Inside Gaming Column: Gaming Opponents Mounting Campaign

6 Dec 2004

Anti-gamers plan to escalate the battle against the spread of gaming next year with major financial backing, famous spokesmen and spokeswomen and electronic ad campaigns. Billionaire Warren Buffet, founder of Berkshire Hathaway, is the biggest whale so far among the new vocal opponents. Folks at the National Coalition against Legalized Gambling say the entertainment industry is also stepping up to the plate. And the group has cut a compact disc to play at coffees just like a political campaign. Look for TV and radio spots sometime next year.

Still, don't look for Harrah's Entertainment to back down on plans for a casino in Rhode Island. Harrah's President Gary Loveman and Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas reportedly are telling legislators they plan to push for a casino referendum question after the General Assembly reconvenes in January. Harrah's, the Narragansetts' Las Vegas-based casino partner, and the tribe last summer nearly got a casino question on the Nov. 2 ballot, but the state Supreme Court ruled in August that the bill authorizing the vote violated Rhode Island's constitution.

***

Wall Street is turning very bullish on Aztar Corp. Analysts say The Quarter, an expansion of Aztar's flagship Tropicana in Atlantic City, is a solid move for the company. They say the 40 added shops and restaurants will lure more visitors and increase casino play. No one else is opening in Atlantic City until the summer of 2005, when Caesars will add high-end retail akin to the Forum Shops at Caesars. Wall Streeters say The Quarter may be just novel enough to become the next must-see attraction in Atlantic City.

*** The Wynn collection of 14 paintings, featuring works from Van Gogh to Picasso, is headed back to Las Vegas on March 20, just in time for the Wynn Las Vegas grand opening. Developer Steve Wynn has his fine art on loan to the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, where it's making a big splash in the art world. Industry insiders are taking the hint that if a collection with its prestige can draw the interest it's attracting in Reno, fine art can redefine resorts here and attract the creme de la creme in visitor demographics.

***

Sources say Golden Nugget owners Tim Poster and Tom Breitling recently approached uberproducer Mark Burnett, asking him to do another reality show based on their downtown hotel. Word out of Hollywood is they got a resounding "no," following the flop of "The Casino," the first show based on the casino duo. However, Golden Nugget spokeswoman Sylke Finnegan confirmed the interest and said Poster and Breitling are in continuing conversations.

The Inside Gaming column is compiled by Gaming Wire Editor Rod Smith. You can contact him by phone at (702) 477-3893, fax (702) 387-5243 or e-mail at rsmith@reviewjournal.com.

Language: Any Language Location: Currency: > edit my preferences Home Online Slots Live Dealer Games Online Casinos Online Poker Online Bingo Games Lotteries Sports & Racebooks Fantasy Sports Forex Betting Exchanges Spread Betting Binary Options Exclusive Bonuses Weekly Newsletter Online Gaming News Payment Methods Gaming Software Gaming Site Owners Gaming Jurisdictions		Bonuses! New games! Gossip! And all the player news you can handle. Sign up NOW! View the current issue Related Links Caesars Atlantic City Details Golden Nugget - Las Vegas Details Tropicana Atlantic City Details Wynn Las Vegas Details
	Inside Gaming Column: Gaming Opponents Mounting Campaign 6 Dec 2004 <a href='https://ad.casinocity.com/adclick.php?n=a21efcd1'><img src='https://ad.casinocity.com/adview.php?what=-site:vendors/width:250/RON&n=a21efcd1' border='0' alt='' /></a> Anti-gamers plan to escalate the battle against the spread of gaming next year with major financial backing, famous spokesmen and spokeswomen and electronic ad campaigns. Billionaire Warren Buffet, founder of Berkshire Hathaway, is the biggest whale so far among the new vocal opponents. Folks at the National Coalition against Legalized Gambling say the entertainment industry is also stepping up to the plate. And the group has cut a compact disc to play at coffees just like a political campaign. Look for TV and radio spots sometime next year. Still, don't look for Harrah's Entertainment to back down on plans for a casino in Rhode Island. Harrah's President Gary Loveman and Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas reportedly are telling legislators they plan to push for a casino referendum question after the General Assembly reconvenes in January. Harrah's, the Narragansetts' Las Vegas-based casino partner, and the tribe last summer nearly got a casino question on the Nov. 2 ballot, but the state Supreme Court ruled in August that the bill authorizing the vote violated Rhode Island's constitution. * Wall Street is turning very bullish on Aztar Corp. Analysts say The Quarter, an expansion of Aztar's flagship Tropicana in Atlantic City, is a solid move for the company. They say the 40 added shops and restaurants will lure more visitors and increase casino play. No one else is opening in Atlantic City until the summer of 2005, when Caesars will add high-end retail akin to the Forum Shops at Caesars. Wall Streeters say The Quarter may be just novel enough to become the next must-see attraction in Atlantic City. * The Wynn collection of 14 paintings, featuring works from Van Gogh to Picasso, is headed back to Las Vegas on March 20, just in time for the Wynn Las Vegas grand opening. Developer Steve Wynn has his fine art on loan to the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno, where it's making a big splash in the art world. Industry insiders are taking the hint that if a collection with its prestige can draw the interest it's attracting in Reno, fine art can redefine resorts here and attract the creme de la creme in visitor demographics. *** Sources say Golden Nugget owners Tim Poster and Tom Breitling recently approached uberproducer Mark Burnett, asking him to do another reality show based on their downtown hotel. Word out of Hollywood is they got a resounding "no," following the flop of "The Casino," the first show based on the casino duo. However, Golden Nugget spokeswoman Sylke Finnegan confirmed the interest and said Poster and Breitling are in continuing conversations. The Inside Gaming column is compiled by Gaming Wire Editor Rod Smith. You can contact him by phone at (702) 477-3893, fax (702) 387-5243 or e-mail at rsmith@reviewjournal.com. Copyright GamingWire. All rights reserved.

Related Links

Inside Gaming Column: Gaming Opponents Mounting Campaign