When it comes to blackjack in the Southern casinos, you will find some good games and some downright awful games. In this column, I am going to sound off on all the awful games.

So what makes a blackjack game awful, you ask? For average players (i.e., players who are not card counting), it is all about the house edge. Your best games have a house edge of half a percent or less (assuming you are using the basic playing strategy), and the awful games have house edges that exceed half a percent.

Let’s start with the really bad games (and then work backwards). (more…)

Test your Blackjack knowledge with this quiz that asks, and answers, many important questions that will help you win more at the tables.

Blackjack offers some of the best odds in the casino for those who take the time to learn basic strategy. But not all blackjack games are created equal. Casinos choose among a mix-and-match set of rules, some favorable to the player, some padding the house advantage.

(more…)

Using craps as an example, author Frank Scoblete examines how probability and the number of decisions that individual players, and players as a whole, make. And, how those decision define the house edge and thus, why casinos are profitable.

Gambling is a numbers game. For casinos it has nothing to do with luck, although on any given table at any given time, it looks as if luck predominates. (more…)

The next time you walk past a row of video slot machines you may not be bombarded with flashing light,numbers, or cards. Reel-TV announces the launch of a new form of advertising to take place idle on video slots.

Reel-TV Debuts on the casino floor at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, May 18 /PRNewswire/ — Reel-TV, a Las Vegas-based technology/advertising company that serves the gaming industry, is pleased to announce the launch of an innovative, server-based advertising platform that delivers a real-time call-to-action to patrons on the casino floor at the Palms Casino Resort.
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Significant changes are being made in Pennsylvania to allow table games at Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack.

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –  The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today approved the petition of Chester Downs and Marina, LLC, operator of Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack, to conduct table games.

The decision at the Board’s public meeting in Harrisburg brings to eight the total casinos that have gained table games approval. In March, the operators of Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Luzerne County and the parx Casino/Philadelphia Park Racetrack in Bucks County gained Board approval of their petitions to operate table games, and in April, approvals were granted to the operators of Mount Airy Casino Resort in Monroe County, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County, Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Northampton County, Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie County, and The Meadows Race Track and Casino in Washington County. (more…)

Tunica, Mississippi

Winning. It happens here. That is the slogan Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, Miss., uses to brand its property, and that is exactly what guests get when they stay and play at this gamer’s paradise. Not only is the 31-story, 1,133-room hotel tower the first casino you see on the horizon as you are driving into Tunica on I-69, but from the moment a guest arrives, they will be overwhelmed by the emphasis of excellence around every corner. Whether you are on a day trip looking for hot gaming action or staying overnight in one of the property’s recently renovated rooms, you will find the customer service is second to none, and the amenities rival any property in the South.

Winning arrival. From the moment guests arrive at Gold Strike, they are greeted by an elaborate marble lobby that gives an immediate confirmation that they are in for a great experience. Centered by a large, fresh-flower arrangement, the lobby serves as the hub for the entire property. To the left, just past the reservations desk, you will find the elevators to whisk you away to your room or a separate hallway leading to the spa and pool areas. The lobby also feeds directly into the atrium area, which features an array of quick eateries where you can grab anything from burgers to pizza. The first impression is vital when it comes to a guest’s outlook on their visit, and Gold Strike hits a home run with theirs!

Winning hotel. As previously mentioned, the towering hotel can be seen for miles and is one of the tallest hotels in Mississippi. In the fall of 2008, the casino underwent a multi-million-dollar room and property renovation that featured updates to all of the rooms and suites. Now, guests can expect a whole new experience on their stay at Gold Strike. Each guestroom has wall-mounted Phillips LCD flat screen televisions, Internet access, marble baths and chic furnishings throughout that reveal the signature luxury of the property. The two-bedroom suites offer a large sitting area with a couch, chairs, wet-bar, refrigerator and an additional wall-mounted LCD flat screen. The company wanted to change the overall brand and appearance of the property, and the rooms definitely show they accomplished that goal.

