NEWS & NOTES

The Westin Las Vegas has closed its casino in a bid to enhance its appeal to the city’s corporate and leisure travel markets. As part of the repositioning the off-Strip property is redesigning its lobby level with a new restaurant and additional meeting rooms and renovating its 826 rooms, its spa and fitness facility and an outdoor pool area. The remodeling is slated to be completed this year.  •  The 15 companies licensed to operate daily fantasy sports games in New York contributed more than $3 million to the state treasury in 2017. The New York legislature permitted the popular online sector in 2016, but the state Gaming Commission has yet to approve a full regulatory framework to govern it, which operators say is hampering their ability to expand.  •  Las Vegas’ South Point Hotel Casino is celebrating the federal tax reform bill by handing out more than $1 million in employee bonuses, about double the amount distributed in 2016. “The new bill will have a monumental effect on our economy and, in turn, our property. We want to be sure that our extended family is taken care of,” owner Michael Gaughan said. South Point also said it would be rescinding a scheduled increase in the share of health insurance costs paid by employees.  •  Resorts World Genting has launched the Genting Green Generation Volunteer Program, also known as G3. The program aims to promote conservation and encourages employees to champion environmental causes within the resort, the company announced. A total of 600 employees are part of the team.  ●  Landing Jeju Development, the company behind Korean theme park and integrated resort Jeju Shinhwa World, has applied to protect its D’Solitaire Club brand in Macau. The brand offers tourist services and loyalty programs for the subsidiary of Landing International Development.  ●  Work on the main section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai- Macau bridge is due to be complete in early February. The HKZMB Authority will announce the official date before the February 16 Lunar New Year.  ●  Wynn China in Macau has signed the city’s Occupational Health and Safety Charter, affirming its commitment to promoting occupational safety. The OSH team and Employee Services department of Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace organized a roadshow to promote OHS culture for back-of-house employees, and will organize four other roadshows this month for more than 4,000 team members.  ●  A group of 28 University of Macau students recently toured MGM properties in Las Vegas as part of the university’s Gaming Management Program and Convention and Hospitality Management Program. The students were treated to a performance of “O” at Bellagio.  ●  The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas will unveil a new nightclub and cocktail lounge in May. The Apex Social Club will occupy the rooftop space in the off-Strip resort’s original tower that housed the Ghostbar. The Camden Cocktail Lounge will be located on the ground floor next to the resort’s main entrance. Both venues will be operated by Clique Hospitality Group.  •  Reno, Nevada-based Truckee Gaming has acquired three Nevada casinos from Pioneer Crossing: Pioneer Crossing Casino in Dayton, Pioneer Crossing Casino in Fernley and Pioneer Crossing Yerington in Yerington. Truckee owns and operates two other casinos in Northern Nevada: the Gold Ranch Casino & RV Resort in Verdi and the Gold Ranch Casino in Dayton.  •  The Israeli government has agreed to pay UK-based GBI Racing 23 million shekels (US$6.7 million) as compensation after the country’s parliament approved legislation prohibiting race betting. The settlement was reported to cover the remainder of GBI’s contract, which was set to expire in August. The ban was enacted last July. GBI was generating around £4 million ($5.4 million) in annual revenues in Israel, according to news reports.  • Washington’s ilani Casino Resort will open an event center in April, according to President and General Manager Kara Fox LaRose. The ribbon-cutting will follow a year after the $510 million casino resort opened near La Center. It will seat 2,500 and be able to host an eclectic blend of events as well as conventions and conferences. The Cowlitz Tribe is also contemplating adding a hotel.  •  Authentic Gaming and Foxwoods Resorts Casino, which announced a partnership two weeks ago, went live with a single zero European style roulette game streamed live to Europe from Foxwood’s Grand Pequot Casino’s Club Newport VIP room. Foxwoods becomes the first U.S. to live stream to European players. Soon it will offer multiple live dealer games from Foxwoods, which is the fifth largest casino in the world.  •  The Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians of Oregon, who own Seven Feathers Resort and Casino in Canyonville, last week gave away $474,300 to 68 organizations at its annual banquet. Lane County was the biggest beneficiary, with 21 organizations collecting a total of $137,000.  •  New Mexico’s Tesuque Pueblo has released a conceptual plan for its proposed casino to be built along U.S. 84/285 adjacent to the Santa Fe Opera on 44 acres. It will have 950 parking spaces.  A hotel may be added later. Last month the tribe released a rendering of the casino alone, which will replace the existing Camel Rock Casino. It will have 750 slots, and gaming tables.  The design for the casino and its signage has been described as “small,” “subdued” and “tasteful.”