Posted on
Casino

Isle Casino Pompano Park to be Rebranded as Harrah’s Pompano Beach

By Robert Corwin

Caesars Entertainment made waves this month when they announced the rebranding of Isle Casino Pompano Park in Florida. According to the company, the casino will be renamed Harrah’s Pompano Beach. Attaching the Harrah’s brand to the casino is part of a series of rebranding and other changes being made by Caesars.

A new name is not all that is in store for the Pompano Beach casino. The property will also undergo a series of renovations and expansions that will be completed over several phases. The first phase is set to be completed this year.

The full project will not be completed until 2029. By the time it is over, the property will feature nearly 700 residential units and over 100,000 square feet of casino gaming space. Plans also include a Topgolf practice range and a 300-person jai alai fronton.

Isle Casino Pompano Park is just one of many Ceasars’ properties to be rebranded. In recent years, the company has also started rebranding properties in other states such as Missouri, Nebraska, and Louisiana.

First Phase to be Completed this Year

The first phase of the Isle Casino Pompano Park is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022. Part of the first phase will be officially rebranding the property to Harrah’s Pompano Beach. Officials from Caesars have made it clear that they feel the Harrah’s brand is one that only the best casinos deserve to have.

To make the Pompano Beach location more fitting of the Harrah’s brand, a massive renovation and expansion are planned. Construction on the first phase of the project broke ground earlier this month. Caesars will work with its development partner, The Cordish Cos., to complete the project. The casino will operate under the Harrah’s brand, while the additional resort elements will be known as Live! Resorts Pompano.

In the initial phase, the casino resort will add roughly 680 residential units. It will also add a 300-person jai alai fronton and a new Topgolf practice range. The project will add 1,500 parking spaces with a new four-level parking garage. These additions are part of the goal of creating a “city within a city” at Pompano Beach.

The casino floor will also be under renovation in the first phase of the renovation project. An additional 15,000 square feet of gaming space will be added to the existing gaming floor. Plans also include adding a new 12,500 square feet outdoor gaming terrace.

Full Project Will Not be Completed Until 2029

The first phase will be completed this year, but the project will continue until the end of the decade. When it is all said and done, the existing Isle Casino Pompano Park will be unrecognizable. In total, the project will cover more than two million square feet and create thousands of new jobs.

When the project is completed, the new Harrah’s Pompano Beach and Live! Resorts Pompano will have completely replaced the current casino and racetrack. The new casino resort will offer 100,000 square feet of gaming, entertainment, and dining options. In the casino, guests can access 30 live-action table games and 750 electronic table games and slot machines.

Plans also call for building 4,100 residential units and 950 hotel rooms. In addition, there are plans for building a public park, a movie theatre, and even a Publix grocery store. Additional retail spaces will be available in 10 one-story buildings with over 800 dedicated parking spaces. The city within a city will also add a new Tri-Rail commuter station as well as walking and bike trails.

One of Several Rebrandings by Ceasars in Recent Years

The Isle Casino Pompano Park project is just one of many rebranding initiatives by Caesars in the last decade. Caesars itself has undergone a makeover since being purchased by Eldorado Resorts. The “old Caesars” was purchased for $17.3 billion in 2020, but Eldorado adopted the more recognizable Caesars brand.

Caesars’ other ongoing rebranding and renovation projects include the Lumière Place Casino and Hotel in St. Louis. The eastern Missouri property will be renamed under the Horseshoe brand. In addition to the new branding, the casino will also be getting new gaming options, a Starbucks, as well as updated carpeting and lighting.

Similarly, Bally’s Las Vegas will be rebranded as a Horseshoe casino as well. In addition to renovations, the strip property will also host the WSOP this year. The Caesars Palace in Las Vegas recently completed construction, including $100 million renovations to the palace tower and an updated entrance.

In Louisiana, Harrah’s New Orleans will be renamed under the Caesars Palace brand. Meanwhile, the Harrah’s brand will be opening a new casino at the Columbus racetrack in Nebraska. Caesars was chosen by the owner of the property, Columbus Exposition and Racing, to build and operate the casino.