Winning restaurant. Casinos around the world pride themselves on their fine dining, and Gold Strike is no exception. Chicago Steakhouse continues to win accolades and awards from a number of outlets (including Southern Gaming), and the team that is in place to deliver the fine-dining experience is certainly an all-star cast. “We buy the same products as most fine dining restaurants. There are only so many ways to cook a steak. But, with our creative chefs and quality staff, we feel that in addition to the high quality food, guests can expect great customer service, and that is exactly what we strive to deliver,†says restaurant manager Andreas Karaminas. “By keeping the menu fresh, we can continue to offer a superior selection for our guests.â€

On a recent visit, Southern Gaming enjoyed appetizers of Escargot ($12) sautéed in toasted garlic and served with wild mushrooms with a soft herb black Truffle butter in a puff pastry and the New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp ($16). Both selections were the perfect blend of ingredients and set up nicely for the rest of the meal. Other appetizers included Seared Scallops ($15), Lobster & Fried Green Tomato Stack ($17) and a big guest favorite, the Chicago Sampler ($17) that includes Kobe short ribs, iron steak and grilled Szechwan baby-back ribs. For the entrée, the 14-ounce New York Strip ($36) (medium rare) and King Crab legs served with drawn butter was a hit. Cooked perfectly and served with sides of Au Gratin Potatoes ($7), Sautéed Maui Onions ($6), Sautéed Wild Mushrooms ($6) and Asparagus ($7), this was certainly a winning meal. If you save room for dessert, the tableside crème brulee is phenomenal, and the selections of other tasty treats for the sweet tooth are bountiful.

Winning casino. What would a gambling trip be without a great casino? Well, be rest assured that Gold Strike has you covered here, too. The resort’s 50,000-square-foot casino features more than 1,400 reel and video slot machines and almost 60 table games and a 16-table poker room. There are several different gaming areas with different betting levels, including the high-limit area with blackjack, baccarat and slots serving as the main games. While in reality you are on a gaming vessel sitting on the Mississippi River, this casino makes you feel like you are doubling down on the strip in Las Vegas. Regardless of what you are looking for on your next gambling adventure, Gold Strike is sure to deliver a winning experience because … it happens there!

For a Winning Stay in Tunica, call 1-888-24K-PLAY or

visit goldstrike.com today!

_______________________________________________________________

By G. Douglas Dreisbach

The summer is here and that means there is plenty of time for fun in the sun and great gaming getaways. It also means the movie scene is in full swing with titles ranging from the Transformers and Star Trek to the likes of Public Enemies and 2012. Without a doubt, most movies leave you with a sense of “needing to relate†to what you just watched and wanting to relive or do something you just watched in the movie. This is certainly true when it comes to gambling movies. After watching the movie 21, did you want to learn how to count cards? After Ocean’s 11 or 13, were you wondering what it would be like to run with Danny Ocean and his team? Or, in Casino, did you want to walk through the casino in a colorful 1970’s suit like Robert De Niro with a smoking hot Sharon Stone hitched to your arm?
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Belterra Casino Resort & Spa in Vevay, Indiana, is making a big splash with an exciting new amenity, the Belterra Seaplane!

Last fall, Belterra’s parent company, Pinnacle Entertainment, purchased a Cessna 208 Caravan with amphibious floats. Since then, dozens of high rollers have been flown to the property from cities far and wide.

The aircraft has luxury seating accommodations for four and an on-board DVD player. The two highly experienced pilots are Belterra employees who specialize in giving guests a smooth flight and a first-class, thrilling experience.

(more…)

MACAU (Nov. 13) – Struggling casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp. will lay off as many as 11,000 workers after a cash crunch forced the company to halt construction on multibillion dollar projects in the Chinese gambling city, a top executive said Thursday.

About 2,000 of the construction workers are from Macau, and the remainder are from Hong Kong, mainland China and other countries, said Stephen Weaver, Sands’ president for Asia.

