NEWS & NOTES

Los Angeles-based nightclub developer Houston Hospitality has set New Year’s Eve 2018 for the debut of its first Las Vegas venue, On The Record, at Park MGM on the Strip. Houston is known for a number of successful LA hotspots, including Break Room 86, Black Rabbit Rose, No Vacancy, Good Times at Davey Wayne’s and La Descarga. • Caesars Entertainment has been recognized for the fourth year as one of the most community-minded companies by Civic 50, a Points of Light initiative that promotes national standards for superior corporate citizenship in areas including environmental awareness, diversity and gender equity, community service and volunteerism. The recognition was third in which Caesars led all companies in the Civic 50’s consumer discretionary category. • Wolfgang Puck’s Spago has returned to Las Vegas, taking up residence at Bellagio Resort & Casino. The famed restaurant made the move after a 25-year run at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. The Caesars location closed in January. • A substantial majority of shareholders of Genting Hong Kong Ltd. a subsidiary of Genting Bhd. have authorized the firm to dispose of remaining shares in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a NASDAQ listed U.S. firm. Genting owns 3.15 million shares, about 1.4 percent. They set the minimum sell price at US$43.86. Genting said there is no timetable for selling the shares. It has been selling off shares of the cruise line since last year. • The Mohegan Sun will premier Game On! An interactive arcade, bar and restaurant this winter at Earth Expo & Convention Center. Featuring multiple high definition digital displays, a bowling hour, karaoke, pool, darts, shuffleboard, live entertainment, Ray Pineault, president and general manager of Mohegan Sun, declared that the venue would offer “top-notch service, great dining, fantastic drinks and a great deal of fun.” • The Montana Tavern Association is spearheading an effort to lobby the Montana legislature to legalize sports betting at licensed gaming establishments. Montana was already exempted from the 1992 federal ban on sports betting that the Supreme Court recently lifted, but lacked the technology to take advantage of that. The association is supporting legislation that would allow sports betting at kiosks similar to what is currently offered in Nevada. • The 300-member Sauk Suiattle Indian Tribe is building the Last Chance Casino and Bingo near Darrington, Washington with a planned grand opening of September 1. The project has been financed through the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, which operates the Shoalwater Bay Casino. Both tribes call this partnership “a landmark display of tribe-to-tribe assistance.” The bingo hall will accommodate up to 70 and will also offer live shows. The casino will have about 200 slots and a small bar. • Jack Cleveland Casino and Jack Thistledown Racino have been recognized by the Plain Dealer’s 2018 Top Workplace award for Northeast Ohio. “Becoming a Top Workplace isn’t something organizations can buy,” said Doug Claffey, chief executive officer of Energage, which conducted the survey. “It’s an achievement organizations have worked for and a distinction that gives them a competitive advantage. It’s a big deal.” The two properties have nearly 1,900 employees, at nine restaurants, seven bars, and more than 150,000 square feet of gaming. • Sands China Ltd. has inducted 26 new managers into its International Strategic Leadership Program for Integrated Resorts. The future leaders will continue their studies at the Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics in Lisbon, Portugal; the Cornell School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York, United States; and the University of St. Joseph in Macau. ● The Macau government has submitted a bill that would restrict casino workers from entering gaming halls when off-duty. Banned employees include gaming table and machine operators, promoters, workers in cashier cages, security and cleaning staff, restaurant staff and surveillance teams. ● Hard Rock Japan has announced it will open an office in Tomakomai, Hokkaido in August or September as it gears up to bid on a Japan integrated resort license. One other operator, the Clairvest Group of Canada, established a branch office in Tomakomai in February, and at least seven other international operators are interested in the Tomakomai location. ● Macau-based casino operator and electronic gaming machine manufacturer Paradise Entertainment Ltd. has entered into an agreement to purchase six units of warehouse space on the Macau Peninsula for a total consideration of HK$128.5 million (US$16.38 million). The company currently leases warehouse space for the storage of its EGMs, equipment and spare parts; the acquisition would reduce ongoing rental payments for inventory storage. ● Imperial Pacific International, operator of the sole casino resort on the island of Saipan, has filed lawsuits against three VIPs who refuse to honor their casino markers. The Chinese nationals’ outstanding debts range from US$500,000 to US$1.5million. The company wrote off more than US $500 million in uncollectable debts last year, nine times more than in 2016.