Detroit Casino News -
2010
December 10, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (“MGCB” or “Board”) released the November, 2010 total
adjusted revenue figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand
Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casino. Overall,
revenue for the Detroit Market was up by 4.8% in November, 2010 from
the same reporting period last year. Specifically, revenue for MGM
Grand Detroit Casino and MotorCity Casino was up by 11% and 6%,
respectively, while revenue for Greektown Casino was down by 6.7%,
in comparison to the same month last year.
December 3, 2010
On November 16,
2010, MotorCity Casino Hotel announced that Bruce Dall and Jenny Holaday assumed new
positions within the company. Mr. Dall has been named Senior Vice
President of Finance and Administration / CFO. Ms. Holaday has been
promoted to the title of Senior Vice President of Operations.
December 3, 2010
Today, the Michigan
Gaming Control Board (“MGCB”) unveiled a newly revamped
website portal at
www.michigan.gov/mgcb.
Mr. Rick Kalm, Executive Director of the MGCB, noted that the
changes made to the website will help “streamline the distribution
of information from the MGCB to supplier licensees servicing the
Detroit casinos, as well as provide an online submission process for
certain regulatory filings.” Mr. Kalm noted that it is also the
MGCB’s goal to utilize the website for Gaming Laboratory submissions
and modify the portal in the future with additional automated
functionality.
November 12, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (“MGCB” or “Board”) released the October, 2010 total
adjusted revenue figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand
Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casino. Overall,
revenue for the Detroit Market was up by 3.1% in October, 2010 from
the same reporting period last year. Specifically, revenue for MGM
Grand Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino was up
by 4.2 %, 3.7 %, and 0.8% respectively, in comparison to the same
month last year.
October 15, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (“MGCB” or “Board”) released the September, 2010 total
adjusted revenue figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand
Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino. Overall,
revenue for the Detroit Market was up by 5.6% in September, 2010
from the same reporting period last year. Specifically, revenue for
MGM Grand Detroit Casino and MotorCity Casino Hotel was up by 11%
and 3.9 percent, respectively, while revenues for and Greektown
Casino-Hotel was down by .3% in comparison to the same month last
year.
September 21, 2010
On Tuesday,
September 21, 2010, the Michigan Senate unanimously passed Senate
Bill 1432 that would block cash access from Michigan Bridge Cards at
ATMs located on casino properties in Detroit.
September 20, 2010
On September 20,
2010, MGM Resorts International announced that the position of
President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Regional Operations
for MGM Resorts International will be assigned to George P. Corchis,
Jr. Most recently, Mr. Corchis has served as COO of MGM Resorts
International’s two Mississippi properties. He will now assume
responsibility for managing the strategic direction of MGM Grand
Detroit Casino while still overseeing operations for both
Mississippi properties; Beau Rivage in Biloxi and Gold Strike in
Tunica.
September 17, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (“MGCB” or “Board”) released the August, 2010 total
adjusted revenue figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand
Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino. Overall,
revenue for the Detroit Market was up by 1.1% in August, 2010 from
the same reporting perod last year. Specifically, revenue for MGM
Grand Detroit Casino was up by 8.8%, while revenues for MotorCity
Casino Hotel and Greektown Casino-Hotel were down by 5.1% and 2.4%
respectively in comparison to the same month last year.
September 10, 2010
On Wednesday,
September 8, 2010, Campbell-Ewald announced that it will be
launching a new ad campaign for MotorCity Casino Hotel titled, “A
Million Miles Away, Right Down the Street.” Campbell-Ewald was
awarded the MotorCity Casino Hotel advertising contract in July of
this year.
September 3, 2010
Rhonda Cohen, an
employee of MotorCity Casino since its opening in 1999, has retired.
September 3, 2010
On September 1,
Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed former judge Kenneth Sanborn to
the Michigan Gaming Control Board (“Board”). Sanborn will fill a
seat that has been vacant since last year.
