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Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City – $55M in Hotel Upgrades, Rebrand

borgata_hotel_casino_and_spa_in_atlantic_city_to_undergo_dlr55m_in_hotel_upgrades_rebrandWith 20th-anniversary celebrations at Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa fast approaching, the MGM property has announced plans to spend $55m to completely redesign and rebrand the hotel. The new MGM Tower will have over 700 guestrooms and luxury suites that will be completely reimagined. The suites will wrap around the tower’s corners with amazing vista views according to reports.

Chief Operating Officer for MGM Resorts International, Corey Sanders, said: “Introducing the MGM Tower connects Borgata with the unparalleled entertainment and resort experiences MGM Resorts is recognized for worldwide. We are incredibly proud of Borgata and its industry-leading team of employees, and we believe this significant reinvestment will drive visitation to Atlantic City well into the future.”

Stunning New Experience

According to a press release from the operator in Yahoo News, visitors will find a whole new experience from the moment they arrive with a playful and contemporary personality featuring nautical design elements from the Marina District. Deep wood finishes in the “light and airy” guestrooms will accent a “bright yet warm” decor with neutral and blue tones, capturing the feeling of being surrounded by water.

The new Vista Suites wrapped around the corners of the tower will join the existing opulent suites.

A high-limit slot lounge already opened adjacent to the hotel lobby just before Christmas. The 8,300 sq ft newly rebranded Miralto underwent an extensive two-month, multi-million dollar renovation. New rooms will begin to open in April with the balance expected before Memorial Day Weekend. On the 32nd floor, in the location of the former Immersion Spa, a 9,000 sq ft event space will open as well with one-of-a-kind views for visitors.

“As we approach the resort’s 20th anniversary, we are more committed than ever to remaining a leader in hospitality and entertainment by continuing to evolve the Borgata experience,” said Travis Lunn, the resort’s President & COO. “We look forward to sharing our new vision with Borgata’s incredible guests in the coming months.”

Rodrigo Vargas Design Contributing

Award-winning international interior design firm RVD Associates worked in partnership with MGM Resorts International Design Group on designing and crafting the improvements.

East-facing rooms will have white curtains while west-facing rooms will have deep-blue curtains to accent a view of the evening marshlands in the distance.

Form, function, elegance, and leisure will all be incorporated with soft lighting hidden under the bed bases with soft light also coming from the headboard space of the beds. Ooulant space will feature “center-stage” with a table for daytime work or evening entertainment.

Source: Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City announces $55m tower remodel, Yahoo News, March 14, 2023

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New Mississippi Coast Casino Gets Gaming Green Light

The Mississippi Gaming Commission on Thursday green-lighted a gaming development called South Beach Casino & Resort. The project targets about four acres of land located at 6081 S. Beach Blvd. in Bay St. Louis.

Silver Slipper Casino, Mississippi
The Silver Slipper Casino Hotel in Bay St. Louis, Miss. The casino could someday have a nearby competitor, as a casino has been green-lighted by the state for vacant land just east of it. (Image: baystlouisoldtown.com)

The license was granted to Kirk D. Ladner of Diamondhead and Russell Elliott of Bay St. Louis. Ladner’s LinkedIn profile says he’s the president of Kirk Ladner Excavating, a Gulfport-based general contractor. Information regarding Elliott’s profession wasn’t immediately available.

The South Beach Casino was approved to feature a 40K gaming floor with 1.1K slot machines, 25 table games, and six poker tables. That’s according to a notice of intent to apply for a gaming license, which was published by Ladner and Elliott, as legally required, in a local newspaper.

South Beach Casino would be built onshore, but would remain within 800 feet of the 19-year high-water line as defined by the Mississippi Code. After Katrina, the state allowed its riverboats to move inland so long as the new gaming structures remained within 800 feet of their original barges. New casinos must be within 800 feet of the high-water mark.

There are currently only two commissioners on the state’s gaming commission, Tom Gresham and Francis Lee, both of whom voted in favor of the approval. (Kent Nicaud, CEO of Memorial Hospital at Gulfport, has been nominated by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves to complete the vacant term left by chair Al Hopkins, who died earlier this year.)

One Small Problem

Ladner and Elliott have yet to secure financing. Ladner told gaming commissioners that obtaining site approval first would make the funding process easier.

In 2004, Ladner and Elliott applied to license the same casino under the same name in the same place. However, they withdrew the application during the second step of the casino development process — the step in which applicants are required to show that they have the funding to complete the casino they were licensed for.

This is not an uncommon problem on the Mississippi Coast, which has 12 casinos across Hancock and Harrison counties, with several more are proposed for Biloxi, Long Beach, and D’Iberville. Twice as many as that were approved, but more than 20 casino developers who received site approvals have been unable to secure financing since Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in 2005.

