AGA SmartBrief

The Rocky Gap Casino Resort opened in Western Maryland on Wednesday as the state's fourth casino. The $35 million casino features 558 slot machines and 10 table games. "It's open and jamming. There's a couple hundred people in there. They were pressing up against the ropes," general manager Scott Just said. The Baltimore Sun (5/22)

MGM Resorts International and supporters of its planned casino in Springfield, Mass., are preparing for a campaign ahead of a July 16 vote on the issue. About 300 people gathered for a rally on Wednesday in support of the $800 million casino. Mayor Domenic Sarno said a "yes" vote would lead to "good jobs, a revitalized downtown and a better tomorrow for Springfield." The Republican (Springfield, Mass.) (5/23)

Dan Gilbert, the chairman of Rock Gaming, has signed agreements to purchase 97.2% of shares in the Greektown Casino-Hotel in Detroit. The Michigan Gaming Control Board still needs to approve the deal. Meanwhile, Rock Gaming's communications director, Jennifer Kulczycki, said the company is reviewing Greektown's operations. Crain's Detroit Business (free registration) (5/22)

Las Vegas-based Global Gaming Asset Management will manage the $3.5 billion Baha Mar hotel-casino in the Bahamas. The resort, slated to open at the end of 2014, will have 1,500 slots, 150 table games and 1,000 hotel rooms. "We see a tremendous opportunity to build the Baha Mar brand into a premier name in gaming resorts," said Bill Weidner, Global Gaming CEO. Las Vegas Review-Journal (5/22)

The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (5/23)

Bally Technology plans to debut its new NASCAR slot machine Friday at Boyd Gaming properties in Las Vegas. "Our customers love NASCAR, so it makes perfect sense for Boyd Gaming to be one of the first casino companies in the country to offer this game," said Chris Gibase, a senior vice president for Boyd. VegasInc.com (Las Vegas) (5/23)

New Jersey has chosen Mario Galea, a former gambling regulator from Malta, as a consultant to help the state launch online gambling. Casinos in the state will be permitted to offer online gambling as early as Nov. 26. Eugene Johnson, an executive with Spectrum Gaming Group, estimates online gambling could generate up to $300 million a year in revenue for New Jersey. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (5/23)

Analysts at The East Coast Gaming Congress said the future is rosy for Atlantic City, N.J., casinos after the legalization of online gambling. "I'm probably one of the more bullish people on this. It's a big boon for Atlantic City and New Jersey," said David Berman, Macquarie Capital senior managing director. The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.) (5/22)

A bill in Nevada that would ban sports kiosks from bars effective on July 1 has passed the state Senate. The Nevada Resort Association urges the passage of the bill. "It's absolutely a big issue for us. Bars aren't supposed to have sportsbooks. Kiosks are sportsbooks," said Pete Ernaut, a lobbyist for the resort association. Las Vegas Review-Journal (5/22)

Reuters (5/22)

Amy Kugler, communications and outreach manager for the National Center for Responsible Gaming, is excited to announce the speakers for the 14th annual National Center for Responsible Gaming (NCRG) Conference on Gambling and Addiction, taking place Sept. 22-24 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas (co-located with G2E 2013). Check out the G2E Blog for more information and register today for G2E 2013 AND the NCRG Conference on Gambling and Addiction at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas. Register today so you can stay on the forefront of the latest trends and insights and take advantage of the expertise and invaluable content that make G2E the must-attend event of the year.

Beverly Sills,American opera singer and opera manager

A study by Pro Forma Advisors showed that Hard Rock International's proposed $800 million casino resort in West Springfield, Mass., would create 3,500 permanent jobs. "This report is good news for the economic future of West Springfield and all of Western Massachusetts. It confirms what we’ve know all along — our $800 million destination resort is built for the long haul and will fuel a powerful economic benefit to this region," said James Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International. The Republican (Springfield, Mass.) (5/21)

Atlantic City's Revel resort casino completed its exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday. Part of Revel's reorganization involved a debt-for-equity exchange that gives lenders an 82% stake in the company. Its marketing strategy also will be changing to focus more on the resort's casino offerings. "We view this as a significant milestone for Revel and now turn our undivided attention towards growing our casino revenue base and are singularly focused on attracting guests to the property," said Jeff Hartmann, Revel's interim CEO. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (5/22)

The Lady Luck Casino at the Nemacolin mountain resort in southwestern Pennsylvania is set to finish construction in time for a July opening. Isle of Capri Casinos will operate the casino, which will feature 600 slot machines, 28 gaming tables and a restaurant and bar. "It's a full-on resort with amenities unmatched like any real casino in the country or maybe even the world," said Chris Plummer, Nemacolin's general manager. KDKA-TV (Pittsburgh) (5/21)

Completion of Oxford Casino's sale to Churchill Downs Inc. Properties is waiting for the Maine Gambling Control Board to complete its background check and approve a casino license. Oxford has already obtained clearance from the board to forgo application for a new license if Churchill Downs' takeover is approved. Sun Journal (Lewiston, Maine) (5/21)

Participants at the Milford Town Meeting in Massachusetts decided against taking a nonbinding vote on Foxwoods $1 billion casino project. They prefer to wait until they have had a chance to evaluate the casino proposal before making a final decision. Foxwoods Resort Casino CEO Scott Butera said that the choice "will allow Milford residents to make an informed choice in accordance with the timeline set up [by] the Massachusetts Gaming Commission." The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (5/21)

The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has entered into a casino territory exclusivity deal with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo that covers the northern part of the state. Under the agreement, the tribe will pay $30 million in gaming revenue it has withheld from the state and resume paying 25% in gambling proceeds. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (5/21)

Galaxy Entertainment Group said it is willing to spend $7.7 billion to build the third and fourth phases of its Galaxy Macau resort on the Cotai Strip. Construction is expected to begin by year's end. Debt or a bond sale, in addition to cash flow, may be used to finance the construction. Bloomberg Businessweek (5/22)

The Toronto City Council rejected a proposal to build a casino on the outskirts of the city. U.S. gaming companies such as Las Vegas Sands, Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International were interested in building a casino in the city. Bloomberg (5/21)