September 3, 2010
Lorenzo Creighton,
president and Chief Operating Officer of MGM Grand Detroit Casino,
announced his resignation early last week. Mr. Creighton will assume
the role of Chief Executive Officer of Gateway Casinos and
Entertainment, a Vancouver-based casino management company.
August 20, 2010
Freman Hendrix, the
current Detroit Charter Revision Commission (“Commission”) chair,
will resign his position on September 14th in order to join the
Greektown Casino Board of Directors. Mr. Hendrix announced the move
on August 17th via letter to Commission Vice Chair, Jenice Mitchell
Ford. Vice Chair Ford will assume Mr. Hendrix’s role as Commission
chair and the Commission will vote to appoint a new member.
August 20, 2010
MotorCity Casino
has received the 2010 Pinnacle Award for Hotels. The award is given
to hotels based on hospitality excellence. The 2010 Pinnacle Awards
are selected by readers of Successful Meetings Magazine based upon
their meeting experiences. Specifically, they are voted on by
meeting planners throughout the country and organized through
Successful Meetings Magazine, one of the meeting planning industry’s
leading periodicals.
August 20, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (“MGCB” or “Board”) released the July, 2010 total
adjusted revenue figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand
Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino. Overall,
revenue for the Detroit Market was up by 3% in July, 2010 from the
same reporting period last year. Specifically, revenues for MGM
Grand Detroit Casino and MotorCity Casino were up by 5.5% and 5.5%
respectively, while revenues for Greektown Casino were down by 3.5%
compared to the same month last year.
July 30, 2010
On July 30, 2010,
MGM Grand Detroit and The Greening of Detroit (TGOD) hosted a
groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the first Detroit-based urban
greenhouse and garden. MGM Grand Detroit will invest $1 million in
value to the project over the next five years.
July 20, 2010
On July 20, 2010,
the Michigan Gaming Control Board (“MGCB” or “Board”) released the
June, 2010 total adjusted revenue figures for the three Detroit
casinos – MGM Grand Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown
Casino. Overall, June revenue for the Detroit market was $109.8
million, up slightly compared to June, 2009. Specifically, revenue
for MGM Grand Detroit Casino was up by 5.6%, while revenues for
MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casino were down by .9% and 6.2%
respectively, compared to the same month last year.
July 20, 2010
On Tuesday, July
20, 2010, the Detroit City Council approved the funding necessary
for transforming the old MGM Grand Detroit Casino site into the
City’s new public safety headquarters. By a 5-4 vote, the former
casino will house the city’s police and fire department
headquarters, as well as a new crime lab operated by the Michigan
State Police. The approval allocates $6.3 million for the purchase
of the building, and allows for the sale of $100 million in bonds to
fund both the purchase and the renovation of the site.
July 16, 2010
Proponents for two
separate petitions to expand casino gaming in Michigan have failed
to collect the required amount of signatures to be included on the
November, 2010, statewide ballot.
July 2, 2010
Greektown Casino
Hotel successfully emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 30,
2010, according to a filing made with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for
the Eastern District of Michigan. The casino’s Chapter 11 plan of
reorganization, confirmed in January, became effective Wednesday.
June 29, 2010
On Tuesday, June
29, 2010, Senator Ray Basham (D-8th District) introduced Senate
Bill (SB) 1406, a
measure which seeks to eliminate the exemption from the statewide
smoking ban currently allowed for the gaming floors of the three
Detroit casinos. On May 1, 2010, the statewide smoking ban, which
prohibits smoking in all public places, including workplaces,
restaurants and bars, became effective. The current law exempts
cigar bars, specialty tobacco retails stores and the gaming floors
of the Detroit casinos from the smoking ban.
June 18, 2010
A t 1:00pm on
Monday, June 28, 2010, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) will
hold a special Board meeting at the MGCB’s Detroit offices, located
at Cadillac Place, 3062 West Grand Blvd., Suite L-700, Detroit. The
purpose of the meeting is to consider the approval of a proposed
transfer of interest in Greektown Casino, L.L.C.
