An expected 130,000 attendees at the March 2017 ConExpo-Con/Agg trade show for construction equipment at the Las Vegas Convention Center will receive complimentary rides on the Las Vegas Monorail during the event’s duration. • Cape Girardeau, Missouri, officials say Isle Casino Cape Girardeau generated about $11.5 million in local revenues since opening in October 2012, added up to 500 jobs, lowered crime, and eliminated blight. • The U.S. Supreme Court refused to take up a challenge to a lower court’s ruling in favor of the Seneca Nation of New York’s Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo, which Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County claimed illegally was built on land not supported by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. • Research organization Newzoo reports the global eSports industry has grown by double digits the past several years, has a global community of 148 million expected to grow to 215 million by 2019, and should top $1 billion in revenues that year. • The Monaco Tower of the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas is slated for implosion at 2 a.m. on June 14, while the former casino’s Monte Carlo Tower is scheduled for demolition in August. Workers must remove asbestos before each tower can be razed to make way for an expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center. • The Macau government is tightening the renewal process on working visas for non-resident casino executives, reportedly to compel casinos to promote more local workers to managerial roles. ? Macau casino operator Sands China Ltd. has approved a final dividend of HKD1.00 (US$0.129) per share for the year ended December 31. The company had stated in a March 11 filing that the dividend is likely to be paid on June 24. • TripAdvisor has awarded We-Ko-Pa Resort & Conference Center, owned by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Reservation, its Certificate of Excellence. This casino and conference center near Scottsdale, Arizona has 246 guestrooms and suites. TripAdvisor tallies reviews submitted by travelers over a 12-month period. “This recognition helps travelers identify and book properties that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travelers feel more confident in their booking decisions,” said TripAdvisor’s Vice President of Industry Marketing Heather Leisman. • Last week the “Horseshoe Casino” marquee sign over the interstate leading to the Cincinnati casino was changed to “Jack.” This signaled the new ownership by Rock Gaming LLC of Detroit, transitioning from Caesars Entertainment. A similar transition already occurred at the new “Jack casino” in Cleveland. • UK-based Betfair Group, the world’s largest Internet betting exchange, announced last week that it is extending its existing partnership with English Premier League football club Arsenal FC to 2019. Betfair will become the Official Betting Partner of the club in the UK, Europe and the Americas. Betfair will also be able to use players for promotions and marketing. • The Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) organization of the Federation Of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) has filed a planning application to operate a $20 million casino in Lloydminster, Canada. It previously obtained approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor And Gaming Authority conditional upon getting a land permit from the city of Lloydminster. The Authority currently operates six casinos in Saskatchewan and several in other provinces. The casino would have about 250 slots and would be the ninth in the province. It might have a 250-room hotel and a convention center according to tribal officials. The city will now do a public review process before the council considers it. • The provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada, working with Nova Scotia Provincial Lotteries And Casino Corporation and the Metropolitan Entertainment Group has updated regulations for the province’s six casinos. The new rules allow casinos to train their employees rather than send them to community colleges. Casinos will now be able to deploy cameras on gaming floors. The new rules also allow supervisors and pit bosses to supervise a larger maximum number of tables. Minister Of Service Nova Scotia Mark Furey said, “The casino regulations are out of date and need to be updated to keep pace with technological changes and inherently cut red tape.” • The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted unanimously to renew SugarHouse HSP Gaming, LP’s, Category 2 Casino Operator’s License for the SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. It was determined by the seven-member board that the obligations under its previous casino operator’s license had been met by SugarHouse HSP Gaming, LP and had therefore qualified for license renewal for an additional three years, according to PR Newswire. • Austrian gaming equipment maker Novomatic AG said in a regulatory filing that it will appoint an independent director to the board of Ainsworth Game Technology after finalization of its proposed takeover of a majority stake in the Australian slot manufacturer. Ainsworth shareholders had been slated to vote Friday on the acquisition, but the vote has been postponed as the Australian Takeover Panel determines whether or not to allow Gretel Ainsworth, the wife of founder and largest shareholder Len Ainsworth, to vote on the transaction. • Scientific Games announced a contract to bring its instant games to consumers in Belgium. Following a competitive procurement process, in which the company replaced an industry competitor, Loterie Nationale awarded Scientific Games a new one-year contract for the design and manufacturing of instant games, with options to extend the agreement for up to three additional years. The company will also provide the lottery with consumer marketing support guided by its global best practices resulting from more than 40 years serving lotteries in 50 countries.
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