Though Mississippi’s gaming industry has more than rebounded from the pandemic — generating gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2021 of almost $2.7B, the state’s highest gaming win since 2008 — banks and investors remain hesitant to open their wallets for new casino projects in the Gulf. Even the rock legends KISS couldn’t win over enough investors to help renovate the former Margaritaville Casino into a $200M rock n’ roll-themed gaming and entertainment destination called Rock & Brews Casino.

In fact, only one new company was able to nudge their approved casino concept into reality: the Margaritaville Casino, overlooking the Biloxi Back Bay, and that has since closed.

Elliott and Ladner have until 2026 to build the South Coast Casino & Resort.

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President of Mexico Vows to Cancel All Casino Licenses Issued in Last 4 Years

president_of_mexico_vows_to_cancel_all_casino_licenses_issued_in_Last_4_yearsAccording to a 1947 law, gambling halls and casinos are supposed to be illegal in Mexico. However, hundreds of them exist and former President Vincente Fox was given powers by the courts to authorize licensing in order to create revenues through taxes as well as bolster the tourist trade.

Current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador made no secret of his anti-gambling stance when he ran for and won the presidency, and has not personally authorized or issued any new licenses since he took office on December 1, 2018. In September of the next year, he re-affirmed his stance against issuing any new licenses in a gesture that was widely seen as an effort to reassure the Catholic church that he was on its side on the issue.

Casino Opposition Increased After Fire

The church and specifically Cardinal Rogelio Cabrera, head of the Mexican Episcopate, strengthened opposition to casino gambling after about 25 gunmen, purportedly members of the Los Zetas drug cartel stormed the Casino Royale in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. The men doused the casino in flammable liquids and lit it on fire trapping over 50 people inside. At least 50 people were killed in the tragedy.

At a recent press conference, the president stated that his government will not only refrain from issuing any new licenses but will also revoke any that may have been granted in the last four years. Mexican presidents are limited to a single six-year term.

At the presser, López Obrador declared he would request a report from the head of the Secretariat for Home Affairs, Adán Augusto López Hernández in order to take control of the current process for issuing licenses.

Prior to leaving office in 2005, the former Secretariat issued more than 750 licenses to gaming parlors across the country.

The president stated in reply to a reporter’s question about licensing and an upcoming casino industry conference: “Casinos should not be opened, we are not giving permission to open casinos. We are not. And I am going to ask the Secretariat for Home Affairs for a report because, if there is a new license, it is canceled, because the instruction is not to deliver any license.”

Licensing Process “Inadequate”?

It’s unclear if López Obrador will follow through on his threat to jerk existing licenses so far into his term. He had earlier asked Olga Sánchez Cordero, a prior Secretary of Home Affairs whether or not licenses issued under the previous administration had been under a lawful process. Obrador has stated in the past the process was “inadequate”.

Some legal scholars have differed on the legislative appendix process used to authorize deviance from earlier laws that specifically outlawed casino operations but in the 2000s many lawmakers were behind efforts to bring casino gambling to major coastal resort hotels. In recent years, some state governors have taken it upon themselves to issue more local licenses.
There is no unified federal framework for casino legislation, anti-money laundering controls, or even a unified tax code across the country. Online gambling is authorized loosely although there are no laws specifically authorizing it.

According to Thompson Reuters Law Guides: “Land-based casinos and online gaming are permitted. In Mexico, there are 36 land-based permit holders that are, or could be, allowed to operate online gaming.”

Source: President says he will revoke all casino licenses granted over the last four years, G3 Newswire, March 20, 2023

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Casino Crime Round Up: Man Murdered Near Bally’s Casino Atlantic City

A 34-year-old man was fatally shot on the Atlantic City boardwalk near Bally’s Casino on Saturday morning. A suspect was arrested.

Police officers on the Atlantic City boardwalk near Bally’s Casino
Police officers on the Atlantic City boardwalk near Bally’s Casino, pictured above. A man was fatally shot outside the casino this weekend. (Image: KYW)

Jahlil Boston, 34, of Egg Harbor City, N.J., was charged with murder and several other weapons and drug counts, prosecutors said.

The shooting took place at about 2 a.m. in the 1900 block of the boardwalk near Johnny Rockets restaurant at Bally’s.

The victim was identified by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office as Eric Wynn of Atlantic City.

Boston was apprehended shortly after the killing. He allegedly used a semi-automatic firearm in the shooting.

The prosecutor’s office in a statement noted that Shawn Steuber, a retired local officer now at the Atlantic City Headquarters for Intelligence Logistics Electronic Surveillance, quickly got a description of the suspect for police.

Boston remained in custody as of early this weekend at the Atlantic County Justice Facility.

The weapons charges against Boston include: unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a weapon while in the course of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of large capacity ammunition and magazine, and possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a predicate offense.

He was also charged with these drug counts: possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute while in a public zone.

It appears Boston knew Wynn before the shooting took place, officials said.

Officials didn’t release further details on the killing. It was unclear why the two men were near the casino.