The company would give preference to Macau workers and pay them as it assessed whether they could be relocated to other Sands’ projects, though they would likely lose their jobs, Weaver said.

“Regrettably there will be people from Macau in the construction areas that we cannot continue to employee,” Weaver told reporters at the company’s Venetian resort in Macau.

On Monday, Sands said it was suspending several projects, in Macau and elsewhere, and had agreements to raise $2.14 billion in new capital, including new funding from its billionaire chief executive, Sheldon Adelson.

The announcement, amid worse-than-expected results for the third quarter, came after Sands said last week it was in danger of breaching lending conditions Dec. 31 and defaulting on $5.2 billion in credit facilities secured by its Las Vegas operations.

Macau has overtaken the Las Vegas Strip as the world’s biggest gambling center, and American companies have been investing heavily in the former Portuguese colony on China’s southern coast.

But Sands’ construction on casino projects in Macau, Singapore, Pennsylvania and Las Vegas has put the company in a financing squeeze as falling revenue from gamblers and the credit crisis made it difficult to meet its debt obligations.

The company said it would temporarily shut down two sites along Macau’s Cotai Strip, including a Shangri-La/Traders hotel tower, a Sheraton hotel tower and three casinos.

The Macau sites have cost $1.16 billion so far, and represent a part of the company’s $13 billion master plan to develop Cotai.

Sands is trying to arrange between $1.5 billion and $2 billion in financing to continue the projects, but Weaver said it’s not clear how long that will take or when construction might resume.

He said he’s confident the company will eventually go back to building the projects.

“We’ve got $1.2 billion sunk in to the ground, we’re not going to walk away from it,” he said. “I think there’s no possibility that it’s never going to start again.”

Weaver wouldn’t rule out the possibility of further layoffs in Macau.

“We can’t promise that there won’t be people that ultimately are laid off,” he said. “But at this point no decision has been made.”

Restaurant Review:
CQ & Blu Lounge:  Treasure Bay Casino
Biloxi, MS

1-800-747-2839www.treasurebay.com
Published January 2008
Written by Lynn Lofton

The opening of Treasure Bay Casino’s fine dining restaurant, CQ, and Blu Lounge brings another exciting option to the Mississippi Gulf Coast dining scene. It is also another step forward in the Biloxi casino’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in 2005.

The casino, hotel and restaurant are located on the north side of Beach Boulevard in the renovated building that formerly housed Treasure Bay’s hotel and meeting space. Gone is the pirate ship with its swashbuckling pirates and wenches. Elegance and sophistication have filled the void in a most pleasing way.

“Built in the 1960s, this building has such a history and evokes fond memories for so many people,” says Susan Varnes, chief operating officer. “Working with the building, a slightly retro, clean modern flair seemed to fit best. The most important part of the restaurant is the view, so we didn’t want décor to distract too much from that.”

The name CQ is reminiscent of the superb restaurant, Captain’s Quarters, which was in Treasure Bay Casino when it was housed in a pirate-ship-looking barge floating in the Mississippi Sound.

“After the storm, many people asked if we would be bringing back Captain’s Quarters,” Varnes explains. “The name no longer fit because we lost the ship, so we decided upon CQ, the initials that were on the restaurant’s custom plates. It brought a little of the old name with a more modern twist.”

Customer feedback has been incredible, she says. “We have been complimented on the view, the menu selection, the service and the food presentation and quality. It has made us proud to have a restaurant and lounge that has received such accolades.”

Located on the resort’s ninth floor, the restaurant’s design ensures that all diners can see out the large expansive windows overlooking the beach and water. Three tiers of dining were created, from intimate booths to open-table seating.

The adjacent Blu Lounge complements CQ’s and has the same spectacular view from the bank of floor to ceiling windows. Furniture groupings are turned toward the water and the southwestern sky.

