Posts Tagged ‘PA’
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
Pennsylvania is a state that has long held high profile racing for a number of years now. The gaming in the state is slowing down though. It is no secret that race track gambling has been down since the recession. More and more people are cutting gambling out of their weekly budgets, and racing is one major part of that. Race track owners have been trying to come up with ways to spur on their numbers and revive their markets. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is doing just that, but noted that racing in the state is down by 25% since the same time two years ago. Numbers are so far down that owners are worried that the market cannot be restored without some serious changes and modifications of what they offer. In the year 2009, Pennsylvania brought in $235 million in gambling revenues thanks to the racing industry. That was a huge amount and many legislators and comptrollers started to rely on that money. They earmarked it for the future budget items and counted on it to be a steady form of revenue. Unfortunately that was not to be. Legislators quickly learned that racing is as reliable as gambling in the market. It is dependent on discretionary funds and when customers ended up in the unemployment lines, gambling was one of the first things cut out of their budgets. This put race tracks in defensive positions with few ways to turn things around.
The only thing that is offering hope to the state’s control board is slot machines. Slots are credited with keeping the racing market of the state alive, if not kicking. The market is suffering and slots seem to be the only thing that is making even a dent in it. If anything can save the market, slots should be it. Pennsylvania is not alone though—it seems that tall states right now have race track markets that are dwindling. It may take time to spur on the market, or it could be necessary for companies to increase their slots gaming and diminish their racing altogether. It is possible that racing is a dying sport and there are no ways to revive them post recession.
Tags: PA, Pennsylvania, racing, racino, track
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Monday, November 1st, 2010
A lot of companies are struggling in today’s gaming market. Just look at the headlines regarding casinos. Left and right throughout the US casinos are shutting down, laying off workers or just having a hard time making ends meet. Though some companies are having problems, there still remain some companies that are doing well. Harrah’s is one of them. First of all the company had a victory of sorts recently. It experienced a growth in the market where growth streams just aren’t all that common. In New Orleans the company experienced a good month last month. This was the first of hopefully a turnaround for the market, or at least for this one gambling company. The company also made moves to expand. Recently the company came to the rescue of the Foxwoods Casino facility in Philadelphia. If anyone has been following that casino then they know that it has been stifled in the PA market. Though it has been up for development for a while now, the project stopped moving a few weeks ago, much to the dismay of the state’s legislators.
Because of the stall, the project could be shelved according to state laws though. This is why Harrah’s could be instrumental in the production of the project. Local investors who have been pushing it for development, are losing the battle and they could potentially lose their license if they don’t do something. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is going to push for change coming up and that could mean the license could change hands. Most likely though the company won’t lose its license, but the issue will be postponed for future negotiations. There is still a group that wants to shut down the project altogether too, but most likely they won’t get a chance to make their moves until a later date also. If Harrah’s has its own way, they will be able to start production and push the project farther before any of these further negotiations happen. Only time will tell what happens with the project, but hopefully for the same of the Pennsylvania gambling market, it isn’t put on hold for very much longer and Harrah’s is able to turn things around.
Tags: gaming, Harrah's, PA, project
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Monday, November 1st, 2010
Pennsylvania is ready for some good news. The state has long been under a financial strain due to the economy of the last two years and now it wants to turn things around. It was first earlier in 2010 that legislators approved table games to be used in the state for revenue. It was a good move, or that is what the signs are pointing to thus far. Though it has only been a few months, Pennsylvania is already taking over as a gambling hotspot on the East Coast. Legislators were right that if they brought table games in it would turn things around and open up a door for new revenue. Officials heard about how successful gambling had been for other markets and decided to give it a try for their own. Table games have long been popular in the gambling market. People love to get in on a good poker, blackjack or roulette game. There are a vast amount of options today and a good casino will bring in a lot list and a good selection of games for any visitor. This is exactly what Pennsylvania is doing and it is paying off.
