gaming expansion

Thank you for that kind introduction and for the invitation to be with you today. For the second year in a row, not only do I get the opportunity to address state legislators — one of the industry’s most important stakeholders — but I also get to escape the Northeast in January for warmer climates. So for both reasons, it’s a pleasure to be here.

Thank you for that kind introduction, and thank you to Michael Pollack and Spectrum Gaming Group for inviting me to be here today. It’s a pleasure to have this opportunity to speak at the first Pennsylvania Gaming Congress. During the past decade, I have seen overwhelming growth in the gaming industry in the form of commercial casinos, Native American gaming and, most recently, the phenomenon of racetrack casinos, which Pennsylvania legalized just last summer.

Thank you for that kind introduction, and thank you to Michael Pollack and Spectrum Gaming Group for inviting me to be here today. It’s a pleasure to have this opportunity to speak at the first Florida Gaming Congress. During the past decade, I have seen overwhelming growth in the gaming industry in the form of commercial casinos, Native American gaming and, most recently, the phenomenon of racetrack casinos, which voters in Broward County approved earlier this year.

Good morning.  My boss, Frank Fahrenkopf, sends his regards and regrets for not being here due to a minor medical procedure.

I’m happy to be here at the fabulous Wynn Las Vegas to report on the state of the commercial gaming industry as we head into 2006.  As many of you know, this past year marked the 10th anniversary of the American Gaming Association, and I think it’s fair to say that as we enter our next decade, we do so as the voice of an industry that has seen its fair share of challenging times but has emerged more united, stronger, and with more opportunities than ever.

I am disappointed that, for the second time this year, The New York Times has used worn-out and misleading claims to attack the casino industry. The July 5 editorial, “Gambling Fever,” recycles unfounded claims the paper used in a nearly identical piece published in January. Too bad repeating something doesn’t make it true.

In a recent op-ed, Massachusetts native Brian Wolfel turned up his nose at the employment opportunities casinos bring to communities, classifying them as undignified and “low-end” jobs.

It was a decade fraught with tremendous possibilities and challenges, one marked both by tragedy and triumph. Natural disasters, volatile politics, the rise of social networking and the fall of the global economy forever changed the way people throughout the world live and work. As the Aughts came to a close, the international gaming community emerged a larger, more diverse – and also a more guarded – industry than before.

Though, for many, the rising temperatures signal a time of relaxation, we in the gaming industry are working especially hard to make the most of the summer season.

Good afternoon.  I’m Frank Fahrenkopf, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, the national trade association that represents the U.S. commercial casino industry in Washington.  I’m proud to tell you that last year we celebrated our tenth anniversary as the voice of the commercial casino industry, and it’s been a tremendously successful decade filled with opportunity, evolution and growth. 

Frank Fahrenkopf’s PowerPoint presentation from the 2009 East Coast Gaming Congress can be downloaded by clicking here.