but they didn’t slam the door on him either

Milford selectmen are doing their homework, undistracted by a new online campaign and a freshly downsized debt load (Wall Street evidently having decided that 75% of something is better than 100% of nothing). Foxwoods is already in a world of hurt, its slot revenues down 10% last month. Tribal members are seeing charity food shelves where once they received monthly slices of casino revenue. Fifty dealers have been axed and that’s just for starters. “Foxwoods has little choice but to jump into the Massachusetts market because many customers at the two Connecticut casinos are from Massachusetts,” writes the Boston Globe, but whatever traffic Foxwoods captures in Milford it loses at HQ in Ledyard. It’s like a starving man eating off his own leg to stay alive. Gives a whole new meaning to “cannibalization” in the casino industry, doesn’t it?

Out west, the continued charm offensive by various casino companies produced the non headline of the week. “Study: Proposed Hard Rock casino in Mass. to bring  job opportunities.” Wake me when the opening of a new casino doesn’t generate any new jobs … although we are entering an increasingly robotic casino experience, populated with digital dealers and croupier-free roulette. But seriously, when has the entry of the casino industry not created jobs?

In this case, Hard Rock International prophesies 2,800 regular jobs and another 700 “ripple effect” ones out in the community. Also, that $50K/year average looks a bit high, probably pulled upwards by executive salaries. (The Vegas average is lower.) Hard Rock Chairman James F. Allen characterized the figures as conservative but they look just a tad liberal to me. That’s not to say the project wouldn’t be A Good Thing. I just wish it didn’t look so much like a damn Holiday Inn. Give Allen “A+” for initiative and “D-” for choice of design.

Allen is a pessimist compared to executives of Revel, which is officially not bankrupt anymore. (Congratulations.) Management is predicting that net revenue will increase 40% next year, 21% the year after that and 15% in 2015. Operating losses are projected to fall 62%, which suggests that draconian measures are in the offing. As for the revenue increases, they’re not as pie-in-the-sky as they look when you consider that Revel is has posted astonishingly low numbers to date. It means getting from, say, $8 million a month to $11 million. But raising the monthly average to $21 million a month this year and $31.5 million by the beginning of 2016 … now that’s optimism.

No matter how …

… you get into Isle of Capri Casinos‘ new resort in rural Pennsylvania, it’s gonna cost you before pull so much as one slot lever.

Continuing his conquest of Downtown Las Vegas, Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh now has his own police force. It looks like at least some of the Downtown Rangers should switch to a low-carb diet.

Although Weidner supposedly sought a casino posting in Macao and couldn’t get one, he’s making a big comeback. Global Gaming is also managing $1.2 billion Solaire Manila, in a market where angels fear to tread. Weidner’s top lieutenants are fellow exiles from Las Vegas Sands, President Brad Stone and executive veep Garry Saunders. At 150 tables and 10 times as many slots, Baha Mar is small by Las Vegas Strip standards. But the project itself (30 restaurants, three hotels) is of Sands-like ambition. And the Weidner-Stone-Saunders troika has plenty of experience opening overseas markets. If they succeed at Baha Mar, it’s difficult to decide who will be more galled … Caesars Entertainment CEO Gary Loveman … or Adelson.

Whenever some Nevada governor promises “no new taxes,” what he really means is that he’s going to make the casino industry bend over and grab its ankles while all other industries get off scot-free. Well, when then-Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) made a grab for the sales-tax value of comped meals, the industry fought back. Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) carried on Gibbons’ crusade for about a legislature today before waving the surrender flag today. Kudos to John Ascuaga’s Nugget (above) for being the little-ish casino that said, “no more.” (Caesars and Boyd Gaming were other litigants.)

The negative consequences of the tax increase were obvious: “Promotional allowances” (comps) would cost casinos more, creating a disincentive to reward customers as generously. Either the bottom line or employees’ standard of living would have taken a hit if casinos, respectively, ate the higher cost of workers’ dining rooms or passed it along to the workforce. Everybody lost. As it now stands, the only thing Big Gaming will eat is $200 million, perhaps more, already paid to the state. Sandoval (right) and the Lege could still double-cross the industry by writing a tax-the-comps law, but it would have to return at least some of that $200 million, too.