Pennsylvanian operators are excited about their decision and the way it seems to be sorting itself out. Not only is the state seeing a great revenue stream, but it also is proving to be able to compete with Atlantic City. That is huge news. For years Atlantic City has had the market on gambling in the East Coast but it has been quickly losing that title since the onset of the recession. Its operators have been scrambling to find ways to reinvigorate the market but it hasn’t been easy. Now with the added competition of Pennsylvania gambling is in the mix, it could make things very difficult. Pennsylvania isn’t fretting though. The state’s operators are rejoicing at the table games and their success in the market so far. They know that this most likely is just the beginning of their revenue stream and they are looking forward to gaming revenues to come. Overall it was just another example of how gambling can be used to turn a market around completely.
Tags: East Coast, market, PA, Pennsylvania
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Saturday, October 30th, 2010
In recent months Pennsylvanian news a casino located at Gettysburg battlefield has taken center stage. There are dueling sides to the issue. Some people are in favor of the casino and others aren’t. They want to protect the location due to its historic appeal and want to make sure that it isn’t tainted via gambling and millions of potential visitors. On the other hand there is a pro-side. They believe that bringing in a casino to the Gettysburg area will do nothing but add to the already popular area and be a positive move for the local economy. Recently a veterans group joined together to voice their support for the building. They believe that a casino in the area will not sully the name of the area, but rather bring positive changes. It will reinvigorate the market and give visitors something to do. They may come to see the landmark location, but they will extend their stays to take advantage of the gambling offered at the casino. That means they will bring in millions of dollars to the area and hundreds of jobs—neither of which should be taken lightly. Remember that Pennsylvania, like other states, suffered during the recession and has had problems with recovery. Politicians and legislators alike are debating what they can do to bring in more tourist traffic. They want to turn things around, but know that change is dependent on the amount of people they can bring into their areas. What better way to bring people in than to create a premiere casino for them to enjoy?
The casino being proposed is the Mason Dixon Resort and Casino at the former Eisenhower Hotel. Penn National would head up the project and bring it to fruition along with businessman David Le Van. The joint venture would be for a premier casino that serves thousands of patrons every month. Their plan would support an increased economy and create a new revenue stream for the already notable area. It was somewhat of a surprise that the veteran group is behind the change, but now that they have voiced their opinions, it is helping to bring notoriety to the plan. Most likely it will happen due to the amount of money and job creation potential it has.
Tags: casino, Gettysburg, growth, PA
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Saturday, October 30th, 2010
More areas are suffering from casino increases. One of the biggest problems that gaming companies are facing is the increase in casinos. The problem is that numbers are down and have been for over two years now. But states are pushing for gambling increases—in games and in gaming floor space. They know how much money is brought into their economies via gambling and are ready to maximize that with more gambling options. The problem though is that there are not enough people to sustain all those gambling facilities at the level they are being constructed. Consider that if there is $5 million in revenue at one casino, it can sustain itself with revenue streams that are positive. On the other hand, if two more casinos are built in the area, that still leaves only $5 million in revenue, but now it has to be split three ways. And if one of those new casinos has a bigger gaming floor, or better games, or even better promotions, it is going to win out. That leaves the other two casinos in the dust. Overall things are leveling themselves off in the industry and a lot of casinos are still suffering though gambling is a highly popular undertaking.
Recently Atlantic City has been making headlines due to their revenues being down. Not minor declines in revenue, but seriously threatening declines. There is another change in the area now. Pennsylvania is a state that is making gaming changes now. The state added table games earlier this year and that is threatening neighboring state’s revenues considerably. The move by Pennsylvania is not only affecting New Jersey but also Connecticut. The leveling off period is making it difficult for casino companies to keep operating at the same levels. Consider that there also internet gambling companies entering the market. They not only have the asset of vast array of games, but they also offer the convenience of gambling from people’s own homes. Overall the gambling market is seeing a big shift and now pushing towards online gambling. This without a doubt will put more land based casinos on the offensive.