Conclusion

Construction began this month on a major renovation project at the Isle Casino Pompano Park. The project will take several years to complete and will include the property being renamed under the Harrah’s brand. Caesars Entertainment, which owns the property, announced the casino will soon be called Harrah’s Pompano Beach.

The first phase of the project, including the rebranding, will be completed this year. It includes renovating the existing casino floor and adding new entertainment options. Among the plans for new attractions includes a Topgolf practice range and a jai alai fronton. Phase one of the project will also add over 600 residential units.

By 2029, the project will completely transform the existing property. Caesars aims to create a city within the city, complete with living spaces, grocery and entertainment options, as well as transportation options. The developer has partnered with brands such as Publix to fill retail spaces when the construction is completed.

Isle Casino Pompano Park is not the only US casino being remodeled by Caesars Entertainment. The massive gaming company also has ongoing projects in Nebraska, Missouri, Louisiana, and, of course, Nevada. In Las Vegas, the company recently completed renovations at the Caesars Palace and will now focus on renovating Bally’s Las Vegas under the Horseshoe brand.

Posted on
Casino, Maryland

More Casinos in Maryland Receive Permission to Launch Sportsbooks

By James Murray

Maryland Lottery And Gaming Sports Betting Background

Maryland is one of the latest states to formally legalize sports betting. Several land-based sportsbook licenses have already been awarded in the state. New reports have just surfaced claiming two more casinos in Maryland have just received permission to launch their own sportsbooks in the near future.

Sports fans here have been excited to see more betting options become available. Some major changes are set to take place within Maryland’s gambling industry over the next few years.

Here’s a look at which casinos will soon allow sports betting.

Two Casinos in Maryland Gain Permission to Offer Sports Betting

The US sports betting industry continues to expand rapidly. Maryland formally legalized sports betting earlier this year. Several delays have come up getting the state’s various sports gambling options up and running.

This week, news broke that two popular casinos gained permission to formally launch their own sportsbooks. Those casinos are the Ocean Downs Casino and Hollywood Casino. Both have large fan bases and have been working to receive a sportsbook license for months.

MGM National Harbor, Live! Casino & Hotel and Baltimore’s Horseshoe casino also have licenses to operate sportsbooks. Unfortunately, none of the state’s sportsbooks have gone live yet. This is due to the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission’s inability to formally give the green light. Governor Larry Hogan spoke to the media about this situation earlier this week.

“No one is pushing harder than I am to get sports betting up and running here in the State of Maryland,” Hogan said. “Our administration has now cleared five licenses for sports betting, implementing the referendum approved by voters and the law passed by the General Assembly.”

Still, it’s exciting to see more casinos in the state gain sports betting licenses. Once final approval is given, the state will likely see a huge surge of taxable sports betting revenue flowing in. Stay tuned for updates!

Casino Revenue in Maryland Continues to Impress

Much of the Northeastern United States has been working to expand its gambling industry over the past couple of years. That includes Maryland, which is now home to six different casinos. Some of these properties are owned and operated by the most profitable casino companies in the United States.

States around the country have recently released their revenue reports over the month of September. That includes Maryland. Many have been surprised to see how much money the gambling venues in this state managed to bring in.

Total gross gaming revenue came out to $165 million over September. This represents an impressive 15.1% increase when compared to September of 2020. MGM National Harbor managed to bring in the most revenue at $69,496,983.

Live! Casino & Hotel, home to 3,747 slot machines and 190 table games, brought in the second-most money at $56,496,012. Horseshoe Casino came next with $17,532,299.25. Nearly all of the casinos in the state managed to earn more revenue in September than they did the month prior.

Maryland’s casino industry is proving to be successful and sports betting options will soon launch here. We’ll be sure to offer more updates on this state’s gambling industry as the year goes on.

Florida’s Sports Betting Industry Could Launch Next Month

Maryland is not the only state to legalize sports betting, yet delay launching any sportsbooks. Florida is in a very similar situation. Unlike Maryland, however, this state’s delay came from several lawsuits filed by pari-mutuel companies operating in the state.

Governor DeSantis finally agreed to a compact with the Seminole Tribe this year to launch sports betting in the state in August. Under this agreement, the Seminoles will have permission to launch online sports betting statewide. Two pari-mutuel operators claim this is unconstitutional and will give the tribe a full monopoly on sports betting in the state.