For those who may have wondered or worried, S&G contributor Jeff_in_OKC came through the recent tornado bombardment unscathed. His business was about five miles from the epicenter of destruction and he witnessed “the heaviest lightning I had ever seen” at close proximity but, except for a brief loss of power, had no complaints. Dunno about you, but I’m breathing a sigh of relief.

First-quarter losses almost doubled, to $7.5 million (at a time when business should be at its best and the balance of the Strip was flourishing) and casino revenues fell 29%. Perhaps that move toward Asian-friendly play, with more emphasis on baccarat, has proven unlucky for the house. Then again, room revs were 25% down and F&B fell a walloping 40%. Riviera President Andy Choy better get affairs in order or he’s going to be updating his resume.

Dicey dossier: Vegas-based Galaxy Gaming has a fateful, July 11 date with the California Gambling Control Commission, which is looking askance at the company and especially CEO Robert Saucier. An administrative judge determined that Saucier had demonstrated “a lack of honesty and integrity” and may have engaged in some jiggery-poker at the Mars Hotel & Casino, in Spokane, Washington. If you’ve never heard of it, that may be because it burned down in 1999 under suspicious circumstances. Saucier’s background, the judge ruled, was sufficient cause to deny him a California license, although he has been acting as an equipment provider to Golden State tribal casinos, uneventfully, for the past 14 years. His products — at least in Class III markets — include the TableMAX automated blackjack game. In California, he stands accused of pocketing side fees and falsifying official documents, charges Saucier denies That being said, Saucier has been remarkably thrifty with the truth, as a profoundly damning bill of particulars indicates. To cite one instance, a misdemeanor drunk-driving charge was erroneously listed as a dismissal. That hardly seems like the sort of thing one would forget. In many other instances, when asked for material information, Saucier simply didn’t provide it — not even that he held a Nevada gaming license. (Also a memorable accomplishment, you’d think.) Oh, and he fibbed about his college degree. Such a peccadillo get the accomplished and admired J. Terrence Lanni hounded from the industry, but it’s practically an afterthought to Saucier’s litany of alleged dubious accomplished, the merest bagatelle. Believe me, I’m just scratching the surface of the Saucier File, filled as it is with a maze of shell companies and lawsuits.

My favorite is a 1998 court case in which Saucier sued the Mars Hotel (i.e., himself) and received a default judgment. Perhaps that was how he intended to get out from under a six-figure judgment to Sherron Associates. (“I don’t have the money, your Honor. The Mars Hotel & Casino does.”) Who knows? So, uh, colorful a character would — you’d think have a date with Nevada Gaming Control Board if California pulls his license. Not so. When Vegas Inc. brought the matter to the attention of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Chairman A.G. Burnett all but yawned in the reporter’s face: “Other states sometimes have vastly different laws and regulatory standards than we do. There are cases when a ‘denial’ doesn’t mean the same thing as it does in Nevada.”  Burnett sleepily assured the newspaper that his investigators would get in touch with California ones, wrote Vegas Inc. staffers, “to find out more about the allegations and see if they warrant further probing here.” Gee, ya think? Burnett’s not-so-implicit message was, What happens elsewhere didn’t happen.

A ‘Terrible’ decision. When the old Continental hotel-casino went bust back in 1999, then-Herbst Gaming (itself subsequently defunct and reconstitued as Jett Gaming) plucked it up and partially rebuilt it — although I’d nominate it for one of the most dysfunction casino-floor layouts in Vegas. Perhaps the latest makeover will remediate that. Now that the Herbst family is history and Affinity Gaming is at the reins, the Terrible’s moniker is out, replaced with Silver Sevens. The giant marquee cowboy, a dead ringer for ex-Las Vegas Review-Journal editor Thomas Mitchell (and considerably more useful to the community), will be donated to the Neon Museum. It’s not a particularly distinguished example of signage, though, and I suggest they stash it way in the back.