Tags: Atlantic City, CT, PA
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Wednesday, October 6th, 2010
Pennsylvania is yet another state that is looking for financial redemption to come from gambling. The state debated the issue for a long time and has opened the door to casino gambling. They are now growing to be one of the biggest money makers for the state and legislators couldn’t be happier. The casinos are all premiere locations for gambling and they include a great variety of games for visitors to have fun with. You can find poker, blackjack, craps and slots in the casinos. The state’s Gaming Control Board announced recently that the table games alone brought in $34.6 million in August of this year, which calculates out to $4.8 million in tax revenue dollars for the state. No one can argue that gambling is lucrative, but with numbers like this it is no wonder why legislators are making more of a push for gambling in the market. They want to further expand gambling and bring it to gamers because they know that if they “build it they will come.”
The world of gambling is changing and more states are becoming dependent on gambling money for the funding of various programs and expansion for the states. In Pennsylvania Mount Airy Casino brought in $3.4 million in revenue just on table games in August and that is a 24% growth jump since the month prior. That is huge and great news for the state. The recession left states with hefty deficits and big expenses, along with few ways to pay them. Now that gambling is making such a good showing, it could means the financial stress may be over. States are already portioning out their gambling funds to various expenses like building, expanding police forces, education, and roads. They need the funds and with gambling being so accommodating it is a great solution. The games that are proving to be most lucrative for the Pennsylvanian market are craps, roulette and blackjack. This is a surprise to operators, but they are also happy about the change. The casinos in the area feature over 2,500 of the biggest and best slot machines available in the market too and they are also performing top-dollar returns.
Tags: gambling, market, PA, Pennsylvania
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Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Pennsylvania has long been trying to spur its gambling market back to what it was pre-recession. It has had a difficult time and not just because of its locale, but also because of the state of the economy. It isn’t giving up without a fight though! The state is now focusing on the opening of Sugar House Casino. This is a premiere location for gambling that has been on the table for a long time now. It took years for the casino to come into being and the state even delayed it more than a few times with rigorous licensing practices and permit requirements. That wasn’t the only problem the casino operators had to overcome either. The people of the state also were on opposing sides for most of the issue. They are drawn up against each other on the same beliefs that other states have: one side believes the money and job-promise of a casino is enough, and the other side does not. Sides are fighting it out to see who wins over the bid, but most likely gambling will take over.
Sugar House casino opened though—despite the problems coming from the con-side of the issue. It is the perfect time to usher in a new casino because the state recently accepted legislation for legalizing table games and other casinos in the area already started operating them. Now, Sugar House promises to be a gaming hub within the state. So far the casino has thousands of gamblers who have been waiting patiently to get into its doors. It will be the answer to their prayers as they can play a variety of table games and slots at the premiere casino facility. Developers and investors built a casino that is hefty and full-service. It will be operating 24 hours a day and offer top notch gambling capabilities to all gamers in the area. Operators are hoping to capitalize on a market that is ripe and ready for gambling to be a part of its economy. They are hoping that the casino brings millions in and an increase of jobs for residents of the area. Advertising already has built up the market and most gamblers are excited to walk the casino floor…finally.
Tags: casino, gaming, PA, Pennslvania
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Sunday, September 26th, 2010
If you have followed the business market at all then you know who Donald Trump is. Known affectionately as “The Donald” to many close confidantes, Trump of course is a billionaire businessman who has made waves in the market. Not only is he a top-dollar developer, but he also has built a brand. Much like the Paris Hilton like activities, Trump parlayed his business career into a world of fame. He makes public appearances and has his own prime time television show. He is on late night talk shows and has created a persona for himself. That reputation for celebrity with a mind for business has grown his brand to one of the most highly recognizable ones in the business and entertainment market today. Now Trump is looking to expand his gambling entities, but may have some hurdles to overcome before the gambling plan is possible to move forward with.
