
A poker dealer lays out charity fundraiser tournament chips at a Salem, N.H. makeshift casino; the brand New Hampshire legislature now wants to approve one land that is legitimate for the state (Image: VNews.com)
New Hampshire may have reputation as a quiet, relaxed state where sleep and breakfasts and a little skiing are about the most exciting happenings around, but that image may be about to change. With everyone else in the region gathering their gambling industries, this indicates as though the Granite State may be prepared to become listed on in the brick-and-mortar race and welcome a land casino of these own.
Representing the Future
Based on reports, over 100 representatives in the state House of Representatives have signed on up to a bill that will welcome only one casino to hawaii of New Hampshire. That’s more than half the quantity of representatives that would eventually need to vote for such a bill to pass your house.
People declaration had been meant as a sign of early strength for the bill. A total of 108 representatives publicly supported the bill, making up a bipartisan team of 83 Democrats and 25 Republicans. A lot of those representatives also participated in a press conference to strongly show just how they felt about bringing casino gambling to New Hampshire.
‘We have actually momentum because we listened,’ said Representative Katherine Rogers. ‘We heard the issues of House members final spring whom said we did not have the proper regulatory framework.’
All Systems Go
The bill that is new issues, giving hawaii lots of oversight over the casino bidding procedure and supplying financing for issue gambling services. The bill would allow for starters casino, utilizing the permit for that casino going right on through a competitive bidding procedure. It would also create a New Hampshire video gaming commission that could oversee not merely the casino, but also the existing lottery, racing, and charitable gaming operations into the state.
‘There are major improvements that is likely to make sure expanded gambling would have been a deal that is good 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 stated the economic benefits of a casino, saying it could make revenues that are significant requiring a broader income tax increase. It would additionally be a new supply of jobs in a suggest that tends to lose young employees to many other parts of the united states.
‘We are running away from time and energy 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 idea that casino gambling may perhaps not easily fit into using the current ‘brand’ New Hampshire has within the minds of tourists and visitors.
‘We lack such a chronic need for this income that our company is willing to tolerate the burdens as well as the cost and the harm to our brand,’ stated Concord developer Steve Duprey. While some supporters stated that New Hampshire’s motto is ‘Live Free or Die’ which would suggest that residents should be allowed to choose whether they need to relax and play at a casino or maybe not Duprey countered that the state nevertheless had to make decisions by what’s right and acceptable for New Hampshire.
But others disputed the branding claim. Pat Griffin, a brand new Hampshire resident whom had worked in marketing and advertising for hawaii’s tourism industry, revealed that 41 other states involve some kind of casino gambling, and that hasn’t affected the majority of their brands. For instance, Colorado has 41 gambling enterprises, but is nevertheless understood for its mountains and skiing. One casino, he said, won’t be the point that is tipping modifications what brand New Hampshire means to visitors.
Toronto Man Wanted After Failure to pay for $12.9M to Las Vegas Casinos
A nomination that is new ‘World’s Dumbest Criminals’ is actually 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 certainly a things that are few can get you nominated for ‘World’s Dumbest Criminal’: robbing a bank with surveillance cameras every where, attempting to steal a police vehicle, and most truly at 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 to repay some $12.9 million in losses to two Las vegas, nevada casinos, dating all the means back once again to 2008. Authorities are now actually seeking him out to file costs 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 special kind of stupid category, because it’s one of the biggest casino that is unpaid situations ever in Nevada, and if convicted, truly the only place this Canadian will be rolling dice is going to be in the state penitentiary, perhaps for decades.
The Clark County indictment that has been handed straight 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 casino that is venetian the Las Vegas Strip. Then, just two weeks later, Kronenfeld allegedly pulled a number that is similar 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.
According to Nevada law, unrepaid casino IOUs are considered fraudulent checks. With a bounty that is prosecutorial of percent for ‘processing and prosecution’ placed on any pre-trial settlements for these cases, numerous such incidents are placed to bed without any charges being filed; obviously, that has not been the truth right here, however.
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 Las vegas, nevada, Craig Mueller, had been not returned.
Kronenfeld’s case went public back 2009, at which point the Canadian ended up being placed in casino credit reports as having his own estate that is real company, based in Ontario. Apparently he also holds a passport that is israeli has been proven to have numerous spellings of his last name, sometimes spelling it ‘Cronenfeld.’
In Good Business with Other Big Losers
While enormous, Kronenfeld’s case is hardly the only large bad-debt situation to hit Nevada’s gambling enterprises in recent years. One particular high-profile case involved the previous owner of chatchke-manufacturer Oriental Trading Co., Terrance ‘Terry’ Watanabe, who had been 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 funds for an amount that is undisclosed reached in July 2010.
And Watanabe isn’t the 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 a IOU dispute with Wynn Resorts Int’l to the tune of $2.5 million. And NBA that is former All-Star Walker whom pleaded guilty before his case came to trial received a 5 years’ probation sentence and had to fork over $770,000 in restitution.
Florida Faces Battle regarding the wallets that are bulging Warring Casino Factions
It’s really a battle to the finish, with he who spends most having a good shot at winning, as casino and anti-casino factions face off in Florida (Image: istock)
Las vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson sometimes lobbies for gambling enterprises and sometimes lobbies against them (as in their massive anti-online campaign for days gone by year); but whatever he does, he does it with gusto and a whole load 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 form 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
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Obviously, gambling outfits with something to gain are most enthusiastically behind this posse that is legislative funding; which puts Genting during the front side associated with the line; they are trying 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 most standoffs: because very recently, top state lawmakers managed to get clear that the complete dilemma of gambling in Florida is low on the importance totem pole this year.
Nonetheless, money talks and you understand what walks, so last week Florida’s Senate Gaming Committee seat Garrett Richter promised to introduce a brand new bill permitting 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 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 function the Red Sea whenever delivered over meal at A tallahassee that is fancy eatery it would seem.
Richter who just per week before was decrying how impossible it was to coordinate all of Florida’s various and sundry video 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 for him, no matter how many lobbyists give him early Xmas presents. Florida’s compact with the Native American Seminole tribe offers that group rights that are exclusive popular and high-end (i.e., really profitable) table games like baccarat and blackjack. The 2010 compact did 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 began their push two years ago that ‘[it shows] a Seminole lady on here, that is perhaps not somebody from Las Vegas,’ referring to images in the Florida state flag.
And there’s yet more complicated political waltzes happening into the Sunshine State, because former Governor Charlie Crist has decided he wants their old work right back, meaning he’d have to unseat current governor Rick Scott come November. Adelson, needless to say, has been known to throw his weight via his bankroll around within an election or two, and with Scott while the Republican incumbent (Crist 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 end, Scott possessed a conference with Adelson in Las Vegas right after using office in 2011, at which time he stated to take favor of resort casinos in his 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 made for the year. Talk about being pulled in two directions.
Lines in the Sand(s)
As well as the battle lines were drawn elsewhere, too: unsurprisingly, entrenched Florida icon Walt Disney Co. has made their views loud and clear on the opposition to casino expansion in the state, and backed it up with $1.7 million spread among legislators over days gone by couple of years. Specialists predict campaign efforts can get even more excessive, in an effort to match Adelson’s nearly limitless budget that is political bring lawmakers around. In fact, the COO associated with the operating supply behind the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach says he expects all of it 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 recently created a bill to put an end to your lobbying some would say vote-buying madness. She really wants to end the ‘sea of cash [that] was sloshing into the campaign coffers’ and says only law against it’s going to work. Deemed the Public Confidence in Gaming Act, we want her the very best of fortune in getting this through. It probably stands of the same quality a potential for which makes it as definitely absolutely nothing.