NEWS & NOTES

Germany’s Gauselmann Group, parent company of Merkur Gaming, held a weekend of festivities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the company’s founding. The weekend of celebrations in Lübbecke, Germany brought several thousand people to a huge tented village behind Gauselmann’s production facility. Guests included representatives from the worlds of politics and business, the gaming industry, clients, family and close friends of company CEO Paul Gauselmann.  •  Slot manufacturer Aristocrat Technologies announced that it has licensed the Madonna brand for a new multi-game machine. Different versions of the Madonna slots, to be launched at October’s Global Gaming Expo, will be based on different eras of the celebrity’s musical career and feature songs from those periods.   •  MGM Resorts International is buying 10 million shares of its stock from Tracinda Corp., the holding company of the casino giant’s late founder, Kirk Kerkorian. The transaction, valued at $327.5 million, or $32.70 a share, will leave Tracinda, which once owned a controlling interest in MGM, with an 8.3 percent stake in the company.  •  The federal government has awarded Southern Nevada more than $2.8 million for anti-terrorism efforts. The grants, part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative, were previously spent in Las Vegas on training and equipment for bomb and hazardous-material squads.   •  Bloomberry Resorts Chairman and controlling shareholder Enrique Razon has sold a portion of his stake in the Philippines-based gaming operator for 3.8 billion pesos (US$74.5 million). Razon’s Prime Metroline Holdings sold 350 million shares at 10.85 pesos per share, representing a 3.18 percent stake in Bloomberry, owner of Manila’s Solaire Resort & Casino.  •  Station Casinos has priced an offering of $550 million of senior notes due 2025 at an interest rate of 5 percent per year and an issue price equal to 100 percent of the principal amount of the Notes. The offering was expected to close on or about September 21. Station plans to apply the proceeds to redeem all of its outstanding 7.50 percent Senior Notes due 2021 and repay all amounts outstanding under its revolving credit facility.  •  The Palms has closed two of its signature attractions, the N9NE Steakhouse and rooftop Ghostbar nightclub. The closings are part of an overhaul under way at the popular locals casino west of the Las Vegas Strip since its purchase by Station Casinos in 2016.  •  The Victoria Commission for Gaming and Liquor Regulation has been expanded. The regulatory body in the Australian state will hire eight inspectors for two new liquor and gaming monitoring hubs at Ararat and Sale. In May, the state government gave the commission $11.3 million over four years to establish a presence outside Melbourne.  ?  Wynn Macau Ltd. has announced a proposed issuance of senior notes with proceeds used to repurchase and redeem in full its 2021 notes. In a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Wynn said the pricing of the senior notes would be determined at a later date.  •  Jack Casino in Cleveland, Ohio has added two restaurants, both fast food and casual: Nonna Pazza and Stack’d. Nonna Pazza offers Italian foods, including eight pasta entrees, while Stack’d is a sandwich restaurant that specializes in prime rib and turkey. They replace B-Spot and Rosie and Rocco’s, whose leases expired.  •  An unusual 245-unit housing development that will include amenities for children with special needs has been approved for property near Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Riverside County. The development, dubbed Cypress Ridge, will be developed on 22 acres.  •  The Oregon Lottery has extended its contract to Scientific Games for instant scratcher lottery tickets, which include such games as Monopoly-themed Scatch-its, Precious Metal and Safecracker Crossword. Oregon Lottery Traditional Products Manager Tina Erickson credited Scientific Games helping to “maximize” the lottery’s contributions to state projects and job creation. Scientific Games is the largest supplier of instant lottery games in the world, serving more than 150 lotteries worldwide.  •  The California Assembly August 31 approved the tribal state gaming compact with the Wilton Rancheria, which proposes a $400 million casino in Elk Grove, near Sacramento. The Senate earlier approved the compact. The casino would be built in the Outlet Collection at Elk Grove, near Highway 99. The tribe predicts a groundbreaking as early as next spring. The urgency bill took effect immediately. This allows the tribe to begin work ASAP on the casino, which would have 2,000 slots, 84 gaming tables, a 12-story hotel, convention center and fine dining. A Lawsuit challenging the casino is pending in federal court.  •  The Ohio Lottery will soon accept payments for tickets at self-serve vending machines. Six thousand will be deployed at retailers across the Buckeye State and go live October 29. This is the first step towards accepting credit card, debit cards and e-wallet payments. They will also accept cash. Individuals will be limited to spending $100 a day. Critics say nothing limits customers from multiple daily visits, especially since they take cash.