Alleged Laundering of $38K at Hollywood Casino Joliet

John Tomaras was charged with money laundering following a series of recent incidents involving over $38,000 at Illinois’ Hollywood Casino Joliet.

The 53-year-old Rockdale, Ill. man allegedly laundered $38,180 at the casino between February 24 and March 10, according to Patch.

Tomaras was arrested on March 10. His bail was set at $50,000.

He was booked at Will County Jail on March 11. He was released after posting bond.

Man Arrested for Indiana Casino Cheating

Gankhuyag Noosoi was arrested after allegedly cheating while playing Baccarat at an Indiana gaming property.

The 54-year-old Chicago man was charged with cheating at gambling after a January 17 incident, according to the Chicago Tribune.

He either made a winning bet after the hand ended or he changed the bet to a winning hand from a losing hand after the Baccarat game was decided, the Tribune reported based on court documents.

Noosoi changed his bet from banker to player position as the dealer collected losing bets.

The casino lost $160 from the cheating, the report added. Noosoi paid the dealer $25.

Noosoi apparently had difficulty communicating with casino staff. He couldn’t speak fluent English given his native language is Mongolian.

The casino is located in Hammond, Ind. It wasn’t named in a media report.

In January 2022, Noosoi was also charged with cheating at gambling in Lake County, Indiana, the Tribune reported. It’s unclear how that charge was adjudicated in court.

Accused Casino Bandit Faces Up To 20 Years in Prison

Aaron Michael Kelly accepted a plea deal this month for the April 2022 armed robbery in the parking lot of Maryland’s Hollywood Casino.

The 23-year-old Middle River, Md., man now faces up to 20 years in prison, according to Maryland’s Cecil Whig newspaper.

Kelly agreed to plead guilty on March 6 to armed robbery and theft of more than $100 and less than $1,500 at the Cecil County Circuit Court, the newspaper added. He likely will be sentenced on May 16 by Judge Brenda A. Sexton.

The armed robbery took place in a parking lot at Hollywood Casino in Perryville on April 9, 2022.

Kelly allegedly opened the driver’s door of a parked car. He then placed a handgun on the driver’s head, authorities said. He allegedly demanded money from her. She gave him the cash, and he drove away. He was arrested in May.

Originally, he was charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, loaded handgun on person, and numerous other charges.

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Small Texas Slot Casino Pumps $212M a Year Into Local Economy

small_texas_slot_casino_pumps_dlr212m_a_year_into_local_economyNaskila Entertainment is a small, slots-only casino in Polk County, Texas with an outsized impact on the local economy. In fact, it’s really an electronic bingo facility but visitors get the feeling they are playing slots and most people would never know the difference – much like playing at a video lottery terminal (VLT) in a huge New York City casino.

The casino is operated by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas on its Reservation near Livingston, about 75 miles north of Houston, a city of over two million people.

According to a report that was commissioned by the Texas Forest Country Partnership, the facility, directly and indirectly, pumped some $212 million into the county economy in 2022.

Casino Generates 800+ Permanent Jobs

TXP Inc. of Austin, the economic analysis firm that conducted the study reports that the operation is responsible for more than 800 permanent jobs, half of them at the casino, and a total payroll of $22.5 million a year collectively.

“This economic impact and these jobs would simply not exist without Naskila. Because 95 percent of Naskila’s customers come from outside of Polk County, and more than 80 percent come from outside the region, Naskila is an economic engine that benefits every stakeholder in the region,” the study stated.

According to a report in Blue Bonnet News, the Winter 2023 TXP study was the third one the Texas Forest Country Partnership had commissioned on the casino’s economic impact. The venue opened as a 15,000 sq ft slot parlor in 2016 and has had to fight until fairly recently to defend its operation as legal under the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Last summer the United States Supreme Court finally put overzealous Texas prosecutors to rest over the issue when the Court confirmed the gaming center’s standing.

Steady Increase in Economic Value

The first study, done in 2018 showed an economic impact of $140 million increasing to $170m in 2020 and continuing to grow to the current $212m arrived at in the current report found here, courtesy of the Liberty County news outlet. Overall direct and indirect jobs have grown from 550 to 700 and finally to 825 found today with nearly half of them part of the casino operation itself.

Chairman of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Tribal Council, Ricky Sylestine commented on the study and its findings: “We are grateful that our guests, our employees, and our neighbors in Deep East Texas have allowed the impact of Naskila Casino to continue to grow,” he said. “This facility helps sustain our Tribe and our region.”

The average salary and benefits for a Naskila employee are $50,000 according to the report. The impact includes a variety of quality-of-life improvements for those who are employed directly or not in the area with funding for scholarships and additional housing on the Reservation as well as a retail center, health care clinic, and a daycare center.

“The growth of Naskila’s success is very good for Polk County,” said Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy. “Naskila draws visitors into our region and provides stable income and benefits for its employees. We know that Naskila will continue to play an important role in our county’s future.”

Source: Study finds Naskila Casino injects $212 million into local economy, Bluebonnet News, March 13, 2023

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