AGA SmartBrief

Northeast Realty is partnering with Cardinal's View to develop a restaurant, hotel and office space on 130 acres adjacent to the site Mohegan Sun has proposed for a resort casino in Palmer, Mass. "We are calling this the 'Gateway to Western Massachusetts,' ... and expect that the total investment in these properties, along with Mohegan Sun's announced investment on the casino resort site, could bring total investment to over $900 million," said Jeffrey E. Cunningham, who is manager of Cardinal’s View. The Republican (Springfield, Mass.) (5/6)

Springfield, Mass., City Council President James Ferrera invoked a rule to temporarily bar any debate or vote over MGM Resorts International's proposed $800 million casino. Ferrera said that he wants to further review the city's terms with MGM before the council votes on the proposed host community agreement. The Republican (Springfield, Mass.) (5/7)

Andrew Paradise, founder and CEO of Skillz, laid out the first platform in the U.S. for real-money betting on games of skill using mobile phones in San Francisco. With betting on games of skill legal in 36 states, Paradise decided to launch Skillz. "There's a sweet spot in between betting, real money gaming, and mobile gaming. There's a lot of thirst for betting in games of chance, but we see this great need for games of skill, as well," Paradise said. Forbes (5/6)

Data from the Arizona Department of Gaming indicate that tribal gaming in the state made roughly $24.1 million in the first quarter, down from $24.3 million it posted during the same time in 2012. Arizona Indian Gaming Association Director Valerie Spicer said that she was surprised by the figures because tribes and casino operators have been reporting "pretty stable, pretty consistent" revenues. Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (5/6)

Legislation passed by the Missouri House of Representatives that would allow casinos to offer short-term gambling loans is gaining momentum. Under the bill, those applying for credit would undergo credit checks and receive a marker that can be exchanged for tokens and chips. The loans would be repaid within 30 days at zero interest. Proponents of the bill say the measure would provide an option for casino players who do not want to carry large amounts of cash when gambling. St. Louis Post-Dispatch (5/6)

New Hampshire lawmakers are split over proposed legislation that would allow one casino with table games and video slots to operate in the state. Supporters say the latest bill, which has been cleared by the state Senate and has the governor's support, would boost the state's revenue and help finance agencies and programs. The state House is still considering the legislation. The Conway Daily Sun (North Conway, N.H.) (5/6)

James Baldwin,American novelist, essayist, playwright and poet

Former gaming executive Mark Yoseloff is funding a program that will teach casino game design and commercialization to students at Harrah Hotel College at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "Gaming companies want more input from employees who understand the intersection of gaming with math, psychology, business and sociology, as it's these employees who will shape the future of the industry with an infusion of solid new ideas," said Yoseloff, who was a chief executive of SHFL Entertainment. Las Vegas Review-Journal (5/3)

Millennium Gaming on Wednesday is expected to present its modified proposal for a Salem, N.H., casino resort that brings the project's price tag to "a bit in excess of $600 million," co-CEO Bill Wortman said. The new plan for Rockingham Park includes an entertainment venue with seating for up to 1,500, while some features of the park -- its racetrack, clubhouse and stands -- will be retained, according to Wortman. The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.) (5/5)

Penn National Gaming has said it will bid for the sole casino license to be issued for Prince George's County, Md. MGM Resorts International also wants to build a resort in the county, which adjoins Washington, D.C., and is just across the Potomac River from Virginia. A statewide referendum in 2012 allows only National Harbor and Penn National's Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington as possible casino sites. The companies have until Friday to submit their proposals. American City Business Journals (5/3)

The decision of Everett, Mass., officials to hold a casino referendum on June 22 has left people wondering why the vote was not scheduled on the same day of the Senate election on June 25. Dave Rodriguez, assistant city solicitor for the city, said that officials approved Wynn Resorts' requested June 22 date because it would not complicate the voting process and would not require legislation to merge the votes into one ballot, which could also lead to confusion. "We want to maximize turnout as much as we can (but also) minimize confusion when it comes to this," Rodriguez said. American City Business Journals (5/3)

Twin River Casino is planning to hire dealers and operators for the 65 new table games that it will offer soon in Lincoln, R.I. The company will offer training sessions to new employees for games such as baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette. WCVB-TV (Boston) (5/5)

Casinos in Las Vegas are increasingly venturing into dance clubs and nightclubs to attract more visitors and increase revenue. "[I]n order to continue to attract people from around the world, we have to provide things that are hard to find anywhere else. These clubs, if done correctly, are tremendous magnets," MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren said. BusinessWeek.com (5/6)

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a number of Illinois lawmakers have been persistent in their push for support for bringing a casino to the city. The best opportunity for in-city gambling may be a bill that recently passed the state Senate. In addition to a Chicago casino, the bill would also allow slot machines in lounges at Midway and O'Hare airports. The Huffington Post (5/3)

This week, the Global Gaming Business Podcast features a discussion with Kelcey Allison, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Aruze Gaming America, on the company's innovative slot products, especially its big hit, Paradise Fishing.

Station Casino's online wagering poker website Ultimate Poker, the first legal pay-to-play site in the U.S., reported that it had dealt its 100,000th hand and had 50 active tables after three days of operation. The website was scheduled Sunday to hold its first tournament, with a $10,000 prize pool. Las Vegas Review-Journal (5/3)

New Jersey will be able to catch up with competing states in the Internet gambling market given the considerable number of possible players in the Garden State as well as the legalization of online gambling by early 2014, according to Stockton College gaming expert Israel Posner. "All the brick-and-mortar operators will have partners with various relationships that will gather the best expertise and technology in the world to be able to run their Internet gaming operations," said Posner. KYW-TV (Philadelphia) (5/5)

Galaxy Entertainment Group plans to acquire the Grand Waldo casino hotel on the Cotai strip in Macau for $419 million. Galaxy's purchase of the 320,000-square-foot resort with spa "will help broaden Galaxy's portfolio as Galaxy Macau resort on Cotai appeals to the premium mass, while Grand Waldo can draw the lower end mass market gamblers," said Union Gaming Research analyst Grant Govertsen. Bloomberg (5/6)

Today, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released its annual economic impact study, State of the States: The AGA Survey of Casino Entertainment. The report shows that in 2012 the national commercial casino industry saw its second-largest gross gaming revenues ever, after three consecutive years of escalating growth. The report also includes state-by-state economic impact data and an analysis of the gaming equipment manufacturing and technology sector, along with public opinion polling with a special focus on young adult casino visitors. For a full picture of the commercial casino industry in 2012, download the full report.

G2E is excited to announce the debut of the G2E Players Club at G2E Asia 2013. G2E Asia Event Direction, Mike Johnson, discusses his plans to visit some of the major casinos in Asia to meet with senior management and discuss the benefits of being a part of G2E Asia 2013. Check out the G2E Blog for more information and remember to save the date for G2E Asia 2013, which will take place May 21-23 at The Venetian Macao.