“In Las Vegas, we have not been building hotel/casinos but rather entertainment venues. Those are the things that we are looking at. I don’t want to lead anyone on that we are going to build another casino.”
—John McManus, executive vice president and general counsel for MGM Resorts International to the Press of Atlantic City on the company’s plans after buying full ownership of Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino
“Since we have booked revenue from gaming I’m anticipating a final decision in September or October as to the particulars I am not certain. My guess is that online gaming and poker will get done and the other items in the bill will be passed over.”
—George Dunbar, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to Yogonet on the status of his online gaming bill in Pennsylvania
“The worst thing we can do is fumble this deal with the Hustler Casino, Larry Flynt and the Lucky Lady Casino.”
—Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce President Wanda Love, urging the Gardena, California city council to accept a deal with Larry Flynt to keep both of his casinos open
“This is our community, as well. We are concerned what people think, and we want to make this the best community project we can, because it’s going to benefit everybody.”
—Raymond “Chuckie” Hitchcock, chairman of the Wilton Rancheria in Northern California, reacting to critics of his tribe’s proposed casino in Elk Grove
“I believe in our history, our values, our culture, language and traditions. It goes back to our ancestors’ time. I look at this opportunity with gaming as no different than the opportunity presented in the past.”
—Tribal Vice Chairman David Browneagle of the Spokane Tribe, speaking of economic opportunities a tribal casino will give his people.
“The truth is when you’ve got the big boys, really big boys coming in, it’s a real problem. I can tell you, it’s kinda like a vacuum cleaner sucking the money out of the state. It won’t be around. So we’ve got to fight, as we have in the past.”
—U.S. Senator John Tester of Montana, supporting efforts by Connecticut’s gaming tribes to build a casino to prevent the MGM Springfield in Massachusetts from draining money from the state’s two Indian casinos
“The government’s decision, taken hastily and in the dark of night, to make a wholly non-transparent agreement with Macau Legend, nominally for $42 million, is suspicious. Specifically, Macau Legend reports that it is making an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars to develop of an adjoining property in a murky side deal. This raises serious question about the integrity and transparency of both the government of Laos and the leadership of Macau Legend. In a transaction so fraught with irregularities and secrecy, we cannot help but wonder what the ‘real sales price’ is, and who is receiving those funds.”
—Sanum Investments, former stakeholder in the Savan Vegas in Laos, on the sale of a reported $200 million property for $42
“The mass market was seen as Cotai’s salvation as the VIP market took a downturn. The junket system itself was seen as unsustainable, especially in light of the anti-graft campaign Beijing was running, but Melco’s disappointing results indicate that Cotai isn’t about to be Las Vegas West.”
—The Motley Fool, in a feature about the decisions by Sands China and Melco Crown to open VIP rooms at their new properties on the Cotai Strip
