NEWS & NOTES

The Las Vegas Sands Corp. has delayed the $3.3 billion expansion of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore by a year to April 2023 following an agreement with the Singapore Tourism Board. The expansion will add 23,000 square feet to the gaming floor, 1,000 rooms to the hotel inventory and also add a 15,000-seat arena. ● The owner of the Lasseters Hotel Casino in Alice Springs has announced a $70 million expansion, adding additional accommodation, a rooftop bar and large swimming pool to the resort in Australia’s Northern Territory. Construction is expected to begin later this year and be completed in stages over a period of at least three years. ● The American Gaming Association has announced the addition of two new partners for its Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly campaign. Bally’s Corp. and Greenwood Racing, the parent company of Parx Casino and betPARX, are the newest members of the responsible gaming initiative. Both companies will promote responsible gaming education at their sites and through social media channels. ● Kangwon Land, the only South Korean casino open to locals, now has added an extra hour of operations each day, as a slight easing of its Covid-19 countermeasures. Starting April 4, the casino is open until midnight, instead of 11 p.m. A maximum of 3,000 customers are allowed on the premises at any time, or 50 percent of pre-pandemic capacity. ● Both Wynn Macau and Melco Resorts & Entertainment have confirmed they have submitted their request for an extension of their gaming concession contracts in Macau at a cost of MOP 47 million (US$5.8 million). They join the remaining casino concessionaires in requesting an extension of their concessions until the end of December. The concessions were originally due to expire in July. ● The Navajo Nation has loosened Covid-19 restrictions at tribal casinos, restaurants, movie theaters, campgrounds, museums, movie theaters and other businesses. They may now operate at 75 percent capacity, up from the 50 percent capacity that had been in place since last summer. A mask mandate in public places on the reservation remains, and tribal officials reemphasized a safer-at-home order. ● Sands China Ltd. says it has the financial capacity to support Macau operations until “at least” the end of 2022 should Covid-19 restrictions continue. On March 15, Sands drew down $201 million in credit to be used for “general corporate purposes,” and has another US$1.54 billion available under the facility. “We have taken various mitigating measures to manage through the current environment, including a cost and capital expenditure reduction program to minimize cash outflow for non-essential items,” the company said. ● Rush Street Interactive has signed Canadian sportscaster Dan O’Toole to an exclusive brand and content deal with BetRivers, which launched in Ontario on April 4. O’Toole’s career spans two decades and includes anchor positions on Canada’s TSN’s SportsCentre. He also spent several years at Fox Sports 1 in Los Angeles and hosts the podcast “Boomsies!” ● Australian wagering giant Tabcorp will hold a special meeting to allow its shareholders to vote on a scheme of arrangement on the proposed demerger of its lottery business. Tabcorp told the Australian stock exchange that the scheme meeting was ordered by the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Tabcorp said the demerged lottery business will be well-positioned to continue to generate attractive returns for shareholders, driven by its strong cash flow generation, demonstrated ability to drive growth through product innovation. • Caesars Entertainment is increasing hotel staffing and lifting an occupancy cap at its Las Vegas Strip hotels. Investment bank B. Riley predicted in a note that the moves will bring occupancy back to pre-pandemic levels and add $150 million in annual cash flow. B. Riley analyst David Bane said the moves are “indicative of market health and forward visibility.” • Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium will not host the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship game in 2025 as previously reported by stadium officials. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock said the current schedule around the same time as the Consumer Electronics Show, the city’s largest convention, which proved too great an obstacle. There’s a chance the game will be moved to later in January under a new contract in 2027, which would put Allegiant back in the running. • Summerlin developer Howard Hughes Corp. has invested $55 million for a minority stake in celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s global restaurant business, which includes Prime Steakhouse at Bellagio and Jean Georges Steakhouse at the Aria. Texas-based Hughes Corp., which did not announce what share of the business it owns, said it will have the right to acquire an additional ownership stake in the company. • Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks, California has announced a partnership with the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Casino employees and Cash Club members can get specially priced tickets to this year’s regular season. Also a limited edition Giants table game chips will be minted for use at the casino. Cache Creek Casino Resort COO/GM Kari Stout-Smith said in a statement: “Both organizations have a long history of community engagement and strive to give guests winning moments. This partnership is a home run for both the Giants and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.” Other promotions will be announced. • Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians and the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe have signed tribal state gaming compacts with California Governor Gavin Newsom. The compacts commit the tribes to support the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and the Tribal Nation Grant Fund, extending gaming benefits to all tribes, whether they have casinos or not. • Mohegan Sun Pocono in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania will soon open its outdoor terrace bar, Embers Terrace. This is part of collective enhancements known as Project Starlight. It will offer Adirondack style seating, fire pits and dining. The casino will also launch the Hive Taphouse, featuring 20 beers on tap and Topgolf Swing Suites. Anthony Carlucci, president and general manager stated, “These offerings will not only bolster our live entertainment, but they also bring a relaxing and fun-filled outdoor experience as well as an amazing Topgolf Swing Suite venue.” • The Nepal Casino Association has confirmed that the government has revoked the licenses of Rock International, Happy Hour, and Oriental Hotels’ Radisson Hotel for not paying outstanding fees of $7.4 million. The three casinos’ licenses were issued before new regulations went in force in 2013. They had been operating under a court stay until recently. A few months ago the government cancelled two hotels’ licenses—also for outstanding fees. The Himalayan country has 11 casinos spread among five-star hotels. ● The International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) has received a $250,000 grant from MGM Resorts International in support of its research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling. “As one of our original donors, MGM Resorts International has literally helped create the field of study on gambling addiction and responsible gambling,” said ICRG President Arthur Paikowsky. “We are deeply grateful for their continuing support of efforts to effectively prevent and treat gambling disorder.” ● Bally’s Corp. has completed a previously announced real estate transaction with Gaming & Leisure Properties that gives GLPI the real estate for Bally’s Quad Cities in Rock Island, Illinois and Bally’s Black Hawk in Black Hawk, Colorado. Bally’s will continue to operate both properties under a leaseback agreement. GLPI bought the real estate for a cash purchase price of $150 million.