The special Board
meeting will discuss the regulatory approvals necessary for
Greektown Casino to emerge from bankruptcy. If all legal and
regulatory approvals are obtained, Greektown Casino’s exit from
bankruptcy is currently set to occur by June 30, 2010. Greektown
Casino has been under bankruptcy court protection since May, 2008.
June 18, 2010
Detroit Mayor Dave
Bing is seeking to have the city purchase the old MGM Grand Detroit
Casino and transform it into the new Detroit police and fire
department headquarters. Mayor Bing has asked the Detroit City
Council to decide upon approval of the plan by June 25th.
June 18, 2010
On June 10, 2010,
the Detroit Free Press reported that a recent poll of 616 potential Michigan voters
conducted by a firm retained by a group opposed to expansion
indicated that 34% of those surveyed support a casino gaming
expansion ballot proposal, 47% oppose such a measure, and 19% are
undecided.
June 11, 2010
T he Michigan
Gaming Control Board (“MGCB” or “Board”) released the May, 2010
total adjusted revenue figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM
Grand Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino.
Overall, revenue for the Detroit Market was down by .78% in May,
2010 from the same reporting period last year. Specifically, revenue
for MGM Grand was up by 3.4%, while revenues for MotorCity Casino
and Greektown Casino were down by 5.1% and 1.5% respectively,
compared to the same month last year.
June 9, 2010
O n Wednesday, June
9, 2010 U.S. Representative Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) issued a
letter asking for federal guidance regarding legal issues relating
to a proposed transfer of a parcel of the Greektown casino real
estate.
In a letter
addressed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of the
Interior Ken Salazar, Rep. Stupak requests that the U.S. Department
of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Justice “investigate
whether it is legally possible for the Tribe to lose its real estate
interest in Greektown Casino in light of the Indian Non-Intercourse
Act, 25 U.S.C. § 177.” The letter further provides that the Act
“prohibits the sale, grant or lease of land from any Indian nation
without the consent of the federal government.” The Sault Ste. Marie
Tribe of Chippewa Indians has been the majority owner of the casino.
May 14, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (MGCB) released the April, 2010 total adjusted revenue
figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand Detroit Casino,
MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino. Overall, revenue for the
Detroit Market was up by 7% in April, 2010 from the same reporting
period last year. Specifically, revenue for Greektown Casino and MGM
Grand Detroit was up by 11.9% and 12.1% respectively, while revenue
for MotorCity Casino was down by 3.27% compared to the same month
last year.
May 14, 2010
On Thursday, May 6,
2010 MGM Grand Detroit announced the appointment of longtime
employee Troy Hammie as its new Vice President of Slot Operations.
As Vice President of Slots, Mr. Hammie is responsible for all slot
operations at the casino, which includes the mix and promotion of
more than 4,000 slot machines.
May 7, 2010
During mid-April,
2010 the Michigan Gaming Control Board (“MGCB”) issued its 2009
Annual Report to the Governor. The Annual Report includes an updated
progress report on the implementation, licensure, and regulation of
authorized commercial casino gaming in the City of Detroit, and
oversight of the Native American Class III Casinos located in
Michigan.
April 23, 2010
Michigan voters
will potentially have the ability to consider two separate gaming
expansion ballot initiatives this November as a result of the
efforts of the organizations Racing to Save Michigan and Michigan Is
Yours. Earlier this year, ballot committees for both groups
submitted their ballot language to the Michigan Board of State
Canvassers. The ballot committees are now working to obtain the
necessary signatures to put the
ballot initiatives
on the November state-wide ballot. The two proposals are summarized
below. It is important to note that each committee will be required
to submit 380,126 valid signatures by July 5, 2010.
