CONWAY HEADED FOR MOON!
Mike Conway, top gun at Las Vegas-based National
Airlines wants to add three jets to his existing fleet of 15.
Attorneys for National, which is
operating under Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection since December 2000, has asked
Judge Linda Riegle for permission to lease one of the Boeing 757 aircraft
from ILFC, a company that ÂÂÂalready has a contract with National. Motions
for the ÂÂÂother two planes are in the process of being filed for a hearing
scheduled this week.
Conway has told the court the airline
has the ability to make payments on the planes and not put pressure on its cash
flow.
Conway told GamingToday that
National would launch daily service to Seattle on May 23. The advance sale of
bookings has made it necessary to introduce new aircraft into the fleet.
At the same time, Conway has reached an
extension to the agreement in place with Harrah’s Entertainment (HET)
for a $12.2 million letter of credit with US Bank.
TRIPLE SHOT A TRIPLE THREAT! Triple
Shot — the popular game that combines War, 21 and poker — has been held over
by popular demand. Sources report that the Shuffle Master creation had a
“fantastic” 90-day trial run at the Treasure Island, and continues play
today.
“It was one of the most successful
field trials in years,’’ our pipe sang.
Once the Nevada Gaming Commission
gives its final blessing this month, Triple Shot is set to go in at
Harrah’s. It’s already in operation at a half dozen casinos around the
country.
SLOTS FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED! A
line of slot machines is on the way for the visually impaired. It will feature
the music and image of singer Ray Charles, whose blindness has not
impaired his ability as an entertainment giant.
The new game is designed by Bally
Gaming & Systems. It is unique. Braille dots on buttons and voice
commands by an automated likeness of Charles make the games “America the
Beautiful,” and “What’d I Pay?” playable with or without sight.
A spokesman for the slot company said
the machines have been submitted to Nevada
gaming regulators for approval.
Bally Vice President of Marketing Marcus
Prater said the company would offer the game to all of its casino customers.
It is expected that the games would be on the floor by late spring or early
summer.
FAMILY FEUD?
A power struggle between Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. (HET) and the
company that owns Harrah’s New Orleans casino has erupted into a public
war of words.
JCC Holding Company owns the
land-based casino on Canal Street. Harrah’s Entertainment is trying to
nominate more members than allowed to JCC’s board of directors and thus gain a
majority.
Harrah’s Chairman and Chief Executive
Phil Satre and Charles Teamer Sr., a New Orleans banker, were
nominated to the board. It would give HET four members on the ÂÂÂseven-member
board, if elected at JCC’s annual meeting to be held April 25.
JCC managers said, “no dice!” It
would be a clear violation of agreements approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court
last year.
“We hope JCC management will
reconsider their position. If they do not, we will be forced to consider our
legal options,” a Harrah’s Entertainment spokesman said.
Satre is a JCC board member up for
re-election, and two other members were Harrah’s nominees ”” its central
division president, Anthony Sanfilippo, and Eddie Williams.
MACAO TYCOON WINS!
Stanley Ho will maintain and revamp his once-monopolized casino business
in the Special Administration Region (SAR) for another 18 years after signing
the new gambling license agreement with Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah.
Ho is the managing director of the Macao
Gaming Holding Co. (SJM). He was one of the three successful candidates for
casino licensing. The two others were Las Vegas-backed Wynn Resorts and
Galaxy Casino Co. Ltd., A Hong Kong-Macao joint venture.
Negotiations on contract conditions are
said to be underway between the SAR and Wynn Resorts and Galaxy.
CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN?
Maybe that’s why Magna Entertainment (MIEC) purchased Lone Star Park
in Texas, its 11th racetrack.
Magna and Churchill Downs (CHDN)
are on a shopping spree. Word is that they each want to buy the Maryland
Jockey Club, which owns both Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course
in Baltimore.
It has little to do with racing,
however. It’s mainly about slot machines at the tracks. Maryland is hoping for
a change in politics that will bring the lucrative machines to horseplayers next
year and both Magna and Churchill want in on the action.
Surprisingly, Churchill may get shut
out in its home territory, Kentucky. A racetrack slot machine bill there seems
to have gotten bogged down and may not get out of the state legislature this
year, which adjourns April 15.
The picture looks brighter in California. Both Churchill and Magna have major holdings there and a move for a November ballot initiative to allow racetrack slots seems to be on the right track.
KING IN A GOPHER JERSEY: There wasn’t any exchange of goods in a wager between two state chief executives, only humiliation. Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, who favors sports wagering, challenged Maine Gov. Angus King to wager on the outcome of the NCAA Hockey Championship.
Whichever
governor lost would have to wear the opponent’s jersey to work on Monday.
Maine Black Bears lost in overtime, 4-3. Ventura now awaits a photograph showing King wearing the jersey of the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Goods were exchanged in a wager between
Maine Congressman John Balducci and Minnesota Congressman Martin Sabo.
As the loser, Balducci must provide Sabo with a Maine lobster dinner.