AGA SmartBrief

Macau's gaming revenue for January grew 7.3% to $3.36 billion, according to the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. Union Gaming Group principal Grant Govertsen said January results could hint healthy figures for February, which would be boosted by the Chinese New Year. Las Vegas Review-Journal (2/1)

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who looks to expand gambling in the state, reportedly plans to propose a non-Indian casino in Niagara Falls, says an administration official. According to the official, Cuomo now plans to increase the number of proposed commercial casinos upstate to four to end the monopoly of the Seneca Nation. The Buffalo News (N.Y.) (2/3)

If you missed "The Hoff" performing at G2E 2012, then take a few minutes to watch the video on the G2E Blog. The former "Baywatch" star stopped by and discussed not only his musical background, but his continued success on touring various international locations before he hit the stage to perform for the crowd at the G2E Welcome Reception.

Laozi,Chinese philosopher

Last year's Global Gaming Expo (G2E), which was held in October in Las Vegas, saw a 7% increase in attendance compared with 2011. In all, 15,708 people attended the event. AGA President Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. said the attendance growth is a promising indicator of the gaming industry's current state. Las Vegas Review-Journal (1/31)

Maryland will start accepting casino bids next week after a state panel approved a request Thursday for proposals for a casino in Prince George's County. MGM Resorts said it plans to submit a casino proposal before the application deadline on May 10. "We plan to earn the privilege of being Maryland's newest license holder," said MGM spokesman Gordon Absher. Meanwhile, Penn National spokeswoman Karen Bailey said the company is considering bidding. The Washington Post (1/31)

Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon in Las Vegas will close for about a year starting Monday to undergo a renovation. Owner Caesars Entertainment plans to transform the property into a casino and boutique hotel and will include a rooftop pool and a nightclub. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (1/31)

Evitts Resorts, the owner of the Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort near Cumberland, Md., said on Thursday that it plans to open the casino in late May. Evitts President Timothy Cope said the company also expects to open new meeting space at the gambling facility in fall. The Washington Post (1/31)

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted to approve a research project with the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts at Boston to help communities understand how casinos might affect them. The commission also authorized another week for receiving comments on guidelines for determining what constitutes a "surrounding community" to aid in negotiations. The Republican (Springfield, Mass.) (1/31)

Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the UNITE-HERE union in Atlantic City, has called on Gov. Chris Christie to approve New Jersey's online gambling bill. "Keeping those casinos open means saving more than 3,000 jobs. This bill will allow Atlantic City to compete more effectively, increase tax revenues and save thousands of jobs. I urge Gov. Christie to sign it as soon as possible," McDevitt said. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (2/1)

A U.S. District Court judge has given tentative approval to the casino projects of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians and the Enterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians in California. The Interior Department was expected to proceed with land transfers for both tribal projects today. "(This) allows us to return our focus to where it belongs: bringing jobs, business opportunities, and community investment to our tribe and Madera," said Elaine Bethel-Fink, the North Fork Rancheria's tribal chairwoman. The Fresno Bee (Calif.) (free registration) (1/31)

The construction of Wynn Resorts' casino resort in Macau's Cotai Strip will begin on Feb. 11. Chairman Steve Wynn said that work to stabilize the site of the resort has already been completed. "We're the first (light-rail) stop on Cotai between the ferry terminal and the airport. The stop is right at the middle of the lake we're building that's roughly the size of Bellagio," Wynn said of the design details of the casino project, which may cost up to $4 billion. VegasInc.com (Las Vegas) (1/31)

MGM Resorts International has signed a deal with Cadillac Fairview Corporation for a joint bid to build and manage a casino in the Greater Toronto Area. "We knew that when we started down this path in Toronto, we knew that we would be looking for local partners in varying sizes and of varying roles, this one is the most important of all. This is our side-by-side 50/50 partner ... this was the really critical component," said Alan Feldman, a senior vice president at MGM. Toronto Sun (1/31)

Francis Tam, Macau's secretary of economy and finance, said that casinos in the gaming hub will get 250 new table games this year. Las Vegas Sands will receive 200 gaming tables, while Galaxy Macau will get 50. "So the government will only give 250 new tables for the new projects, and all the existing projects in the existing casinos will not get any new tables this year," Tam said. Macau Daily Times (Macau) (2/1)

As a part of its "All In for the Environment" campaign, the American Gaming Association (AGA) released a paper, titled "The Commercial Gaming Industry's Commitment to Environmental Sustainability," quantifying the substantial commitments to environmental sustainability and energy conservation made by the commercial gaming industry. The AGA also added new content to its website, including an infographic illustrating key findings from the report and case studies highlighting the specific efforts of individual gaming companies. To read the case studies and download the paper or infographic, visit the AGA website.

The audit and post-show survey for G2E 2012 have been completed and the results are overwhelmingly positive. Check out today's press release for more information and remember to save the date for G2E 2013, taking place Sept. 23-26 (Exhibits: Sept. 24-26) at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

F. Scott Fitzgerald,American writer