“The concept with Blu was to create a lounge atmosphere that was both comfortable and chic,” Varnes says. “With the lounge’s location on the ninth floor, it was important that we create interest from the street to make guests want to come to the ninth floor to see what we have to offer. We took special care to create the blue glow that can be seen from Highway 90.”

The beautiful restaurant’s ambiance is soothing without excess adornment. The deep blue and taupe colors flow in curving forms with touches of warm wood rounding out the tops of the retro-looking dining booths. “The view at sunset is amazing,” says Brandon Dethloff, manager of CQ and Blu. “We are getting a lot of positive comments about it, along with great comments about the food.”

As for the food, Executive Chef Tim Miller says considerable time was spent developing CQ’s menu to provide international cuisine that would be well received by existing clientele as well as attracting new patrons. “While we wanted to bring back some of the items from the Captain’s Quarters’ menu due to the loyal following of guests, we also wanted to expand the menu,” he says. “I describe the food as international cuisine with traditional bistro fare.”

The menu will be evaluated routinely to determine which items are ordered most. Among signature dishes are the mashed potato of the day at CQ’s and the cheese and chocolate fondues at Blu Lounge. Miller says the fondues are unique items to any tapas menu on the coast. “The best comment so far is that we have done a great job improving upon an already great reputation.”

Of course with any restaurant, food takes center stage, and CQ’s does not disappoint. The first food presented at the table is bread – warm, herb-flavored Italian rolls – accompanied by herbed butter and olives. The extensive wine list has been carefully chosen to complement the food and please the tastes of diners.

An assortment of fabulous appetizers command attention. The Spinach Galette is baby spinach and prosciutto cooked in a butter crust over delicate white zinfandel cream. Another good choice is Eggplant Napoleon, thinly sliced fried eggplant stacked with hollandaise, crab and Brie cream. Mushroom Acadian is a spicy Creole sausage baked in baby Portobello mushrooms with tomato demi glace.

The eclectic menu features something for everyone. Beef entrees include four steaks: The Cowboy – a bone-in 22-ounce Angus rib eye; a 14-ounce prime, dry-aged center cut strip; regular 14-ounce angus rib eye; and center-cut Angus filets in 5- and 10-ounce sizes. The Twin Farm Raised Quail are stuffed with andouille and cornbread dressing. There are Colorado Lamb Chops served with a mint demi glace; Chicken Picatta prepared in the classic Italian style; and Porterhouse of Veal with a ginger and shitake demi glace to round out the non-seafood entrees.

The outstanding seafood dishes include Jumbo Shrimp, Maine Lobster Tail and King Crab. But this being Biloxi, there is also a Seafood Platter that features a combination of fresh shrimp, oysters, crab claws and Gulf fish that can be fried or broiled.

If that isn’t exciting enough, there are several unusual seafood dishes including a bacon-wrapped lemon fish smoked over apple wood and served with shrimp jambalaya; panned grouper with tequila lime risotto; and triple-nut-crusted sea bass that is drizzled with honey aioli and served with pesto pasta.

You definitely want to save room for dessert. There are the usual: Cr̬me Brulee, Cheesecake and a decadent Chocolate Cake. However, the freshly made sorbets provide a refreshing end to the meal Рthe Pear Tart Tatan and Strawberry Romanoff are excellent.

If you are looking for lighter fare in a relaxed, cocktail setting, Blu is the right place. Three kinds of tapas are served – cold, hot and sweet. There is the simple assortment of cheeses served with crustini, seared tuna over a bed of field greens and chilled citrus shrimp. Perhaps the most unusual are the oyster shooters using fresh Gulf oysters prepared three ways – bloody mary, citrus and Asian.

Hot tapas include soup of the day, seared and ginger scallops, brushetta and Angus beef and vegetables combined in a house made Asian dumpling.

