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Steve Cohen’s New York City Wishlist Shrinks After Juan Soto Acquisition

Steve Cohen and his New York Mets landed the biggest prize of the MLB offseason after acquiring Juan Soto from the team’s crosstown rival New York Yankees.

Steve Cohen casino New York Juan Soto
Billionaire Steve Cohen landed MLB superstar Juan Soto in a record deal that will bring the slugger across town to New York City’s Queens. Cohen has his eyes set on another prize in New York for 2025. (Image: New York Post)

Cohen’s gift to Mets fans this holiday season is a bit costlier than your family white elephant exchange. The bidding war that included the Yanks, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and Los Angeles Dodgers resulted in Cohen ponying up $765 million to bring the 26-year-old slugger to Queens for the next 15 years.

Soto’s deal is the biggest contract in sports history. Cohen reportedly told Soto during their meeting at one of the billionaire’s homes in California that he believes it’s his “civic duty” to make the Mets a winner and become the more respected team in the Subway series.

While Soto was Cohen’s focus for the Mets, the founder of the Point72 Asset Management hedge fund hopes to make an even richer bet in Queens next year by investing in the construction of an integrated resort casino at his Citi Field MLB ballpark.

Cohen’s 2025 Wishlist

The New York Gaming Facility Location Board is expected to determine the three winning casino bids for the downstate region by the end of next year. Cohen is in the crowded bidding pool in a partnership with Hard Rock International.

Cohen’s bid is considered a strong candidate due to the businessman’s endless pockets — Forbes estimates his real-time net worth at $21.3 billion — and close ties to powerplays in Albany, namely Gov. Kathy Hochul.

MGM Resorts is the front-runner for one of the licenses to transition its Empire City video lottery racino at the Yonkers Raceway into a Las Vegas-like resort casino with traditional slot machines, live dealer table games, and sports betting. Genting has also been labeled a favorite for its Resorts World New York City racino in Queens near JFK International.

Recently, however, there have been concerns about the Malaysia-based conglomerate allowing underground bookies and felons with illegal gambling convictions access to its Resorts World Las Vegas casino and sportsbook. RWLV fired its then-President Scott Sibella in September 2023. In January 2024, the gaming executive pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act, a federal law designed to prevent money laundering.

In 2022, Resorts World Las Vegas was also accused of allowing a convicted felon to hold a significant stake in one of its onsite restaurants, violating Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) regulations.

Genting’s Misfortune Cohen’s Good Luck? 

Resorts World’s regulatory shortcomings in Nevada have presumably lengthened Genting’s odds of securing one of the three downstate New York gaming licenses.

RWNYC and Cohen’s Citi Field are less than six air miles apart, though the drive can take over a half-hour because of traffic. Still, because of their relative proximity, a decision by the state Gaming Facility Location Board to not grant Genting one of the three concessions would unquestionably shorten Cohen’s odds.

Dubbed Metropolitan Park, Cohen and Hard Rock have proposed an $8 billion Hard Rock Hotel & Casino integrated resort development with 20 acres of green space, five acres of athletic fields, a playground, and major improvements to mass transit.  

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Las Vegas Strip Attraction Closing After Only 7 Months

The Las Vegas Strip just got a little less immersive. “Particle Ink: House of Shattered Prisms” will close on Monday, Oct. 28, after only seven months at the Luxor.

This promotional image was distributed when “Particle Ink: House of Shattered Prisms” opened at the Luxor in April. (Image: MGM Resorts)

Occupying the former wedding chapel on the casino resort’s mezzanine level, “Particle Ink” bills itself as an experience “merging the worlds of art and technology with immersive virtual and augmented reality.” It was created by an art collective called LightPoets and executive-produced by Minneapolis-based entertainment technology company Kaleidoco.

“We are immensely grateful to the Las Vegas community for embracing Particle Ink and allowing us to grow within this incredible city,” Jennifer Tuft, founder of Kaleidoco, said in a statement. “We’ve been honored to share this journey with everyone who has supported us and believed in our vision.”

House of Shuttered Prisms

No reason was provided for the closure. However, there is a rule covering 99.99% of the closures of shows, restaurants, nightclubs and other attractions on the Strip. And that rule is that nothing ever comes to an end here unless it fails to draw enough paying customers to cover the exorbitant cost of modern Strip leases.

In the case of “Particle Ink,” it was a partnership with Luxor/MGM Resorts, which means that the decision to close was probably not their own.

When it opened in April, “Particle Ink” was seen by industry observers as MGM Resorts’ attempt to lure Gen Z — which visits Las Vegas by the millions every year primarily to patronize AREA15 — to the Strip as well.

