Local preservationist Kelden Engel is trying to fight the power. He’s seeking 51,000 qualified signatures in a petition drive to halt demolition of the Riviera, currently slated 
for June. Not only is he racing the clock, he may be fighting another adverse circumstance: Since the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority owns the Riviera, there is some question as to whether Clark County would have the standing to intervene in the demolition, regardless of how many signatures Engel collects. In the meantime, the demolition contractor “will have to wrap the building in plastic and chisel away the finish and haul the debris away to prevent asbestos particles from becoming airborne during a planned implosion.” The Riviera, y’see, hails from that era when we thought asbestos was a good thing (sort of like methadone when it was introduced). Engel wants to preserve at least one of the Riviera towers, as a gesture acknowledging old Las Vegas, though I’m not sure it would serve any purpose. Besides, he’s left it a bit late. The Neon Museum has already removed several decorations and a sign from the building, and collector Will Durham took the big R-I-V-I-E-R-A (in the center of the picture above) up to Reno last week, an operation that was covered on live television by 3 News Las Vegas. We admire Engel’s historically minded spirit but think he’s should have gotten an earlier start.
* “Meaningful flooding” put a literal damper on casino business in Louisiana, with the Shreveport market off 5%, Lake Charles down 12% and New Orleans falling 13%. Thus, 
Louisiana continues a four-month swoon, with some operators (Caesars Entertainment -17%, Isle of Capri Casinos -13% and Boyd Gaming -10%) taking it especially hard. The New Orleans market ($47 million) fell to third place in the state. Despite a 9.5% revenue decline, Golden Nugget ($20 million) in Lake Charles continued to close the gap on L’Auberge du Lac ($24.5 million, -9%). Boyd’s nearby Delta Downs ($14 million) took a 19% hit. Outlying Boyd properties Amelia Belle ($4 million) and Evangeline Downs ($8 million) were off 6% and 5% respectively.
Despite getting hammered with a 21% revenue decrease, Harrah’s New Orleans substantially outperformed the market, grossing $24 million. It’s a long way down from there to Boomtown New Orleans (-2%). Boyd’s Treasure Chest riverboat was up 1% but grossed $9 million, while Churchill Downs‘ Fair Grounds racino was a distant fourth, grossing $4 million for a -12.5% decline. If smokers were avoiding Harrah’s and Fair Grounds due to the Big Easy’s smoking ban, they weren’t taking a lot of their business over to the two Jefferson Parish casinos.
Smokers are safe in Baton Rouge but all three casinos suffered anyway. L’Auberge Baton Rouge continued to outdistance the rest of the market, with $13 million, a 4%, while a 9% decline at
Hollywood Baton Rouge translated to a $6 million gross. Tropicana Entertainment‘s Belle of Baton Rouge was down only 2%, for a $5 million gross. Pinnacle Entertainment defied the odds in the Shreveport/Bossier City, where Boomtown Bossier actually managed a 6.5% increase, for a $6 million haul. Everybody else was down, although Eldorado Resorts‘ eponymous casino ($12 million) ducked any body blows, slipping only 1.5%. The two Caesars properties reported declines of 10% (Horseshoe Bossier) and 19% (Louisiana Downs), although Horseshoe’s $16 million was best in the market. Boyd took an 11% hit at Sam’s Town Shreveport (pictured, $7 million), while Margaritaville ($12 million), down 8%, and Diamond Jacks ($4 million, -13%) rounded out the tally.
* Junket operators are collaborating with the Macao government to develop a “blacklist” of high-risk VIP players. The move comes as the government prepares a set of stringent rules for new junket operators.
