AGA SmartBrief

Residents of Warren County, Iowa, voted down a referendum that would have allowed casino gaming in the county. Meanwhile, Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission Chairman Jeff Lamberti said that the commission will continue to review a casino proposal from an investor group in Cedar Rapids and conduct studies of how expanding gambling there would affect neighboring gaming markets in the state. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids-Marion, Iowa) (5/7)

Details of a proposed agreement between Davenport Casino Group and the city of Davenport, Iowa, for a hotel casino were announced Tuesday. The agreement, which is subject to review by the Riverboat Development Authority, has the city shouldering $33 million in construction costs that in return would bring in roughly $11 million annually from a nearly 10% increase in gross gambling proceeds. Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa) (5/7)

Mohegan Sun, one of the companies hoping to build a resort casino in Palmer, Mass., held a forum Tuesday in which employees gave testimonials on how working at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut has helped them. "The job has treated me well," said former teacher Kevin Charron, a card dealer at Mohegan Sun casino. The Palmer casino could employ up to 3,000 people. The Republican (Springfield, Mass.) (5/8)

Saying there were no geographical restrictions on where the Tohono O'odham Nation could build a casino in Arizona, U.S. District Judge David Campbell ruled against the Gila River Indian Community and Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community and the state. The plaintiffs oppose the Tohono O'odham Nation's plan to build a casino at the edge of a sports and entertainment district in Glendale, Ariz. "The court concludes that the parties did not reach such an agreement and that the nation's construction of a casino on the Glendale-area land will not violate the compact," Campbell said. The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) (tiered subscription model) (5/7)

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell said he will attend the Taunton City Council meeting next week to present additional design details for the tribe's proposed casino in Taunton, Mass. "It's important we go over the architectural design and needs of the destination resort casino to make sure it meets needs of the IGA, the city of Taunton and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe," Cromwell said. The Herald News (Fall River, Mass.) (5/7)

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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,German writer, artist and politician

A survey conducted by the American Gaming Association showed that the U.S. gambling industry's revenue increased by 4.8% from 2011 to 2012, totaling $37.3 billion last year. AGA President and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf said the results indicate that the gaming industry has "weathered" the 2008 recession. "Whether we look at jobs, casino visitors served or tax revenues being produced, the bottom line is that there is much to be optimistic about in the commercial casino industry," Fahrenkopf said. Las Vegas Review-Journal (5/7)

PokerStars owner Rational Group filed a lawsuit to prevent the termination of its acquisition deal with the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J. The sale fell through after Rational Group failed to get regulatory approval by the deadline set out in the purchase offer. The suit also included the offer price of $15 million, which hadn't been previously disclosed and would represent a record low price for a casino in the city. The judge considering the matter has issued a temporary restraining order forbidding Atlantic Club from accepting other purchase offers. The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) (5/7)

Sioux City Entertainment President Bill Warner said Monday that the proposed Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in downtown Sioux City, Iowa, is on schedule to be unveiled in July 2014. The developer is finalizing the project's design, and the groundbreaking is expected to take place in July of this year, Warner said. Sioux City Journal (Iowa) (5/6)

Horseshoe Casino Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert revealed that the second phase of the casino's construction is being designed and will overlook the Cuyahoga River. The project site was acquired by Gilbert's Rock Ohio Caesars for $85 million in 2012. The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) (5/7)

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)