“It’s property that we’re buying so that we can turn Everett into a great example of America, of how a business can change a neighborhood.”
—Steve Wynn, commenting on more than $74 million worth of non-casino property Wynn Resorts has purchased for redevelopment near the site of its under-construction Massachusetts casino
“We opened the major because there is a demand. Many people think eSports is simply playing games. But it’s not, it’s a sport, and a new profession as well.”
—Rong Lanxiang, principal of Chinese vocational school Lanxiang to chinadaily.com on the school’s introduction of a three-year eSports degree program
“The fines you are talking about are 10 times more than the maximum penalty for murder.”
—Thimi Mina, attorney for casino entrepreneur Shawn Scott, commenting on the $500,000 fine the Maine ethics commission imposed on the Question 1 campaign in Maine
“By law and logic, a casino is not a place for children. It’s for adults. And we want the hotel to be enjoyed by everybody even if they have the kids with them.”
—Steve Wynn, explaining that his Wynn Boston Harbor’s gaming room will be kept separate from the hotel and restaurants.
“The whole gaming industry … has been quite a boom in terms of creating jobs that allow people to get into the hotel, entertainment and gaming industries, therefore creating an income that wouldn’t otherwise be there.”
—John Husing, a Southern California economist remarking on the economic benefits of the proposed San Manuel Casino expansion
“The growth and proliferation of bookies on Tottenham High Road has been funded by the vast profits pulled in from FOBTs, with no regard shown for the misery and broken lives that they have left behind in my community. It is deeply disappointing that gambling companies and their supporters are still organizing in this cynical manner. The government needs to be clear that they care more about the huge harm caused by FOBTs than the profits of big business.”
—David Lammy, British Labour MP, on the ongoing debate about high-stakes fixed-odds betting terminals in the UK
“The whole streets in Las Vegas are filled with people, and they are very happy. The whole city seems like a party is ongoing. However, although Macau’s revenue exceeds Las Vegas’s, I cannot feel a happy atmosphere. It seems that there are not too many people on the streets because they are inside the casinos.”
—Hu Gaohong, president, Macau Civil Aviation Employees Association, taking a hit at Macau’s 15-year plan to become “a world center of tourism and leisure”
“$10 billion for a casino construction is a lot of money. One has to balance how much GGR can be captured and how much is the investment cost. I think you would agree with me that even a casino can become bankrupt.”
— Chen Lip Keong, founder and CEO, NagaCorp, on the Cambodian company’s interest in winning a Japan casino license. Chen feels an investment of $369 million would be more than adequate
“Frankly, there are not many affordable places where a group of foreign workers can go to with their heads held high. If a group of them go to a public swimming pool or a library, people may question their presence. But not at the casinos.”
—Tan Lai Yong, National University of Singapore, on migrant workers who reportedly are spending and losing too much money at the city-state’s two casinos
“The long-term strategy is sound, but Sands Cotai Central already has limited space and limited access so adding cranes, jackhammers and scaffolding would not be great for the guest experience.”
—Nomura analysts, warning that the planned renovation and rebranding of the Las Vegas Sands Corp.’s Sands Cotai Central could have a marked impact on EBITDA in 2018 and 2019