April 16, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (MGCB) released the March, 2010 total adjusted revenue
figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand Detroit Casino,
MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino. Overall, revenue for the
Detroit Market was up by 6% in March, 2010 from the same reporting
period last year. Specifically, revenue for Greektown Casino and MGM
Grand was up by 11.7% and 8.5% respectively, while revenue for
MotorCity Casino was down by 1% compared to the same month last
year.
March 11, 2010
The Michigan Senate
voted unanimously to allow school districts which receive money
though Class III tribal compacts to use casino funds for college
scholarship programs. Senate Bill 1097 (SB 1097) provides that “[a]
school district may establish and administer scholarships for its
students or graduates to support their attendance at a postsecondary
educational institution from funds the school district receives as a
result of a compact entered into between this state and a federally
recognized Indian tribe pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory
Act.”
March 9, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (“MGCB”) met for the first time since its December 15,
2009 meeting. Ms. Barbara Rom, the MGCB Chair, began by welcoming
new Board Member James Plakas, who was appointed by Michigan
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm on February 25, 2010. Mr. Plakas’
appointment to the MGCB brings the board total to four members with
one seat remaining vacant. It is also of note that the March 9th
public meeting was Ms. Rom’s first meeting in the capacity as Chair
following her designation by Governor Granholm earlier this year.
March 9, 2010
The Michigan Gaming
Control Board (MGCB) released the February, 2010 total adjusted
revenue figures for the three Detroit casinos – MGM Grand Detroit
Casino, MotorCity Casino, and Greektown Casino. Overall, revenue
was down by 1.7 % from the same reporting period last year.
Specifically, revenue for Greektown Casinos was up by 8.4%, while
revenue for MGM Grand Detroit and MotorCity Casino was down by 1.68%
and 8.7% respectively, compared to the same month last year.
February 25,
2010
Crain’s Detroit Business reported that former state representative
and Garden City mayor Jim Plakas has been appointed to the Michigan
Gaming Control Board (“MGCB”) by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.
February 23,
2010
The Detroit Free Press has reported that the chairperson of the
Michigan Gaming Control Board (“MGCB”), Damian Kassab resigned.
Following the announcement, the Michigan Gaming Newsletter confirmed
the resignation with Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm’s office
and was advised that Ms. Barbara Rom had been appointed by the
Governor as the new chairperson.
February 11,
2010
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing announced at a Time magazine and Brookings
Institute-sponsored forum entitled “Reimagining Detroit: Making
Washington A Partner in Detroit’s Next Economy,” that if the city
properly right-sizes, while marketing its positive attributes, and
creates ways to develop safe communities to attract new growth, it
may have a bright future.
February 4,
2010
The Detroit City Council voted 6-3 in favor of a settlement with
Greektown Casino that, according to Charles Moore, the casino’s lead
restructuring advisor with Conway MacKenzie, resolves all open
disputes between the city and the casino over development agreement
and tax issues.
January 22,
2010
According to aggregate casino revenues for the top five markets in
the U.S., Detroit’s three commercial casinos ended 2009 with a
smaller percentage drop in revenues than the other four top
performing markets.
Judge Walter Shapero
of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
entered an Order confirming the Second Amended Joint Plans of
Reorganization in the Greektown Casino bankruptcy matter. Under the
confirmed plan of reorganization, ownership of the Casino will pass
to a group of the Casino’s bondholders.
January 11,
2010
The illegal gambling tip hotline to help the fight against
unauthorized gaming in the state of Michigan was proven to be a
success. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (“MGCB”) announced the
implementation of the hotline in October 2009. According to
Executive Director Rick Kalm, the new program, which unites the MGCB,
Michigan State Police, Michigan Liquor Control Commission, and the
Michigan Lottery, has been a great success.
January 5, 2010
Greektown Casino announced that former interim CEO and seven-year
Greektown management veteran Cliff Vallier will be the property’s
new Chief Executive Officer. The casino also announced that Isle of
Capri of Michigan, L.L.C. will offer marketing and consulting
services to the casino.
