“It’s a beautiful transition. I could see a lot of prosperity from the change, bro.”
—Tom Wilkinson, owner of A Cut Above, on the growth of hip restaurants in Downtown Las Vegas
“We’re not rushing to do this tomorrow, but we are rushing to do this right,”
—Charles Bowling, head of a six-member committee overseeing the $2.3 billion Las Vegas Convention Center expansion, speaking on a recent delay in plans where the board has voted to hire an outside party to oversee the project
“I do not simply toe the party line and instead hold our management team, including our chairman and CEO, accountable to our stockholders.”
—Elaine Wynn, explaining her business philosophy in a proxy fight after her removal from the Wynn Resorts Ltd. board
“We are big believers in the regulatory process. We embrace it. We believe that is the path of the future. So we want to be the industry leaders in regulatory compliance.”
?Rob Goldstein, president and COO, Las Vegas Sands Corp., warning Macau junket operators to comply with Chinese law or forget about doing business in the gaming mecca
“The problem for many junkets has become, ‘Issue credit, have trouble collecting the receivable.’ The upshot is that potential investors in junkets in need of new capital are questioning the viability of a business model where the borrowers have no legal obligation to repay, and when times are stressed, they tend not to.”
?Nomura Securities, in a report by analysts who say they expect more junket groups to reduce their presence in Macau
“Don’t offer unpaid leave, thank you. Offer paid training and training at work.”
?Lionel Leong Vai Tac, Macau secretary of Economy and Finance, warning casino operators that their respective leave policies will factor into their licensing reviews
“Basically casinos have taken more from the local people than they have given. People have sold properties, they are in debt, taken loans, sold gold. All this has gone into the casinos. And what the casinos give?a few rupees. The harm that they have done is enormous.”
?Sabina Martins, anti-gaming activist fighting the development of new casinos in India
“It’s clear that often customers will take the best deal when they’re considering gambling, this causes quite a headache for us, and the authorities should look at the issue more closely.”
—Timo Kiiskinen, senior vice president of business operations at Finland’s state-owned gambling company RAY to SBC News as calls in the country for regulating offshore online gambling companies are gaining ground
“We won’t let Massachusetts bus out our jobs, and we’re going to fight very hard to make sure that we keep jobs in our state.”
—Connecticut Senate Majority Leader Robert Duff, advocating a bill that would allow up to three more Indian casinos in the state
“My job is to make sure that the public is protected, and they’ve represented to me their commitment to that as well, but I will be vigilant and a watchdog.”
—Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, promising to closely watch the gaming industry as the first casino resort, in Springfield, prepares to break ground
“Does the proposal sell out principles that to tribes are important? There are certain things we should look out for. It can’t just be about the deal. Certain things shouldn’t be negotiated.”
—Mark Macarro, chairman of the Pechanga tribe, explaining why his tribe opposes the participation of racetracks if online poker is approved in California
“He does not believe casino gambling is a long-term solution for any of Kentucky’s financial problems, so that will not be a priority for his administration.”
—Sarah Durand, spokeswoman for Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin, on Bevin’s position concerning gaming expansion
“If you walk in and say, ‘Do you want to protect children and stop terrorism and money laundering?,’ you’re going to hear a resounding, ‘Yes.’”
—Caesars Entertainment Vice President Jan Jones Blackhurst, complaining about simplistic sloganeering and scare tactics being employed by the Sheldon Adelson-backed Coalition to Stop Internet Gaming
