New Hampshire Grapples with Impact of Possible Land Casino



A poker dealer lays out charity fundraiser tournament chips at a Salem, N.H. makeshift casino; the brand New Hampshire legislature now desires to approve one land that is legitimate for their state (Image: VNews.com)

New Hampshire may have reputation as a quiet, relaxed state where sleep and breakfasts and a little skiing are about the most exciting happenings around, but that image might be about to alter. With everyone in the region gathering their gambling industries, it appears as though the Granite State may be prepared to participate within the brick-and-mortar race and welcome a land casino of the own.

Representing the Future

Based on reports, over 100 representatives in the continuing state House of Representatives have signed on to a bill that will welcome only one casino to hawaii of the latest Hampshire. That’s more than half the number of representatives that would eventually need to vote for such a bill to pass the home.

The public declaration had been meant as a sign of early strength for the bill. A total of 108 representatives publicly supported the bill, making up a group that is bipartisan of Democrats and 25 Republicans. A lot of those representatives also participated in a press conference to strongly show just how they felt about bringing casino gambling to New Hampshire.

‘We have actually momentum because we listened,’ said Representative Katherine Rogers. ‘We heard the concerns of House members last spring who said we did not have the right regulatory framework.’

All Systems Go

The bill that is new concerns, giving their state plenty of oversight over the casino bidding procedure and supplying money for problem gambling services. The bill will allow for just one casino, using the permit for that casino going right through a competitive bidding process. It would also create a brand new Hampshire gaming commission that will oversee not merely the casino, but also the lottery that is existing racing, and charitable gaming operations into the state.

‘There are major improvements that will make sure expanded gambling is a good deal for the citizens of New Hampshire,’ said Representative Jeremy Dobson.

Late this the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on the bill, known as HB 1633 week. Supporters stated the financial benefits of a casino, saying it could make significant revenues without needing a broader income tax enhance. It would be a brand new supply of jobs in a suggest that tends to lose young workers to many other parts of the united states.

‘We are running out of time to attract individuals stay in New Hampshire and to give individuals jobs right here,’ said Diana Lacey, president of the State Employees’ Association.

One concern raised at the hearing had been the concept that casino gambling may not fit in using the current ‘brand’ New Hampshire has within the minds of tourists and visitors.

‘We do not have such a need that is chronic this revenue that our company is willing to tolerate the burdens therefore the expense and the injury to our brand,’ said Concord developer Steve Duprey. While some supporters described that New Hampshire’s motto is ‘Live Free or Die’ which may suggest that residents must be permitted to choose whether they desire to play at a casino or perhaps not Duprey countered that the state nevertheless had to make decisions about what’s right and acceptable for New Hampshire.

But others disputed the branding claim. Pat Griffin, A new Hampshire resident who had worked in advertising and marketing for the state’s tourism industry, stated that 41 other states have some form of casino gambling, and that has not affected most of their brands. As an example, Colorado has 41 gambling enterprises, but is still known for its hills and skiing. One casino, he said, won’t be the tipping point that modifications what brand New Hampshire means to visitors.

Toronto Man Wanted players paradise slots facebook After Failure to pay for $12.9M to Las Vegas Casinos

A new nomination for ‘World’s Dumbest Criminals’ could be a Canadian man who reportedly owes the Venetian casino in Las Vegas and one other $12m in IOUs and is now AWOL and wanted

There are a few things that can get you selected for ‘World’s Dumbest Criminal': robbing a bank with surveillance cameras every where, wanting to steal a police vehicle, and many truly near the top of that list would be skipping out on major casino gambling debts. Not smart, not smart at all.

That’s what one Toronto high-roller is finding out after failing woefully to repay some $12.9 million in losses to two Las vegas, nevada gambling enterprises, dating all the method back in to 2008. Authorities are now seeking him out to file fees in the situation.

Not-Yet-Arrested Development

43-year-old Semion Kronenfeld is now called on a Clark County District Court arrest warrant, following a jury that is grand him on 12 counts of felony theft, composing bad checks, and obtaining money under false pretenses. This puts Kronenfeld in a unique kind of stupid category, as it’s certainly one of the biggest casino that is unpaid situations ever in Nevada, and if convicted, the actual only real place this Canadian are going to be rolling dice is in a very state penitentiary, perhaps for decades.

The Clark County indictment that was handed straight down this week claims that the high-roller failed to repay $7.9 million back in October of 2008 on IOUs made out to the Venetian casino on the vegas Strip. Then, just two weeks later, Kronenfeld presumably pulled a number that is similar the Stations Casino-owned Green Valley Ranch casino, located in Henderson, just outside of Las Vegas proper; he reportedly stiffed that property for $5 million.

In accordance with Nevada law, unrepaid casino IOUs are considered fraudulent checks. With a bounty that is prosecutorial of per cent for ‘processing and prosecution’ placed on any pre-trial settlements of these cases, numerous such incidents are placed to bed without any charges being filed; clearly, which includes not been the actual situation right here, though.

Around this writing, Kronenfeld remains AWOL, according to prosecutor Jake Merback, who heads up Clark County’s bad check unit, and calls to Kronenfeld’s attorney in Las Vegas, Craig Mueller, had been not returned.