Returning from the wilderness after being ousted from the leadership of Marina Bay Sands, former Sheldon Adelson lieutenant Tom Arasi landed himself a glitzy gig right on the Las Vegas Strip. As “president of hospitality,” he’ll oversee everything short of casino operations, with a particular emphasis on the Quad/Linq/Gansevoort Las Vegas development. If longtime Caesars Entertainment tribunes Tom Jenkin and John Payne had their feelings hurt, they were mollified with fancy and nebulous new titles. Jenkin will be “global president of destination markets” while Payne is to be “president of central markets and partnership developments.” That means Payne gets Flyover Country while Jenkin is tasked with the east and west coasts, plus Horseshoe Hammond, and tribal and international properties. Caesars is desperately trying to go upscale and CEO Gary Loveman clearly didn’t think either Jenkin or Payne was the man for that task. Enter Arasi, stage right.

As though private equity firms and hedge funds hadn’t spent — er, invested — your money recklessly enough during the last five to 10 years, they had the cockamamie of wagering Grandma’s retirement nest egg on Nevada sports books. State Sen. Greg Brower (R, left) was private equity’s water boy for this ‘prop bet,’ which drew the adverse attention from the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Brower called it a “novel concept,” which is another way of spelling “lunatic idiocy.” Thanfully, Brower’s baby was smothered in the crib. Seriously, do you want Tom Barrack or Leon Black putting down NBA wagers with your money?

Meanwhile in Massachusetts …

As though the prospect of an $800 million casino weren’t enough to woo West Springfield, $35 million in infrastructure improvements have been added to the pot by Hard Rock International. Voters would crazy to turn this deal down, I think. It’s awfully “george.” That’s one of the nice things about casino expansion: Suitors will promise you all sorts of goodies in return for being chosen, as though they will sometimes (*cough*Sands Bethlehem*cough*) welsh on their promises if business isn’t what they imagined it would be.

The good news for Colony is that it gets free money. But the real winner may well be Trump Plaza, although it’s not going to sell for any $15 million: Carl Icahn will see to that, having already scotched one bargain-price sale. Rational will have to dig a little deeper, since it still wants to be in Atlantic City. There is at least one Caesars Entertainment property (Bally’s Wild Wild West) that could use new ownership but Caesars is the last company that’s going to want to let PokerStars onto the Boardwalk. (Caesars, however, may have been playing footsie with Penn National Gaming regarding the Showboat, although both parties deny it.)

In a veiled jab at Trump Entertainment Resorts and Caesars, Borgata President Tom Ballance said, “I believe some of the assets in this town need to be transferred to owners with better balance sheets who can make them more attractive.” By “owners,” he meant people like Tilman Fertitta, whose $188 million purchase and makeover of Trump Marina into the Golden Nugget has been one of the town’s few success stories lately. Properties like the Nugget, the Tropicana and Resorts Atlantic City are benefiting from the (long overdue) liberalization of potential uses of Casino Reinvestment Development Authority money to put more dollars into amenities. Resorts’ new Margaritaville theme is drawing early raves.

A good thing that new stores and restaurants are coming to Atlantic City. It needs to vamp for time until the Harrah’s Atlantic City convention center opens, perhaps as much as two years hence. A chastened Revel is brainstorming what’s called “seven-day programming … that will better cater to our gaming audience.” In other words, they’re not too good for the day-trippers anymore. New Jersey Casino Control Commission Chairman Matthew Levinson has already been vouchsafed the game plan and says he expects it to succeed. That’s a bit of a burden to put on Fine Point Group, which has barely had time to unpack its suitcases, but let’s hope he’s right.