Not long ago, a federal judge threw away the lawsuit directed at the Seminole Tribe. This didn’t resolve everything, though. An additional lawsuit was filed against the Department of Interior that has further delayed the launch of sports betting here.

This second lawsuit is expected to be resolved in November. Assuming the DOI wins, online sports betting will go live in the state. This means Florida residents could have access to regulated sports gambling options statewide within just a few weeks.

Are you excited to hear that more casinos in Maryland have gained permission to launch sports betting? When do you expect the first sportsbooks to go live here? Let us know in the comments section below.

Posted on
Casino, Florida

Seminole Casino Explosion On Monday Morning Injures 6

By James Murray

Seminole Casino Classic Incident

The Seminole Tribe in Florida owns and operates some of the most popular casinos in the state. Earlier this morning, news broke of a Seminole casino explosion that injured six individuals. More information on this explosion is now beginning to come out.

A lot has been happening with Florida’s gambling industry lately. This explosion was the last thing the Seminole Tribe needed to happen.

Here’s what you need to know about the incident at the tribe’s casino today.

Details on the Seminole Casino Explosion are Coming Out

Florida is home to a huge number of popular casinos. Some of these are known as “racinos” offering both horse racing and a limited number of casino games. Several true Class III Native American casinos are also operating throughout the state.

The Seminole Tribe owns and operates most of the casinos in Florida. Early this morning, reports surfaced claiming that an explosion took place at the Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood. It has now been confirmed that the Seminole Casino explosion sent six individuals to the hospital with minor injuries.

Tribe spokesman Gary Bitner claims that a fire suppression device ruptured in the casino, causing this explosion. Bitner explained that the device was being done on the device when the incident occurred. You can check out his comments below.

“It had been reconnected with a gas canister,” Bitner said. “It’s actually fire suppression equipment that uses gas to put out a fire.”

Patrons reported a loud explosion when the canister ruptured. Fortunately, no serious, life-threatening injuries have been reported. This casino is already back up and running normally and officials appear confident nothing similar will take place in the future.

When Will Florida’s Sports Betting Industry Launch?

Florida was once considered one of the more anti-gambling states in the country. Things have changed in recent years and the state is now home to many popular gambling venues. State officials have also approved compacts that will allow for the Seminole Tribe to offer sports betting options in the state.

The original goal was for the state’s sports betting options to launch by the first game of the 2021/2022 NFL season. Unfortunately, that did not end up being the case. Several groups have engaged in legal battles to delay the launch of sports betting here.

It is not entirely clear when sports gambling will become available in the state. The Seminole Tribe has already moved to dismiss the latest lawsuit challenging sports betting in Florida. Most agree that state officials will soon work to get this industry up and running.

The start of the NFL season has already resulted in a staggering amount of revenue. Tens of millions of wagers have been placed on the season. This is likely to increase as the season continues and more states launch their first sportsbooks.

Officials in Florida want a piece of the revenue pie coming in from legal football betting. We’ll be sure to offer more updates on the launch of sports betting here as the months go on.

Casino Revenue Continues to Increase

The US casino industry has recovered from the events that unfolded in 2020. Last year, casino revenue around the country hit all-time lows. Casino companies had an extremely difficult time bringing in patrons throughout the year.

Things have turned around in 2021. In fact, the AGA maintains that this will be the best year in history for the US casino industry. States around the country continue to report huge surges in their casino earnings.

Many analysts expect to see states report casino revenue increases in the coming months. Some saw their revenue figures dip over August. That includes Maryland, which saw just $168.5 million in total gross gaming revenue over the month.

September tends to be a successful month for the gaming industry. That seems to be due in part to sports fans flocking to casinos to make wagers on the start of the NFL season. It will be interesting to see how much money casinos bring in over the fall months.

Were you surprised to hear about the Seminole Casino explosion? When do you expect Florida to legalize sports betting? Let us know in the comments section below.

Posted on
Florida, Sports Betting

Ron DeSantis Approves New Gambling Rules in Florida

By James Murray

Governor DeSantis

Florida is known for having a fairly strict set of gambling regulations. For years, certain officials here have been pushing to change these regulations. It seems that some progress is being made. Reports have confirmed that Governor Ron DeSantis has approved new gambling rules in Florida.