Trump and his organization was looking to move in on Pennsylvania and its gambling market by getting one of the licenses for gaming available. Unfortunately, it lost the bid for the games this past week. It was Trump-owned Keystone Redevelopment Partners that was looking to get the license but it as Foxwoods that won it. The Foxwoods however ended up being unable to fulfill the contract for a casino due to the recession and its difficult financial repercussions. Once Foxwoods put the plan on hold, the Trump organization started their own pining for the license. The court denied keystone’s plan though. The company wanted to reopen the process of bidding. The Gaming Control Board believed that the bid was unsatisfactory and rejected it. Only time will tell what happens, but surely the Trump Organization is not done with its fight for a casino in Pennsylvania. Owners know how lucrative the market is right now and want to quickly move in on areas throughout the country where they can develop gaming facilities to attract millions. The future will show how the organization continues to push into the market, but most likely it will be a premiere location and an aggressive plan for gaming.
Tags: casino, develop, PA, Pennsylvania, Trump
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Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Pennsylvania is another state that is looking to become a gambling hub in the states. So far it has expanded its gambling casinos and is looking to maximize revenue coming in from the hobby. Now that the state is open to gaming, the Gaming Control Board is trying to support casinos in every way they can. Part of that support is to find viable ways of eliminating illegal gambling. Gambling of course is lucrative but illegal gaming is a huge threat. It can considerably cut down on the revenue legally brought into the market. To protect the legal market, the Pennsylvanian Gaming Board recently issued three grants that will go to law enforcement agencies. The purpose is to arm them with the money needed to fight and prosecute illegal gambling rings. Those grants totaled $300,000.
Illegal gambling is a problem within the world. Money is a great encouragement for people to push for gaming on their own terms. No one can argue that gambling is a billion-dollar industry and people want in. it is a much-coveted thing to position a company in the right spot at the right time. Though gambling is being slowly legalized, there is still a good number of illegal operations. Pennsylvania changed a law earlier this year that elevated the amount of Local Law Enforcement Grant Programs. Since that amendment, the amount is up to $2 million per year. This money is ear marked to investigate all illegal operations. The biggest chunk of the money is $250,000 and that is going to the State Police Department. An additional $23,000 goes to the Freeland Police Department and the remainder is going to Swatara Township Police department. The three departments are large and expected to use the money for supporting authorized gambling locations. This money is a big push for gaming and its security. It also is a sign of how important gambling is to the state’s market and how much they are going to put into protecting it from illegal activities. This also means that legislators expect gambling to rise consistently in coming months. They know how much expansion is expected and want to be ready for the changes.
Tags: gaming, grant, PA, Pennsylvania
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Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
Pennsylvania is now hot in the market of gambling. It seems that almost everyone wants a piece of the pie in the state now that it is looking to bring gambling in. The state’s gambling officials are setting their sights high and hoping to compete with Atlantic City for gamers and win. Atlantic City of course is a hub of gambling in the US and has long held the title of best gambling hot spot in the area. Now Pennsylvania is hoping to dethrone the location and build its own gambling community for tourists to frequent. So far there are four different developers looking to move in on Pennsylvania gambling and secure the last gaming license up for grabs in the state. So far here are the areas where the casino developers want to put new casinos in:
• Two developers want to bring a casino to the Poconos. The Poconos of course is already a tourist area that draws in millions every year. Having a casino at the location will only increase the number of patrons. If they can commit to a state of the art casino that will only increase the numbers and make the Poconos even more popular to a wider customer base of visitors.
• One other developer wants to put a casino at a Holiday Inn located near Harrisburg Pennsylvania. This is the same developer that wants to use the Gettysburg tourist location as a draw. They want to tie the casino into US history and use that as the attraction for their casino. This location now also has the support of the Gettysburg Historic Society also.
The fourth developer has yet to release information on the casino location. Due to the successful numbers gambling has brought in throughout the past few months this is an opportune time to bring in a new casino to Pennsylvania. Whoever does end up winning the bid most likely is going to see success due to the recent burst of gambling on the scene and its overwhelming growth in the areas. Plus, the locations announced so far are heavy traffic areas that bring in millions of tourists already. Hopefully they will continue to serve the gaming public and see success.
Tags: casino, development, PA, Pennsylvania
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