Tag: Las Vegas Sands

Las Vegas Sands Hires 51 Lobbyists to Push for Casino Legalization in Texas

Posted on by Grant Mahon

Even though there were speculations about the future of Las Vegas Sands following the death of its founder Sheldon Adelson, the company seems to be on the same route. At least, that’s the case when it comes to its involvement with casino legalization in Texas.

For the last couple of years of his life, one of Adelson’s main preoccupations was to persuade Texas lawmakers into ditching the laws that ban casino gambling. In late 2020, he hired 10 lobbyists with the intention of pushing his Texas casino agenda.

After Adelson’s passing, his successors in Las Vegas Sands decided to up the ante – they hired 51 lobbyists with the same intention.

Sands Becomes Second-Largest Lobbying Group in Texas Behind AT&T

With Adelson gone, the man in the spotlight is Andy Abboud. The vice president of government relations at Las Vegas Sands is the man in charge of the lobbying operation the aim of which is to make casinos legal in Texas.

In Abboud’s words “Texas is considered the biggest plum still waiting to be out there in the history of hospitality and gaming.”

The lobbying team has never been this big – with 51 people involved and about $4.5 million spent, the Las Vegas Sands lobbying group is the second-largest of its kind in the Lone Star State. The only other company with a larger and more powerful lobbying group is AT&T.

With so many invested in this project, Las Vegas Sands is expecting results. However, Texas legislators remain silent on this matter for the time being. However, all the signs are there that there’s a bright future for the Texas casino industry.

What’s the Destiny of Casino Legalization in Texas?

Old Westerns might have given you the idea that gambling plays a pivotal role in the culture of Texas. Add to that the fact that one of the most popular variants of poker bears the name of the state and you’re in for a surprise – casino gambling has been banned in Texas since 1903.

Still, there are some notable exceptions. Parimutuel wagering is legal at racetracks, while there are also a couple of tribal casinos within the state borders. Commercial casinos, however, remain banned. The question is for how long?

The tide seems to be moving in favor of casino legalization in Texas, and it’s not just because of Las Vegas Sands lobbying. It’s also because the COVID-19 pandemic has created a big hole in the state’s budget that gambling tax could fill.

Another reason is that the establishment of land-based casinos in Texas would mean more jobs for locals. The thing is that the unemployment rate in Texas is pretty high and casinos could solve the problem for at least a couple of thousand people.

Finally, it appears that Texans are in favor of casino legalization. A public poll by the University of Houston this January showed that about 70% of people are in favor of casino legalization. Knowing all this, it seems like a safe bet to say Texas is going to get its first commercial casinos real soon.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

The Future of Sands/Crown Deal in Question After Adelson’s Passing

Posted on by Grant Mahon

On Monday night, the owner of Las Vegas Sands and one of the richest men in the world, Sheldon Adelson, passed away at the age of 87, following complications from his cancer treatment.

Adelson will be remembered as one of the most powerful people in the gaming industry, whose company owns and operates a number of luxury casinos around the world, including properties in Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore, where the iconic Marina Bay Sands resort is located.

Adelson’s empire has been constantly growing since 1989 when he launched Las Vegas Sands after purchasing the struggling business of the Sands Hotel. The company did suffer during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but not too much – Las Vegas Sands continued paying salaries to its employees as if they were working.

Not only that but the world’s largest casino operator also reportedly planned to spread its empire to Australia through the purchase of a 36% stake in Crown Resorts. There’s a big question mark hovering over that deal, following the death of Adelson.

Rumors About Sands/Crown Deal

As reported by the UK’s Daily Mail, Shane Adelson spent New Year’s Eve with James Packer, one of the owners of Crown Resorts. The two casino magnates were seen docking their superyachts next to one another – Packer’s $200m-worth Arctic P and Adelson’s $70m-worth Queen Miri.

Although there’s nothing strange in two billionaires socializing on their superyachts, the rumor about Sands acquiring a share of Crown Resorts doesn’t seem too farfetched. The thing is that Packer and his casino group are currently under an investigation in New South Wales, where officials are checking whether the company was suitable to hold a gaming license.

There’s speculation that the Aussie businessman is looking to get rid of his 36% stake in Crown Resorts. However, there aren’t too many companies in the world that have the kind of money for this kind of purchase. But, Las Vegas Sands definitely has!