Many are excited to see these new measures passed. Of course, it will take time for anything to really change here. Now is a great time to look at what new gambling options could soon become available in the state.

Let’s get into it!

More States Report Increases in Gambling Revenue

The United States is beginning to see some major improvements in regards to the Covid-19 crisis. Over the past few months, infection rates have begun to drop around the country. Hospitalizations are down and vaccine distribution continues to ramp up.

As this situation improves, states are seeing their economies ramping back up. Travel has begun to increase around the country. Many businesses that rely on tourism are seeing their revenue figures increase.

That is certainly the case with casinos around the country. For months last year, the country’s entire land-based gambling industry was shut down. Things began to reopen over the summer, yet gaming revenue has remained extremely low for almost a year.

Casinos have begun to report major increases in their revenue numbers. Over in Las Vegas, tourism numbers are surging and casino-resorts are seeing huge jumps in their visitation rates. This is expected to increase further after the casinos here will be able to operate at 100% capacity in June.

Many states have recently begun to expand their gambling options. The massive amount of revenue being earned from this industry is becoming too attractive to pass on. It’s an exciting time for gambling fans around the country.

There has been a serious push to update Florida’s gambling regulation in recent years. Here’s what you need to know about this situation.

Gov. DeSantis Approves New Gambling Rules in Florida

Florida is one of the most populated states in the country. Many lawmakers and residents here have been pushing to expand the state’s gambling regulations for years. It hasn’t been easy due to the major pushback by the more conservative officials here.

Things have begun to change recently. A growing number of leaders in the state have been in negotiations with the Seminole Tribe on ways to expand gambling options in the state. At the moment, this tribe controls much of Florida’s gambling operations.

A major breakthrough was achieved this week. News has confirmed that Ron DeSantis has approved new gambling rules in Florida. If all goes according to plan, this could help to bring legalized sports betting to the state. First, it will need to be approved by the state legislature.

The new measures would allow both online and land-based sports betting in Florida. A 21 year age requirement would be set for sports betting here. The plan from DeSantis would also expand the number of casino options that the Seminole Tribe could offer.

Not everyone is on board with this idea. John Sowinski, a prominent anti-gambling voice in the state, spoke to the media and claims the decision to make new gambling rules in Florida should come down to a public vote.

“We call on the governor and our legislators to honor the will of the people, who demanded that any new casino gambling authorization occur at the ballot box, not behind closed doors in Tallahassee,” he said. “We are committed to defending the integrity of Florida’s Constitution, and ensuring that the will of the people is respected.”

Several steps are still needed to make changes here. Stay tuned for updates over the next few months!

Sports Betting Continues to Grow More Popular

Compared to most other countries, the United States’ sports betting industry is still in its infancy. It wasn’t until 2018 that any state other than Nevada was allowed to legally offer sports gambling options. With PASPA now gone, more than half the country has already approved sports gambling legislation.

This form of gambling is growing more popular every single year. As a result, states are seeing massive revenue figures coming in. Some, of course, are seeing more money from this industry coming in than others.

February ended up being a fairly unsuccessful month for the country’s sports betting industry. A large number of winning Super Bowl wagers led to handle decreases for many states. Things bounced back in a big way in March.

Several states posted large increases in sports betting revenue last month. Most analysts expect to see the same in April. It’s an exciting time for the industry and proves that the US is now home to the biggest sports betting market in the world.

It may not be long before states like California and Texas legalize sports gambling. Lawmakers in both of these states have been working with other state leaders on the issue. Even Florida seems close to getting its sports betting industry operational.

Are you excited to hear about the new gambling rules in Florida being approved? Do you think sports betting will become available here in 2021? Let us know in the comments section below!

Posted on
Casino, Florida, news

Florida’s Guitar Hotel is Already Making Headlines

By Nickolas Branson

The Seminole Tribe in Florida has finally opened its most ambitious project to date. Florida’s guitar hotel is up and running and is already making headlines around the country. Now is the perfect time to look at what this massive venue has to offer.

Hard Rock Hotel Hollywood

There’s a lot happening with Hard Rock International right now. Today, we’ll also talk about some of the Seminole Tribe’s other projects. Let’s get into it!