AREA15 is an entertainment complex located in a series of warehouses northwest of the Strip. Its tenants — anchored by “Omega Mart” from Minneapolis’ Meow Wolf art collective — marry art, technology and commerce so successfully, the City of Las Vegas recently dedicated America’s first “immersive tourism district”  around it.

“Particle Ink” was probably better off waiting for a slot in this district than taking the gamble it did. In the attraction’s previous Las Vegas incarnation — as an independent production called “Speed of Light” staged in a downtown warehouse — it drew sellout crowds and critical raves.

At the Luxor, Particle Ink presents itself in two editions: a daytime walk through trippy projected images called Wanderlust ($27) and a nighttime version that involves live performers, acrobatics and whatever “the deepest secrets of the 2.5th dimension” are supposed to be.

For tickets to its final performances, click here.

 

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Kamala Harris’ Odds Improve After 2024 Debate Against Donald Trump

By most accounts, Vice President Kamala Harris was deemed the winner of Tuesday night’s presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. Her strong performance wasn’t a total surprise, as she was the betting favorite on the political wagering exchange Polymarket to be considered the winner before the Tuesday showdown.

Kamala Harris Donald Trump 2024 odds
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris squared off for their first, and possibly last, presidential debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. The 2024 odds have moved in Harris’ favor following the more than 90-minute spectacle. (Image: Getty)

Polymarket, a decentralized wagering exchange that facilitates the buying and selling of shares of political outcomes, had Trump as the 2024 favorite before the debate. His stock was trading around 52 cents to Harris at 46 cents. Things have since changed.

Harris was poised on Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and spoke directly to the people. She baited her opponent into discussing the past, as the billionaire became visibly upset at times trying to defend his record and expose her and President Joe Biden’s.

Though Trump said Tuesday was his “best debate ever,” even Republican stalwarts said he had a bad night. He seemed unprepared at times, reverted to old talking points that have been proven not to resonate with independents or Republicans who aren’t so-called “MAGA Republicans,” and was perhaps overconfident in taking on his new Democratic rival.

Whatever prep the former casino billionaire did was a bust in the eyes of political bettors, who quickly moved their election positions to Harris.

Harris, Trump Neck and Neck

Trump has largely been the 2024 betting front-runner since his June debate with Biden, which led to the president announcing he wouldn’t seek a second term. Harris was the party’s hand-picked replacement, and so far, it’s a bet that’s paying off.

As Trump doubled down on his belief that the 2020 election was rigged and he was the rightful winner, the 2024 Polymarket contest moved in Harris’ favor. Another political wagering exchange, Betfair, reported a similar movement.

As of noon on September 11, Polymarket has Trump’s shares at 50 cents to Harris’ at 49 cents. Betfair’s 2024 odds imply a winning chance of 51.2% for Harris and even money, or 50%, for Trump.

UK sportsbooks, where political betting is allowed, also shortened Harris’ line while lengthening Trump’s. William Hill now has Harris at 4/5 (-125), or implied odds of 55.56%. Trump is at 10/11 (-110), or an implied chance of 52.38%.

Before the debate, Trump was favored at -125 and Harris was the underdog at +110.

Do Debates Matter?

While most everyone in the US is very familiar with Trump, Tuesday’s debate gave Harris her first major chance to resonate with the American people after avoiding most media interview requests and shying away from the limelight over the past three and a half years as second in command to the commander-in-chief.

Harris remained light on policy specifics, opting instead for a softer approach and trying to appeal to voters’ emotions. Trump was brash, with his supporters claiming it was a three-on-one debate, as ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis repeatedly fact-checked him while letting Harris’ talking points go unchecked.

Odds, and presumably next week’s polls, will show a shift in Harris’ favor, but voters will have the final say on November 5.

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UAW to Withdraw from AFL/CIO After Court Ruling on Atlantic City Casino Smoking

New-Jersey-Dealers-Union-Withdraws-from-AFLCIO-Over-Casino-Smoking-DecisionThe fallout from a court ruling allowing indoor smoking in Atlantic City casinos took a new turn on Wednesday, with the United Auto Workers (UAW) announcing plans to withdraw from New Jersey’s AFL-CIO. This decision comes after other unions, including Local 54 of UNITE HERE, supported the continuation of indoor smoking, much to the dismay of the UAW.

During a joint press conference held by Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE), UAW Region 9 Director Dan Vicente expressed frustration over the court’s ruling, which dismissed a lawsuit aimed at halting indoor smoking in casinos. The group, which represents table game dealers and casino workers opposed to indoor smoking, had argued for an injunction based on public health concerns.

Union Conflict Over Smoking Legislation

The UAW’s decision to withdraw stems from their dissatisfaction with other unions that support the smoking exemption. Local 54 of UNITE HERE, representing casino employees in non-dealing roles, supports a compromise backed by the Casino Association of New Jersey, which allows smoking on 25% of the gaming floor but makes working in smoking areas voluntary.

