Take a good look at that flapper-era costume. It’s not long for Resorts Atlantic City. Now that the Mohegan Gaming Authority has well and truly taken the reins of the property, the late Dennis Gomes‘ Prohibition Era theming is on the way to the tipping bin. The ascendant, new influence is Jimmy Buffett. The success of his Margaritaville retrofit has been such a boost to Resorts’ financials (averaging 9% up over the last months) that one can expect the Margaritaville theme to be extended throughout the rest of Resorts A.C. Loyal “parrotheads” from up and down the Eastern Seaboard have been flocking to Resorts and bringing their “hedonistic tendencies” with them. In other words, it’s a party crowd. Between owner Morris Bailey‘s $70 million capex investment in Resorts and the Mohegans’ ability to cross-market it with Mohegan Sun and Pocono Downs, Resorts appears to have found a winning combination.
Who’s the boss? While Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson may be degenerating from peripheral neuritis, his hand is still steady 
enough to snare the Las Vegas Business Press‘ accolade as the top power-broker in Vegas. “For him, it seems to be about maintaining power, making sure that everyone knows he’s boss and that he can make things happen when and how he wants,” assesses Shannon Monnat, assistant professor of sociology at Penn State University. Which is a nice way of saying the Sultan of Sands doesn’t play well with others. Despite kowtowing to Adelson’s rather crass political donations, the LVBP feature also acknowledges their general futility. (I am impressed that casino-hatin’ Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal [R] would come groveling to Sheldon’s scooter for benediction. Have you seen the error of your ways, Bobby?) Of the other people on the list, everyone else is far lower-key. Adelson may have a big mouth, but how many more people’s lives are affected by Southern Nevada Water Authority tsarina Pat Mulroy? Far more — and I don’t think it’s arguable. Except for Nevada Gaming Commission member Dr. Tony Alamo Jr. (a very arguable choice) nobody else from the casino sphere made the list. Now there’s a burn Sheldon would enjoy.
The sunshine boys. The fellows at Union Gaming Group are predicting nothing but 
upside from the Land of the Rising Sun. They’re gosh-darn certain that casinos are coming to Japan and will generate $10 billion a year right out of the box. At least six top companies are taking the prospect seriously, including Sands, which wants to build on “reclaimed land” (read: garbage dumps) in Tokyo Bay. Yet Credit Suisse analyst Joel Simkins takes a cooler view, pointing out that the Japanese government’s plate is full with development already, but noting that Tokyo and Osaka might not be the only cities to get casinos, if they’re granted. One should also point out that if recent natural disasters didn’t impel Japan to legalize casinos, what makes the Olympics an inevitable catalyst?