The Casino Industry in Florida is Expanding

Florida’s gambling industry can be traced back to the early 1800s. At that time, many gambling venues were spread around the state. Lawmakers did little to regulate these establishments. In the 1940s, the state government began cracking down on different forms of gambling.

This state is home to several major tribes, many of whom were eager to crack into the gambling industry. In 1979, the Seminole Tribe opened their first bingo hall in the state. In 1988, the Supreme Court passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, allowing every state to open full-scale casinos. By 2004, the Seminole’s operated several major casinos here.

Back in 2006, the Seminole Tribe purchased Hard Rock International for $965 million.

In 2010, Florida passed a bill to allow full poker gambling. This also helped to boost the state’s gambling industry. Today, there are a huge number of casinos in Florida, many of which are operated by the Seminoles.

Construction began on Florida’s guitar hotel more than a year ago. In July, the tribe announced it was looking for 600 additional workers for this hotel-casino. This week, the incredible new venue officially opened to the public.

Florida’s Guitar Hotel is Now Open

The Seminole Tribe is no stranger to opening massive hotel-casinos. Years ago, they announced plans for an incredible $1.5 billion hotel expansion plans in Hollywood, Florida. Now, this venue is officially open for business.

Florida’s guitar hotel is the biggest ever constructed by Hard Rock International. It’s in the shape as a giant electric guitar and features more than 600 rooms for guests. The casino holds more than 3,000 slot machines and a massive entertainment area.

Marcellus Osceola, council chairman of the Seminole Tribe, commented on the opening of this new hotel-casino to the media this week.

“We’re very thankful and we’re blessed to be in a position that we can provide the general welfare and the help and assistance that tribe members need,” he said. “The dollars that we make here will make life a little bit easier for our members when they have health care issues or when they are trying to buy a car to transport themselves with their families.”

This is expected to become one of the biggest and most popular gambling venues in the United States.

The Seminole Tribe currently pays the state around $350 million every year. With this new venue now opened, this figure is likely to increase.

Hard Rock International Considers Move to Las Vegas

Hard Rock International owns and operates many casinos around the country. Interestingly, it’s never run a gambling venue in Las Vegas. The Hard Rock Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, which was recently sold to Virgin Hotels, was owned and operated independently by a separate company.

One of the company’s top officials recently claimed he was interested in making the move into Las Vegas. Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, says he’s been considering this move for the past several months.

The company is still working on breaking into Japan, as well. Only three casino licenses will be handed out in this country. Many analysts believe that opening a casino-resort in Las Vegas would help Hard Rock stand out and could help their chances to receive one of these licenses.

We’ll need to wait and see whether or not Hard Rock officially makes the move into Las Vegas. Several companies are currently interested in selling properties on the Las Vegas Strip. Perhaps Hard Rock will decide to purchase one of these venues.

Florida’s guitar hotel is now open. If you’re in the Hollywood area, make sure to give it a visit!

Stay tuned for more Florida casino news over the next few months!

Posted on
news

New Florida Gambling Deal Encounters Several Issues

By Ryan Knuppel

The state of Florida and the Seminole tribe are actively taking part in negotiations over what has been a couple of years of disagreement. The Sunshine State and the Native American tribe—which is one of the most successful organizations in the casino industry—have been on the opposing sides when it comes to the tribe’s casinos. Governor Ron DeSantis decided to be a mediator between the two warring sides who are required to make a new gambling deal and sort things out.

The legislative session between Florida and the Seminoles has a deadline, and it should be in two weeks, but the two sides have encountered a couple of issues regarding sports betting and table games that may become an obstacle to reaching an agreement. DeSantis expressed his skepticism as well, as he stated that he did not like some of the provisions made in the deal. He added that he would like to ‘get a deal’ as soon as possible, but that he would like to do everything that was right for Florida.

It has been several years now since the state and the officials of the tribe started arguing and failing to sign a new gambling-related contract. The first agreement between the two sides was reached back in 2010 but all the key terms were set to last five years. In other words, the key terms expired in 2015 when the revenue to the state was put in danger.