A full range of drinks are available, including a blueberry mojito, Sapphire martini, white chocolate raspberry martini and a New Orleans traditional Sazerac cocktail.

www.treasurebay.com.CQ’s is open Wednesday through Sunday evenings and Blu is open seven nights a week. Reservations can be made by calling (800) 747-2839. For more information, visit

HOLLYWOOD, FLA.  – You don’t have to be a secret agent to sleuth the chances to win at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Player’s Club Members’ “License to Win†in November includes a chance to secure a share of more than $1,000,000 in cash and prizes in giveaways plus an Aston Martin DB 9 Volante, the choice car of Mr. James Bond, himself.

Hotel & Casino Promotions

The “King of the Rock†Slot Tournament continues on Mondays through November 10. This tournament is complimentary to Player’s Club members and registration begins at 3 p.m. in the alcove across from the Hard Rock Cafe; sessions start at 4 p.m. and occur every 20 minutes with the final sessions commencing at 8 p.m. Prizes are awarded to the top three overall weekly scores; first place: $1,000 cash, second place: $750 cash, and third place: $500 cash. Grand prizes are awarded at the conclusion of the final tournament and paid out to the top 25 overall scores.

Get swiped, not stirred with the “Crack the Code†promotion and win your share of $1,000,000. Cash prizes of $100,000 will be awarded four times a day at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays (5, 12, 19 and 26), Thursdays (6, 13 and 20) and Fridays (7, 14 and 21).  The Grand Finale will be held on November 28 with a chance to win up to $100,000 at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6p.m. with $1,000,000 up for grabs at 8 p.m.

 On Tuesdays (4, 11 and 25) and Sundays (9, 16 and 23) get your super stylin’ speed on with a chance to win an Aston Martin DB 9 Volante. Additional cash drawings are being held on from 5 – 8 p.m.  Grand prize drawing occurs at 9 p.m.

Player’s Club members 55 and over are eligible to join the Classic Rockers and participate in free slot tournaments on Tuesdays (4, 11, 18 and 25) from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Non-smoking room. Twenty-minute sessions will be held with five minutes of play for up to 250 people. Cash and free-machine play prizes awarded to the top five overall scores per session.

Win Cash or Music Memorabilia

 Come and win your share of $6,000 in prizes after two select concerts at Hard Rock Live on November 9 and 18 with three $1,000 free slot play or memorabilia giveaways at 11 p.m. To enter, swipe your Player’s Club card from 5 p.m. – 10:45 p.m. on concert days.  

Poker Promotions

Weekly no limit Texas Hold’ em multi and single-table tournaments in November include No Limit Texas Hold’em Single Table Sit and Go tournaments, 10-handed and one-table tournaments, 15-minute rounds, and all Sit and Go tournament players are eligible to win the Bad Beat Jackpot and Royal Flush Bonus Jackpot.  

Provide us with your e-mail address by logging onto our website at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com/poker and print out confirmation page to redeem $10 off one tournament buy-in.

Receive a Royal Flush anytime in November and obtain $500* Get a free gift, while supplies last, with a four-of-a-kind hand. *(Must use both hole cards. All jackpot eligible games).

Participate in the Big Slick Tournament with a $1,100 buy in on November 29 at noon.

 Free Texas Hold’em poker lessons are held Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. in the Poker Room at Seminole Paradise.

(As reported on SunHerald.com)- BILOXI — Site approval for the Broadwater Casino has been extended indefinitely by the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Deputy Director Eddie Williams said the original approval expired in 2006. Under current regulations, Williams said, there is no time limit to build the casino. “The property’s currently under option,” said Scott Andress, attorney for Broadwater Development, but he said none of that information was addressed at Thursday’s Gaming Commission meeting.

“We had a letter of intent for several months,” said Broadwater spokesman Mark Calvert with Cascade Capital Group.

Richard Fields, who recently entered into an agreement to buy Trump Marina in Atlantic City and intends to transform it into a Margaritaville Casino, also took an option to develop the Broadwater Casino property. His company, Coastal Development, has co-developed the Seminole Hard Rock casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla.

