Maryland Live Back over the Top After Taking Wind Out of MGM Nationwide Harbor’s Sails

Maryland Live is once again the top casino in their state following the Arundel Mills resort generated more gaming revenue during the thirty days of February than its new rival MGM nationwide Harbor.
Maryland Live, billed as the family friendly casino compared to MGM National Harbor, saw the most gambling money come through its doors during February.
Collectively, hawaii’s six casinos pulled in $128.7 million in gross gaming win, Maryland’s second-best performance that is all-time. The record mark arrived in December after the opening that is grand of Harbor led to a victory of $133.5 million.
Maryland Live’s revenue totaled $46.29 million month that is last narrowly edging MGM’s property that sits simply outside Washington, DC, at $45.77 million. The two casinos represented the lion’s share of gaming earnings, with Horseshoe Baltimore coming in a distant third with $22 million.
Three smaller gambling that is regional, Hollywood Casino Perryville, Rocky Gap Casino Resort, additionally the Casino at Ocean Downs, posted a combined $14.6 million.
The Cordish Companies, the parent organization of reside that is headquartered in Maryland, credited its ‘family approach’ for the home retaking the top spot. The group also says being locally owned allows it to provide a better experience to customers, in what’s certainly a slight jab at MGM in a statement.
Mixed Outcomes
The February gambling report represents a 38 percent increase on the month that is same 2016. Casinos took $35.4 million more cash during the month that is shortest of the year, but the information also highlights lots of concerns for Maryland gaming.
Excluding MGM’s $1.4 billion resort, gambling was actually down more than 11 per cent. And even though Maryland Live is championing its February victory, in truth the casino amassed 14.3 % less revenue year-over-year.
Maryland Live’s $46.29 million is down $7.72 million contrasted to final February. And conditions could not have been riper for strong profits, as the month ended up being one of the warmest on record.
Since MGM announced its plans to build National Harbor, Maryland Live has been scrambling to make sure its property stayed competitive against the behemoth outside of DC in Oxford Hill. Live and nationwide Harbor are about 35 kilometers apart, but both are competing for the DC that is wealthy and Virginia demographic.
Maryland Live announced the construction of the 17-story hotel tower with 310 guest rooms summer that is last. MGM National Harbor offers 308 hotel rooms.
Nationwide Harbor Underwater?
MGM’s casino that is latest to start in america had been downright packed during its opening month. The resort asked would-be visitors to stay away unless they had a reservation.
Just 90 days later, enthusiasm and excitement has seemingly calmed.
A nightly stay at the hotel ran between $399 and $599 in the opening weeks. But midweek rates are now since low as $229, though weekends are nevertheless in the range that is prior.
MGM likely isn’t too concerned with the gaming report february. While Live continues to fret within the competition, MGM CEO Jim Murren has over and over repeatedly stated that the home seeks become a destination resort for not only gamblers but also visitors to your nation’s capital.
Casino Bus Crash Kills Four, Charter Safety Concerns Continue
A casino coach crash in Mississippi has killed four passengers and injured 40 more, seven critically.
A casino bus crash in Mississippi presumably became stuck on a railroad track, and tragedy hit when an approaching train collided with the charter vehicle. (Image: Kevin McGill/Associated Press)
The incident occurred in Biloxi after the bus reportedly became stuck while trying to get a cross train tracks. Moments later, a freight train traveling at increases to 45 MPH collided with the bus and pressed it some 300 legs before coming to a stop.
According to reports that are local the bus was touring regional casinos in Mississippi and Louisiana.
At the time associated with crash, the coach ended up being traveling from the Hollywood Gulf Coast Casino in Bay St. Louis to the Boomtown Casino in Biloxi. That’s about one hour’s drive east.
The weeklong excursion was organized by a senior citizens’ center in Texas. While investigators say it’s not immediately clear if the bus incurred technical problems, the area where the accident occurred has road signs warning drivers of low ground approval.
The names of the victims, and whether the driver was one of the fatalities, wasn’t released.
Charter Gambling
The casino bus crash comes not as much as five months after a California gambling trip ended in tragedy. In October, 13 people aboard a tour coach were killed after the driver slammed in to the straight back of an 18-wheeler semi-truck on Interstate 10 near Palm Springs.
In that event, passengers paid around $30 for round-trip fare and free slot cash from Los Angeles myfreepokies.com to a remote casino near Salton City called Red Earth.
Tour companies and regional casinos often reach agreements where gambling establishments provide slot money to passengers arriving on certain charters and pay the coach company a small stipend that is per-customer.
This is why busses like usually the one involved in the Palm Springs accident drive great lengths, passing multiple gambling enterprises in the process, to reach at a destination like Red Earth.
Growing Concern
Following last fall’s tragedy in California, the nationwide Transportation protection Board (NTSB) confirmed that the rise of casino bus accidents was a serious concern to the federal agency that is tasked with investigating civil accidents.
In mid-January, a Greyhound motorcoach crashed in San Jose, California, and killed two people. But fatalities aboard chartered busses continue to be relatively uncommon contrasted with other modes of transportation.
Based on the NTSB, in 2015 just 49 bus passengers had been killed in highway accidents. Passenger cars and trucks that are light vans accounted for over 22,400 fatalities.
The NTSB is in Mississippi to investigate this week’s crash. Straight Back home at its Washington, DC, headquarters, the agency is trying to determine if more stringent oversight of coach charter companies becomes necessary.
In 2013, the NTSB publicly scolded inspectors during the Federal engine Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for failing to detect evident and safety that is significant on busses that passed inspections.