The trouble is that with Sheldon Adelson gone, it’s not sure whether the new decision-makers in Las Vegas Sands will be willing to start off with such a big investment.

The Future of Online Gambling in the US After Adelson’s Death

Sheldon Adelson was arguably the most important person in the gaming industry. We’re not talking just about the United States, but the entire world. It’s not only because his company owned properties around the world, but also because Adelson was a very influential person in world politics.

Adelson will be remembered as one of the main backers of Israel’s current PM Benjamin Netanyahu. With Adelson’s help, Israel persuaded the United States to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

This happened during Donald Trump’s Presidency, who was also responsible for brokering a deal that would see two other countries moving their embassies to Jerusalem, namely, Serbia and Kosovo.

Speaking of Trump, Adelson was one of his main supporters. In fact, ahead of the 2020 Elections, Adelson donated $75 million to Trump’s campaign. One of the reasons behind Sheldon’s love for the leaving President is that Trump was his ally in the crusade against US online gambling.

There’s no surprise that the owner of land-based casinos was one of the main opponents of the legalization of online casino gaming in the United States. However, unlike many other casino owners, who have been trying to adapt to the modern world by embracing internet gaming, Adelson wanted to ban it entirely.

Over the last 15 years, he had been pushing for the reenactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which would make internet gambling illegal again. Still, despite his efforts, it seems that good days are coming for American online casinos. The number of states that are working on making this gambling form legal keeps growing.

Grant Mahon

Grant is the self-professed casino madman and reporter that brought this eclectic team of dedicated and talented writers together from around the world to proudly build an humble empire of authentic casino news.

Las Vegas Sands Completes Rebranding as Wind Creek Bethlehem

Posted on by Aran Malik

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ hospitality group Wind Creek has successfully rebranded and opened the former Las Vegas Sands property.

Wind Creek Hospitality Adds 10th Property with Sands Rebranding

PCI Gaming Authority Wind Creek Hospitality has completed the rebranding of Las Vegas Sands, five months after the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved the $1.3bn sale of the property.

The rebranded property features a 282-room AAA Four Diamond hotel, a 183,000 square foot casino floor, a 150,000 square foot retail mall and an event center.

Commenting on the rebrand, Wind Creek President and CEO Jay Dorris said: “Our team has worked to preserve what makes the property a special part of the Bethlehem community while introducing the Wind Creek brand, our Wind Creek Rewards program and our focus towards guest service. We invite everyone to come visit and see why they belong at Wind Creek Bethlehem.”

A grand opening event was held to celebrate the rebranding, including a ribbon cutting ceremony, performances by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians tribal dancers and special gaming promotions.

WCH VP of Business Development Arthur Mothershed has pointed out to the opportunities now made available to the region, citing economic growth and job creation.

The Wind Creek Bethlehem Set to Expand

WCH invested $15 million to complete the rebranding alone. Furthermore, the hospitality company plans to expand the property to include a 300-room hotel and to renovate its Machine Shop 2, allegedly into an indoor water park.

On Thursday, October 10, WCH officials said that the company was already eyeing a new 276-room hotel that would sprawl on 42,000 square meters. Estimated $90 million will go down in building the new property. Meanwhile, WCH is looking to bring flagship assets back to their former glory.

The No. 2 Machine Shop, located next to the main resort building, will get a $250-million facelift, restoring the space into a 400,000 square feet water park, and adding up to 450 hotel room. Wind Creek is also looking to improve on the overall guest satisfaction experience and market itself as a holiday destination.

To this end, the company is trying to fine-tune the amenities offered on its properties. Additional $100 million has been allocated to an indoor park, Dorris specified. However, Wind Creek will seek a partner willing to invest and contribute $150 million to help with funding the park.

Recently, Wind Creek pitched a proposal to develop a multi-million-dollar project and enter Chicago’s promising casino sector. The company has its sights set on East Hazel Crest and Homewood. Based on WCH’s estimates, the company will need to invest $275 million during the first phase of development.

The pitch has found help among local lawmakers, including Homewood Mayor Richard Hofeld who commented that the industry would effectively generate $155 million in the first year of operation alone.

Aran Malik

“Magic Malik”—as we like to call him—is not only a tech whiz but a wizard when it comes to getting obscure news hot off the press so we know exactly what’s happening and can explore and report it back to our growing and loyal readerbase.