“I should have been better than the mistakes we made in the U.S.”
?James Packer, chairman, Crown Resorts, on two failed attempts to enter the Las Vegas casino market. Those efforts were costly; Packer reportedly lost more than $2 billion
“Take a look behind me, the view there is gorgeous. We’re on the Hudson River and when people come they’re going to say, ‘Wow there’s the city of Albany. What a beautiful spot.’”
?Daniel Dwyer, mayor, Rensselaer, NY, visiting the site of a proposed Hard Rock waterfront casino
“It’s a brand that truly is of entertainment, it’s not just a casino brand. We think in order to be successful in these types of markets, you need to be more than just slots in a box.”
?Jim Allen, chairman, Hard Rock International, on a tour of Rensselaer, New York, where the company hopes to build a casino
“Mentors have eyes in the back of their heads. We tend to be very aware of what goes on in organizations, and if you sit there with someone and you give them advice and guidance and then you hear them two hours later at the water cooler complaining about something, that’s not good. The highest compliment you can pay a mentor is putting into practice what you discuss with them,”
—Virginia McDowell, CEO for Isle of Capri Casinos, on her experience with Global Gaming Women organization, which advocates for the advancement of women in gaming
“I am proud to be taking over from Ralph Topping as CEO. I see William Hill as an innovative company with an excellent brand, a strong and diverse spread of businesses, a high level of customer understanding that allows us to bring customers an engaging and differentiated offer, good technological know-how and excellent cash generation. What excites me most is the potential for the business both in the UK and internationally as well as potential in both the digital world and on a multi-channel basis,”
—James Henderson, on his appointment as CEO of UK bookmaker William Hill
“I’ve always been inspired by this city’s capacity for reinvention. I’m excited to have my hand in crafting something new and fresh for the resurgent Las Vegas market.”
—Former Wynn Casino President Andrew Pascal, on his partnership with Australian casino mogul James Packer to acquire the 35-acre parcel on the Las Vegas Strip that once was the site of the New Frontier casino, where a new resort will be planned
“Recognized Indians tribes contribute to the fabric of communities in many beneficial ways. But the Interior Department has failed to explain or justify the need for changing a process that has been in effect for 36 years, and doing so in such a dramatic way.”
—Editorial, the Santa Rosa, California, Press Democrat, commenting on proposed rules by the Department of the Interior to make it easier to give Indian tribes federal recognition
“It would be next to impossible for us to re-apply if this proposal goes through.”
—Dennis Jenkins, chairman of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut, commenting on new rules for recognition of tribes proposed by the U.S. Department of the Interior
“We’re not going to see Massachusetts become a Mecca for casino gambling. This is not going to be Las Vegas.”
—Casino analyst Richard McGowan of Boston College commenting on the difference between Atlantic City and Massachusetts