But in today’s capital market, Calvert said, it will be difficult to put any projects together.

On Oct. 7 the Biloxi City Council gave a one-year extension for the conceptual planned development. It previously extended the authorization of the plans in October 2007.

The Gaming Commission will take up South Beach Casino’s Request for Reconsideration at the next meeting Nov. 20, Williams said. RW Development wants to build the casino resort on U.S. 90 at Veterans Avenue in Biloxi and has asked the commissioners to re-examine their July 17 denial of the casino site.

(As reported on Clarionledger.com)-VICKSBURG — Riverwalk Casino and Hotel is expected to open later today, creating almost 500 jobs and additional tax revenue for the riverfront community. “I plan on opening them up today at 5 p.m.,” said state Gaming Commissioner Larry Gregory, pending approval following a final walk-through of the property.

Finishing touches were being put on the $100 million, 120,000-square-foot Riverwalk Casino and Hotel on Monday afternoon. It will join the city’s handful of gaming parlors along the Mississippi River.

“We think we’ll help expand the (gaming) market,” said Rob Long, Riverwalk’s president and general manager. “This creates a cluster here. We’re half the size of Ameristar and (similar in size to) the Rainbow, but we think that’ll be a wonderful amount of activity.”

The casino was a flurry of activity on Monday. Large construction trucks were coming and going outside, while dealers practiced their skills inside the casino.

Inspectors and regulators were on site Monday to make sure everything was safe and ready to be used by the public.

The Riverwalk will solidify Vicksburg as a gaming hub and benefit the area’s restaurants, shops, parks and other attractions, said Christi Kilroy, executive director of the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce.

“You’re going to have 500 more salaries in the community,” she said.

Manager Charles Richardson hopes some of that money will be spent at the Waffle House restaurant.

“It’s probably going to be a lot busier, (with gamblers) and people traveling,” he said.

But he added casinos have a good and bad influence on the restaurant’s performance, explaining that those that operate 24 hours a day have their own restaurants where people will eat while gambling.

Casinos that close at a certain time each night, Richardson said, tend to be more consistent sources for customers.

The city’s tax revenue from casinos has dropped by 1 percent since last year, but Vicksburg Mayor Laurence Leyens said Riverwalk can at least stabilize that figure.

“Here we have another industry coming in,” he said. “It’s going to be another feather in the cap of our economy.”

Leyens said about a quarter of the city’s sales tax revenue comes from casinos.

“We’ve been able to bring all our infrastructure up to speed,” Leyens said of gaming’s influence.

The Riverwalk, which will operate 24 hours a day, features a 25,000-square-foot gaming area with 805 slot machines and 18 gaming tables.

It also features a five-story, 80-room hotel, sit-down and buffet restaurants, and meeting spaces and conference rooms.

A parking garage nearing completion will be shared with the Rainbow, Long said. The casinos are owned by the same company.

Artwork from Mississippi and Southeastern artists is displayed on the ground floor.

The casino is the first Vicksburg gaming property built on land. Lawmakers allowed this change following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast.

It also is easier for motorists to get to and is relatively simpler to build than a riverboat or barge casino, Long said.

Vicksburg resident Sherman Brewer Sr. eyed the Riverwalk before heading into the Rainbow midday Monday. He said he’s going to give the new casino a try once it opens.

“Everybody wants to take a look at that,” Brewer said. “It looks really nice.”

The city’s casinos have grown from being attractions mainly for locals to a key driver of Warren County’s economic fortunes, Kilroy said, even as the slumping economy has had some effect on the area’s overall tax base.

“We’ve had a few downsizings and a few closings,” she said. “But we’ve been fairly stable. Adding Riverwalk really adds to us becoming a major gaming destination.”

Ginny Tzotzolas, Riverwalk’s marketing director, said the property received inquiries from Texas to Rhode Island.