Sprucing up one’s casino is also a theme we’re hearing out of Philadelphia. Everybody except the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission is saying what is quantifiably inarguable: A fifth casino is going to escalate — rather dramatically escalate, it would appear — the cannibalization that is already taking place. Steve Wynn just passed through Philly, talking up the idea of a small (300-room) hotel and a boutique-y casino, although he could only be so disingenuous, saying the gambling is “is what pays for the whole project,” as indeed it does. While no dollar amount has been attached to the project, Wynn’s customary lavishness will probably mean an investment even bigger than current big spender Bart Blatstein, who plans to pour $700 million into a downtown Isle of Capri-run casino. As monthly reports show, the Philadelphia market is past the point of elasticity. To be more competitive, SugarHouse is spending $155 million to exponentially increase its casino floor and expand its rather stingy package of amenities (one restaurant, one ‘bun and run,’ one bar). Harrah’s Philadelphia has fought back mainly by adding more slots and tables, a strategy which hasn’t stopped the erosion of its market share. Although online gambling could come to Pennsylvania during the current legislature, a few Keystone State casinos were over-eager, put up free-play site and got their knuckles rapped for it. Too soon, gentlemen. Don’t give your enemies ammunition with which to shoot you down.

This move improves Penn’s ability to own two casinos in Maryland, although not its chances. (Its bid ought to be rejected on the basis of the boring design alone.) Since neither MGM Resorts International and Parx Casino owner Greenwood Gaming are planning as much investment or more than Penn — and don’t own multiple casinos on Prince George’s County’s flanks — a snowball in Hell would stand a better chance of staying frozen than Penn does of getting that Free State last license.

Elsewhere in the province, Caesars Windsor finds itself in the imminent prospect of competing with Gary Loveman’s BFF, Dan Gilbert, who’s wrapping up his purchase of Greektown Casino, in Detroit, where Caesars Entertainment would undoubtedly rather be. Since no company can, by law, own two casinos in the market, Caesars has to find some way to unload woebegone Caesars Windsor and there’s a tough sell. The gaming industry up north, meanwhile, is struggling through the loss of a $335 million (USD) subsidy to horse tracks and the unexpected sacking of the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Commission’s chairman.

Gaming’s going to have to continue going it virtually alone when it comes to picking up the tab for the Nevada. Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) spurned Steve Wynn’s request for a microbe-sized gross receipts tax. Further contradicting Wynn, Sandoval said the state’s casino industry was “improving steadily.” By contrast, in Colorado, where casinos have had several rough years, the tax rate will not be raised again, as it was last year. Further cause for celebration was an $18 million increase in gross gaming receipts in 2012. Not huge, but heartening just the same. Back home, Sandoval threw the industry a bone in the form of a possible Internet poker alliance with Texas. It’s difficult to visualize Gov. Rick Perry (R), a steadfast gambling opponent, signing that bill – but he owes Sandoval a favor.

Didn’t I predict that Springfield-spurned Penn National Gaming will now likely pursue a casino license in Massachusetts‘ southeastern Region C? Seems others have reached the same conclusion. Penn’s “street cred” would dwarf anybody else currently in the running. However, Bay State casinos shouldn’t bank too heavily on the Connecticut market: The state’s two tribal casinos posted further declines in slot revenue, with Foxwoods Resort Casino, in a seven-month swoon, down 10%. On both a dollar and percentage basis, Mohegan Sun (above) performed better, 4% off last year’s pace.

We’re going to have to take Foxwoods CEO Scott “Woody” Butera’s word for it that good times are already here. “Table games, food and beverage, entertainment and the overall profitability of the enterprise were very good,” he asserted, but those numbers aren’t shared with the state. Foxwoods’ gaming numbers weren’t even helped by taking 100 slot machines off the floor, the first time it’s had fewer than 6,000 in 12 years. Sounds like “Woody” needs to cut back a little further on his slot inventory. At least he and his opposite numbers at Mohegan Sun can take comfort from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s nixing of slots at Belmont Park and OTB outlets on Long Island. Cuomo’s dealing a hot hand right now, having just struck a lucrative deal with the Turning Stone racino upstate.

Found by Vintage Vegas Valley, a Facebook page you really should “like.” As in, right this minute.