A $245million Indian casino business will become Michigan’s 14th venue if it ends up being constructed. The 125,000-square foot venue in the city of Lansing would create in the region of 2,200 jobs and help fund four-year college scholarships for the state’s students. The city could earn $6million per year in revenue as part of the estimated $250m a casino could bring in, and tribe Chairman Joe Eltrem added: “We have a true partnership in Lansing. They sincerely want jobs and opportunities for their citizens and students just as we seek to provide jobs, services and a better future to our tribal members through gaming.”
The Kewadin Lansing Casino will include 3,000 slot machines and 48 gambling tables. The city Mayor Virg Bernero hopes to kick off construction in 12-24 months and it’s likely to take up to 18 months after that to open.
Missouri’s Governor has angered members of the gaming industry by proposing an increase in admission fee to get into casinos. Jay Nixon’s budget plan would increase the admission free from $2 to $3 in order to plug a hole in the Missouri Veterans Commission budget. Casino lobbyist Mike Winter told the House Veterans Committee the plan amount to “a bottom-line hit of $53 million for our companies” every year. It will also threaten jobs, marketing and capital projects at all of the state’s 12 casinos. Nixon’s proposal will generate $50m for veterans through the extra $1 fees.
Pennsylvania’s Presque Isles Downs and Casino posted a 25% rise in table games revenues to further reflect the increases being seen in the state’s gaming industry. The Erie casino was one of the state’s eight casinos to post an increase with only two showing a decline in table games. The figures had been expected after Penn increased the tables permitted and Presque Isles increased its number by five, also adding a poker room on October 3.