“We’ve had interest from all over,” she said, adding casinos often are most successful when there are a number of them operating near each other and can draw on each other’s customer bases.

Construction on Riverwalk began last June. Long said the only thing that threw the casino’s construction significantly off course was an extremely wet August, which made exterior or landscaping all but impossible.

“We had more rain that month than at any time in recorded history,” he said.

Tzotzolas said the casino wants to build ties with the Vicksburg area through more than just generating revenue.

She said Mississippi vendors were engaged for everything from the casino’s architectural and construction work to any printed materials associated with the facility.

(As reported by The New York Times)–After seven years of political wrangling and delay, a deal to build a casino at the Aqueduct racetrack is now in place. Under a contract announced by the Paterson administration on Thursday, a Buffalo company will construct a complex featuring a 184,000-square-foot gambling floor and 4,500 video gambling terminals, multiple restaurants including one with a 600-seat buffet, at least 300 hotel rooms and a 60,000-square-foot conference center.

The Buffalo company, Delaware North, said it planned to start construction in early 2009 and finish the casino, its adjoining restaurants and the parking structure in about a year. The project will be completed in phases within five years, it said.

In its promotional material, Delaware North has boasted that the complex will be “all right in the heart of Queens,†a subway ride away on the A train. The track is in South Ozone Park just northwest of Kennedy Airport.

For the casino itself, gamblers should think more arcade than Atlantic City. There will be no blackjack tables with dealers, or roulette wheels. Instead the casino will have video-screen terminals that will accept money for virtual hands of poker and other games.

Delaware North operates a similar hybrid racetrack-casino — known as a racino — in Saratoga Springs. The company beat out two other bidders — the commercial real estate firm S L Green Realty, in partnership with Hard Rock Entertainment, and Capital Play, which had joined with Mohegan Sun.

State officials said Delaware North prevailed because it was offering more money in advance: $370 million for its license to operate the casino and entertainment complex.

“They offered the most money up front,†said John D. Sabini, chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board. “And I think that’s important to the state because of the financial situation we’re in.â€

In addition to the up-front payment, the state expects to reap more than $10.3 billion in revenue from the gambling terminals over the next 30 years.

Though the State Legislature has already trimmed more than $420 million in state spending this year, Gov. David A. Paterson said this month that the faltering economy had opened a new $1.2 billion hole in the budget.

After the Aqueduct negotiations hit a snag two weeks ago when Senate Republicans said they wanted more time to review the plan, Mr. Paterson and fellow Democrats accused Republicans of dragging their heels and delaying the start of a project that would create about 1,000 construction jobs at a time when employers in New York are shedding workers.

“This deal will provide a critical revenue stream — especially given the financial crisis that is battering our state and nation,†Mr. Paterson said in a statement,

The push to build a casino at Aqueduct began in 2001, when in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks the Legislature began passing laws that would allow for a major expansion of the state’s gambling industry.

In approving the deal, the state once again finds itself turning to gambling to strengthen its weakened cash flow. But with New Yorkers expected to spend less as the financial crisis expands, Delaware North’s president was asked on Thursday whether a casino could remain a steady source of state revenue during an economic downturn.

“Clearly the gaming business is not a recession-proof business,†the president, William J. Bissett, told reporters in a room overlooking the neatly groomed racetrack at Aqueduct.

“There is a large population that will have an easy means to get to this location to entertain themselves,†he said. “We take comfort that, even in a recession period, the fact that Aqueduct sits where it does in a huge metropolitan community buoys our confidence that we will be successful here.â€

The project is expected to create about 2,000 jobs in Queens. About half those jobs would be permanent jobs at the casino complex once it is fully operating, and the rest would be construction jobs.

“The ultimate goal, of course, is not only to create revenue for the state but to create jobs,†said State Senator Serphin R. Maltese, a Republican from Queens. “So as far as economic development, I think you can put it in big letters: J-O-B-S.â€

Mr. Maltese, who is locked in a competitive re-election battle that may decide which party controls the Senate next year, objected to the Delaware North proposal two weeks ago after Mr. Paterson and the Democratic-led Assembly signed off on it.