Local 54 filed a brief opposing the lawsuit seeking to end the smoking exemption, leading to growing tension within the union community. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy previously stated he would sign any bill that bans indoor smoking at casinos, but the legislature has yet to take up the issue.

Commenting that he will be pulling the UAW out of the AFL-CIO of New Jersey over this issue which he described as “moral, health, and safety issue”, Vicente announced as follows:

“I cannot express how furious our institution is at the Jersey state-level AFL and the other unions that filed an injunction status against us.”

The New Jersey Superior Court ruling on Friday, which supported the current exception in the 2006 Smoke-Free Air Act, allows casinos to maintain smoking on 25% of their gaming floors. The UAW had filed the lawsuit, arguing that workers had a constitutional right to breathe smoke-free air, but the judge ruled against this claim, stating that the “right to safety” was not well-established.

Moving Forward Amid Tensions

While Vicente remains determined to pursue the case at the state’s highest court, he acknowledged that legislative options are also being explored.

“We plan to escalate the situation in New Jersey. But understanding that this is an election year, we have a lot of national coverage right now in the union. … We plan to try to put as much pressure on the legislature as we can.”

The UAW’s decision to withdraw from the state AFL-CIO chapter marks a significant escalation in the fight against indoor smoking at Atlantic City casinos, with no resolution yet in sight.

Smoking Ban Efforts Continue

Despite the court ruling, efforts to pass a smoking ban continue. State Senator Joe Vitale, who chairs the Senate Health Committee, said he will push the bill to the Senate floor.

“This has been an effort over the years to try to right this wrong, and we’re getting closer and closer. We’re clearly very disappointed in the judge’s ruling. I don’t know why it is that casino workers can’t have an expectation of safety… I think it’s certainly wrong, and anyone who is fair-minded, I think, agrees.”

CEASE plans to intensify its campaign to raise awareness of the health risks casino workers face. Cynthia Hallett, president of Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights (ANS), said that CEASE will launch a digital media blitz, including a campaign called “Kids of CEASE,” which will air in key New Jersey districts.

SOURCE:

“UAW to pull out of AFL-CIO over New Jersey casino smoking loophole” by P. Kenneth Burns, whyy.org, September 4, 2024.

“New Jersey’s dealers’ union pulling out of Atlantic City after smoking decision” by Frenk Legato, igamingbusiness.com, September 4, 2024.

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Oregon Man Stabbed 15 Times After Winning $2K, Suspected Robber Charged

A Portland, Ore. resident was allegedly stabbed 15 times by a homeless robber who followed the victim home on Saturday night and stole part of a jackpot, authorities revealed.

Montana's Bar
Montana’s Bar in Portland, Ore., pictured above. A lottery winner at the bar later was robbed and knifed. (Image: TripAdvisor)

The resident had collected about $2,000 while playing lottery machines at Montana’s Bar in Portland shortly before the violent assault, according to Oregon TV station KATU.

He appeared to have met the would-be suspect, Pablo Andres Figueroa, 61, while at the bar.

After scooping up the loot, the victim walked to his residence located in an apartment building. He was unaware that Figueroa was tailing him the whole way back. When Figueroa reached the building, he made his way through a security gate.

As the victim entered his apartment, Figueroa pushed the door and threw him to the floor, authorities said. Figueroa then allegedly began punching the victim in the face and ordered the victim to hand over the cash.

The victim turned over some of the money, but Figueroa wanted more of it.

Stabbed in Arms, Chest, Face

Frustrated, Figueroa then took out what was described as a pocketknife and slashed the victim in the arms, chest, and face. The repeated stabbings halted when the victim pretended he was dead, apparently remaining motionless on the floor.

Local police were alerted and began to search for the suspect. Figueroa was eventually found in the building’s garbage room. Officers searched him and found $624. They also discovered blood on his pants and pocketknife in a litter box near the victim’s front door.

Figueroa was charged with attempted murder, robbery, assault burglary, and unlawful use of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in a court appearance on Monday.

He’s scheduled to return to court on Tuesday. If convicted on the charges, he could face a prison sentence.

Prior Convictions

Police did a records check on Figueroa and found out that he was convicted in Arkansas and California for various charges, such as battering a spouse, threatening a crime with intent to terrorize, and failing to comply with sex offender reporting requirements.

A 2022 case is also pending in Oregon’s Multnomah County for unauthorized use of a vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle. He was also arrested in Oregon’s Washington County in 2021 for identity theft and drug charges.

Last Friday, he failed to show up for a court appearance.

The victim is expected to recover from his injuries. Police didn’t provide details on the extent of his wounds.

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