The former Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, had a temporary solution at hand. The two sides reached a temporary agreement that allowed the tribe to hold exclusive rights on blackjack in exchange for millions in shared revenue from this game. Once again, it was just a temporary solution, and it seems that the real solution was nowhere near. This one will expire on May 31 when things can get quite complicated unless there is a deal in sight. If the two sides do not manage to reach a deal, the state risks losing more than $350 million in gaming revenue.

One of the Problems is Sports Betting

Many reports reveal that the outline of the draft that Gov. DeSantis and his team currently review included sports betting authorization in the state. The Seminoles would act as sort of a hub for placing bets at pari-mutuels in Florida. According to the provision, in-play betting would also be authorized at professional sports venues. However, Gov. DeSantis believes that this could affect games’ integrity, and he doesn’t seem too happy about it. Furthermore, he stated that he must consider in-play betting and whether it should be limited only to sports arenas or be legalized across the state.

Long story short, the Governor has not really ‘put forth opposition’ to the idea of gambling on sports in this state, but that he is willing to further discuss this idea with both sides.

The Problem With Card Games

Card games have been one of the main reasons for disagreement between the two sides, and the draft suggests a possible new deal that proposes a drastic change in the way card games are played at pari-mutuels. This change will make the game entirely unprofitable for pari-mutuels of the state. Furthermore, these facilities will be allowed to run operations related to sports betting but the revenues made from wagering will have to be shared with the Seminoles.

All in all, the lawmakers of the state will receive up to $400 million annually from the Seminoles, with potential to go up to $500 million. This is certainly an improvement, compared to $350 they paid to the state, but the lawmakers believe they could have done a much better job here.

Posted on
news

Seminole Tribe and Florida Officials to Discuss New Compacts

By Ryan Knuppel

The lawmakers of Florida and the Seminole Tribe have been in strong disagreement over a key provision when it comes to a former compact related to gambling that has expired five years ago. The two sides definitely needed to sit down and talk about new compacts, and it seems that the solution is actually closer than we might think. The resolution is out there, and the new compact would probably include provision expansion in Florida.

According to their previous compact, which became active back in 2010, the Seminole tribe owned an agreement about revenue sharing. In other words, part of their revenue would go to the state of Florida, which means that the Seminole tribe basically paid hundreds of millions of dollars directly into the coffers of the Sunshine State. The compact had to be renewed in 2015, which was pretty difficult since both sides were unable to reach an agreement. Governor Rick Scott somehow managed to convince the Seminole tribe to renew their compact, despite the fact that they were not really content with it. Therefore, their revenue sharing agreement continued to live on while the two sides were searching for some better options in order to create an equilibrium where they are both happy.

Therefore, the loose agreement that they came upon in 2015 will expire in May, and they are bound to come up with a new one sooner or later. This fact alone will cause the loss of up to $350 million in 2019, and the Senate has already imposed high taxes in order to secure the state budget, should they do not reach an agreement with the tribe.

One of the main reasons why such an agreement was not possible in the past is that the tribe claims that the state has violated previous compacts. In fact, 2016 was pretty much a turbulent year for the Seminoles tribe which took the state of Florida to court claiming that Florida officials were not allowed to introduce blackjack at pari-mutuel tracks, as Seminoles had an exclusive right to this card game. The court actually agreed on this and sided with the Seminoles. This escalated in a full-time hatred between the two sides, with Seminoles threatening to put an end to the revenue-shared system which would severely affect Florida’s budget. All of this tension was later approached by Scott who made both sides cooperate once again, making a short term deal which would expire soon.

Both sides are quite aware of this fact which is the reason why they sat down last week trying to figure out everything and come up with a deal that would be beneficial for both sides. Senator Wilton Simpson is the one who is currently leading the discussions as the two sides have a very tight deadline that they must not cross. In other words, we will have an opportunity to hear the news about a potential agreement very soon, as days, if not hours, are left for them to complete their talks.

Florida has been pretty active when it comes to gambling, as voters decided in a poll that they should be the ones in charge when it comes to controlling gambling in the state. A ballot in November 2018 put all activities related to gambling in the hands of the residents of Florida who will also decide on things such as expansions. On the other hand, many officials of Florida, including Governor Ron DeSantis, do not feel like giving the Seminole tribe more autonomy when it comes to gambling. In other words, this fight might be far from over.