‘Our investigators found that in many cases, the poor company that is performing on FMCSA’s radar for violations, but was allowed to continue operating . . . until they had deadly crashes,’ the NTSB said at the time.
Former United States Secretary of the Interior Salazar Warns Connecticut Over Satellite Casino
Kenneth Salazar, US Secretary to the inside under Barack Obama, has warned Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy over ‘legal dangers’ in regards to the state’s proposal to permit the construction of a casino that is tribal sovereign tribal lands.
Ken Salazar, previous US Secretary towards the Interior, now MGM consultant, believes that Connecticut will struggle to receive federal approval for a brand new casino handle the Mohegan and Mashantucket tribes. (Image: Politico.com)
Salazar, that is a paid up consultant for MGM Resorts Global, informed the governor that the proposed ‘satellite’ casino could jeopardize the state’s revenue-sharing agreements using the Mashantucket Pequots and Mohegans, which run the Foxwoods and Mohegan gambling enterprises in south Connecticut, which could price the state billions into the run that is long.
MGM is hopeless to halt Connecticut’s plans to just establish a casino 13 kilometers south associated with MGM Springfield, presently under construction over the border in Massachusetts.
The Connecticut casino has been conceived solely as a means to blunt MGM Springfield’s competitive edge up against the Connecticut casino sector and also to protect Connecticut jobs.
MGM has made no secret of the fact it expects a sizable percentage of footfall because of its own new casino to come from Connecticut residents.
Borderline Legal
The satellite casino is controversial plan because the Connecticut legislature would have to pass a law permitting the two tribes, understood collectively as MMCT, to operate the state’s first ever casino outside tribal lands. The tribes are the only entities allowed by law to operate casinos in the state.
MGM has sued Connecticut on the grounds that this is unconstitutional and in violation of the Commerce Clause since it bars out-of-state rivals from contending to develop casinos within the state, discriminating, says MGM, in benefit of the two tribes.
The casino giant also attempted getting an amendment added up to a federal defense bill that would have forbidden Native American tribes from running gambling enterprises inside their home state outside their reservations however it was scuttled by vigilant congressman from Connecticut.
Nevertheless the concern of legality lingers, and week that is last Malloy requested that the state AG George Jepsen prepare an official viewpoint regarding the legal ramifications of the proposition and to gauge the odds of MGM successfully blocking it within the courts.
Substantial Risk
Salazar’s intervention on behalf of MGM, then, is well-timed. Writing in an open letter addressed to Malloy, dated March 7, he writes that the 25 percent revenue share who has existed between the state plus the tribes for two years are going to be threatened, inspite of the reality that MMCT has proposed amendments towards the agreements that will make sure the payments to your state wouldn’t normally stop.
‘Under federal law … amendments to a tribal gaming compact require approval by the U.S. Department of Interior, which I led for five years throughout the Obama Administration,’ wrote Salazar.
‘Based on that experience ( and on my work on Native American legal matters), in my opinion there is a risk that is substantial the tribe’s proposed amendments would not receive the requisite approval, by which instance Connecticut’s entitlement to the 25-percent revenue flow may likely terminate.’
AN MMCT spokesman was unmoved by the articles of this letter. ‘MGM is willing to pay for anyone and everybody to stop our task from moving forward because they know our proposal will probably keep income and jobs in Connecticut,’ he said.
Glenn Straub Ups Attacks on Atlantic City, Says New Jersey ‘Rapes’ Companies
Glenn Straub claims whenever you come to New Jersey, business owners ‘have to take all your clothes off’ and allow hawaii to take full advantage. ‘They don’t know how to not rape you,’ he opined.
Glenn Straub (middle), seen right here at a Casino Control Commission meeting last month, is a new comer to Atlantic City, but that does not mean the Florida-based businessman is going to play by New Jersey’s rules. (Image: Atlantic City Primetime)
Yep, Straub just went there. The Florida-based developer has officially eliminated any politically correct buffer he might have had in describing Atlantic City. Talking aided by the Associated Press, Straub lambasted the national government and casino regulators in the Garden State.
Asked why he isn’t willing to play by the principles that have been set forth, such as participating in the program that is PILOT payment in place of taxes), Straub replied, ‘I’d be broke. They’re trying in order to make me do just what my predecessors did.’
Straub purchased the Revel that is shuttered Atlantic, a resort that cost $2.4 billion to construct, for $82 million in bankruptcy court. But since his acquisition nearly two years ago, the businessman has engaged in a series of fights with hawaii’s Casino Control Commission (CCC) and Atlantic City’s local leaders.
Straub argues he doesn’t need a casino license since he’s going to be leasing his gambling floor to a third-party that is currently along the way of obtaining a CCC permit.
But that does not follow Atlantic City laws. Morris Bailey received a license on their behalf for his Resorts Casino despite also hiring a vendor to run the gaming room.
Layers of Bureaucracy
Straub’s frustrations aren’t out from the norm in terms of business that is doing Atlantic City. The beachfront gambling town is infamous for the complicated environment that is regulatory.
The Casino Control Commission, Division of Gaming Enforcement, and Casino Reinvestment Development Authority are all involved in licensing properties, but incoming owners are often confused as to which agency is truly in charge. Muddying the method is the undeniable fact that the town itself is responsible for building inspections and infrastructure jobs.
Mayor Don Guardian (R) happens to be trying to assist owners navigate the burdens that are complex. The controversial mayor who is at the center associated with the state’s takeover associated with local government says he regularly meets with owners who have invested at the least $1 million in the city.
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