At the time, Mr. Maltese and other Senate Republicans said they were not convinced the plan included enough economic benefit for the Queens community. So the developers agreed to put more of their plans in writing, including the proposal for building the hotel and convention center and a community advisory board to inform Delaware North on their satisfaction with the development. In addition, the company agreed to open an office in the community that will make it more convenient for people to apply for a job.

Jonathan Starkey contributed reporting.

(As reported on Casino Gambling Web.com)–Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal was the inspiration behind the movie “Casino” from Nick Pileggi, the author and screenwriter of the movie. On Monday, Rosenthal died in his Miami Beach condo. The cause of death was a heart attack, according to a fire-rescue spokeswoman.

Rosenthal was an expert sports handicapper and that led him to Las Vegas, where he ran the Stardust, Hacienda, Freemont, and Marina casinos. The casinos were owned by Chicago mobsters.

The movie ‘Casino’ portrayed Rosenthal as an extraordinary sports handicapper, but also showed that many people were out to get him. He never was given a Nevada gaming license, and eventually left the town in the early eighties.

The late seventies and early eighties were the time that Las Vegas began being run by corporations, instead of mobsters. “Lefty’s era was the Las Vegas of the bloated Elvis and polyester suits,” said History Professor Michael Green, from the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas.

Pileggi believes that when Rosenthal was placed in the famous Las Vegas Black Book, it signaled the end of the old Las Vegas. “He’s one of the originals. When Lefty went down, the new Las Vegas emerged. The corporate Las Vegas,” said Pileggi.

Rosenthal was 79 years old at the time of his death earlier this week.

LAS VEGAS – Sept. 26, 2008 – Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. has launched the third generation of its award-winning Total Rewards customer loyalty program. The new, expanded Total Rewards will offer its members the ability to earn Reward Credits and Tier Credits for nearly all of their entertainment expenditures at participating venues, including dining, live entertainment, golf, spa and retail outlets.

For every dollar members spend on most non-gaming purchases at Harrah’s properties, including their hotel stay, members will earn one Reward Credit. Those points can then be redeemed for entertainment expenditures at participating outlets.
 
Total Rewards, introduced in 2000, was the casino industry’s first national, multi-brand loyalty effort. The newly expanded program allows the 40 million-plus Total Rewards customers to accumulate Rewards Credits and Tier Credits for most entertainment expenditures*.

To earn Reward and Tier Credits, Total Rewards members must present their Total Rewards card at the point of purchase. Guests staying at Harrah’s-operated properties can earn credits either upon check-in or prior to check-out. The process of redeeming credits remains unchanged.

“This is an exciting and important enhancement to Total Rewards,†said David Norton, chief marketing officer, Harrah’s Entertainment. “It’s a natural evolution that incorporates our growing number of entertainment offerings and appeals to gamers and non-gamers alike. Now more people in more places can enjoy the benefits of earning and redeeming Rewards Credits.â€Â 

Most of the 40 Harrah’s-operated casinos around the country will introduce the Total Rewards Entertainment Package with a themed promotion beginning in early October. Customers who join Total Rewards at any time during a participating casino’s promotional period will receive a game piece that may contain an embedded code to win a fabulous to visit one of Harrah’s destination resorts. Among the available prizes are tickets to see Cher or Bette Midler at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, a trip to a London Clubs International casino in the United Kingdom, a Mardi Gras experience in New Orleans or an alpine getaway in Lake Tahoe.

All Total Rewards members can obtain game pieces on select promotional dates at participating casinos; each member is eligible for one game piece on each promotional date that they visit a participating casino.  No purchase or play is necessary to enter the promotion.

Total Rewards will continue to recognize its Gold, Platinum, Diamond or Seven Stars members, and current members now have more ways to earn Credits to advance them to the next tier.