Kronenfeld’s case went public back in 2009, at which point the Canadian had been listed in casino credit reports as having their own estate that is real business, based in Ontario. Apparently he also holds a passport that is israeli was proven to have multiple spellings of his last title, sometimes spelling it ‘Cronenfeld.’

In Good Business with Other Big Losers

While enormous, Kronenfeld’s case is scarcely the only large bad-debt situation to hit Nevada’s gambling enterprises in recent years. One particular high-profile case included the previous owner of chatchke-manufacturer Oriental Trading Co., Terrance ‘Terry’ Watanabe, who was indicted in 2009 after it absolutely was alleged he failed to pay right back (then) Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc (now Caesars Entertainment) in the total amount of $14.75 million in IOUs. However, Watanabe counter-sued Harrah’s and money for an amount that is undisclosed reached in July 2010.

And Watanabe is not the only real other high-profile gambler to get caught without repaying his debts; notorious porn-purveyor Joe Francis of Girls Gone Wild fame was also the niche of a IOU dispute with Wynn Resorts Int’l to the tune of $2.5 million. And former NBA All-Star Antoine Walker whom pleaded responsible before his case came to trial received a 5 years’ probation phrase and had to fork over $770,000 in restitution.

Florida Faces Battle of the wallets that are bulging Warring Casino Factions

It’s really a battle to the finish, with he who spends most having a shot that is good winning, as casino and anti-casino factions face down in Florida (Image: istock)

Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson sometimes lobbies for casinos and sometimes lobbies against them (as in his massive anti-online campaign for the last year); but whatever he does, he does it with gusto and lots and lots of cash. Therefore it should come as no surprise that his company is certainly one of several casino that is major backing 100 lobbyists (well-armed with every politician’s favorite form of homage: moolah) whose goal will be to put some pressure on Florida’s legislators regarding the Sunshine State’s stalled land gaming status.

Fighting for County Rights

Demonstrably, gambling outfits with something to gain are most enthusiastically behind this posse that is legislative funding; which puts Genting during the front side of this line; they’ve been trying to get into the Miami beachfront market with a Resorts World Miami task for quite a while now without success. This could be the standoff of most standoffs: because very recently, top state lawmakers managed to make it clear that the complete issue of gambling in Florida is low on their importance totem pole this year.

Nonetheless, cash talks and you understand what walks, so last week Florida’s Senate Gaming Committee chair Garrett Richter promised to introduce a brand new bill making it possible for two resort casinos that could go up in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. By way of amazing coincidence, those two spots just happen to be precisely where both Adelson’s Sands and Genting have been hoping to secure casino internet sites. And more good luck: Florida’s 60-day legislative session kicks off on March 4, so it’s all just in the nick of time. Yessirree, Bob, those homage gift ideas can part the Red Sea when delivered over lunch at A tallahassee that is fancy eatery it seems.

Richter who only per week before was decrying how impossible it had been to coordinate each of Florida’s various and sundry gaming factions is now saying that while the dilemmas at hand remain complex, he intends to get this casino plane ‘off the ground.’

He’ll have his work cut out for him, no matter how numerous lobbyists give him early Xmas presents. Florida’s compact with the Native American Seminole tribe gives that group rights that are exclusive popular and high-end (in other words., very profitable) table games like baccarat and blackjack. The 2010 compact did maybe not encompass craps or roulette, and requires the Seminoles to shell out $250 million a year to florida through 2015. From then on, tribal leaders are not planning on backing down easily; Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen reportedly told scouts from Sands and Genting when they first began their push two years ago that ‘[it shows] a Seminole lady on there, that is perhaps not somebody from Las Vegas,’ referring to images on the Florida state flag.

And there is yet more complicated political waltzes happening within the Sunshine State, because former Governor Charlie Crist has decided he wants his old task back, meaning he’d have to unseat current governor Rick Scott come November. Adelson, needless to say, has been proven to throw his weight via his bankroll around within an election or two, and with Scott as the Republican incumbent (Crist was also Republican back as he ended up being governor, but has since switched to first being an Independent, and now a Democrat), Scott no question could use the Sands CEO’s support.

Towards the final end, Scott possessed a conference with Adelson in Las Vegas shortly after taking office in 2011, at which time he claimed to maintain benefit of resort casinos in their state. Throwing even more fire onto this situation that is already incendiary the reality that the Seminole tribe donated a very good half-million to Scott’s rebid campaign last year: the largest single political donation created for the season. Talk about being taken in two directions.

Lines in the s that are sand(

Plus the battle lines are drawn elsewhere, too: and in addition, entrenched Florida icon Walt Disney Co. has made their views loud and clear on their opposition to casino expansion in the state, and backed it up with $1.7 million spread among legislators over the past two years. Experts predict campaign contributions gets even more excessive, in an attempt to match Adelson’s almost unlimited governmental spending plan to bring lawmakers around. In fact, the COO for the operating arm behind the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach says he expects it all to turn into ‘ a food that is major’ before the election 12 months is over.

Of course, there’s always a naysayer, and Senator Gwen Margolis (D-Miami) has created a bill to place an end to your lobbying some would state vote-buying madness. She wants to end the ‘sea of money [that] is sloshing into the campaign coffers’ and says only law against it’s going to have the desired effect. Deemed the Public Confidence in Gaming Act, we wish her the very best of fortune in getting this through. It probably stands nearly as good a potential for which makes it as positively nothing.

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