Considered by many the logical successor to Steve Wynn, his envoy to Macao, Linda Chen, is more spoken of than seen. CNN offers us a rare glimpse of the woman who may well be calling the shots at Wynn Resorts if her current boss ever wearies of his day job.
* As someone who logs a lot of long flights, Chen might want to pack some reading matter, specifically UNLV’s Gaming Law Journal. In its latest issue, Prof. Jorge Godhino of the (richly Wynn-endowed) University of Macao looks at Macanese gaming regulation and finds it about 10 years behind the times. Among its shortcomings he numbers the practice of side-betting: “agreements between a third party and a patron whereby the amount formally credited is only a fraction of the real amount, which remains concealed.”
In other words, I’m betting against you and we’re both betting against the house. By ignoring this custom, the Macanese government is literally leaving tax dollars on the table, Godhino argues. He also faults the government for a lack of regulatory transparency. Also, although a serious breach of regulations could get your gaming concession pulled, “The current situation is one where the Government does not have the means to punish minor offences.” Compared to Nevada, it all sounds very laissez-faire.
* Speaking of Macao, New Jersey state Sen. Raymond Lesniak is still spouting total nonsense about Paul Fireman‘s high-risk, $4.6 billion megaresort project for Jersey City. “This will compete with Macao and exceed it. What Macao doesn’t have is the metropolitan area and the New York skyline,” Lesniak blathered, showing that he doesn’t understand Macao at all.
* Casino executives are playing musical chairs on the Gulf Coast. Chett Harrison (right) is leaving Penn National Gaming to run Golden Nugget Biloxi for Tilman Fertitta. His predecessor at the Nugget, Jim Hoskins, is moving upstairs to become divisional vice president for gaming at the corporate level. These are well-traveled gentlemen. Hoskins’ resume includes stints at Caesars Palace, Beau Rivage, Grand Casino Gulfport and Harrah’s New Orleans, serving as GM of the last two properties.
Penn is dispatching Anthony Carlucci from Hollywood Casino St. Louis to take charge of Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis and Boomtown Biloxi from Harrison. Carlucci’s paid his dues at grind joints like the Copa Casino (now resting and rusting on the bottom of the sea) and the Sands Regency Hotel & Casino, in Reno. More recently, he’s been assistant general manager of Boomtown Biloxi and Hollywood Casino Tunica‘s general manager. We’d say he probably knows a thing or two about difficult markets.
Dave, the Wynn logo is on the jet.