Greektown can't meet goals
As reported by The Detroit Free Press

DETROIT, Michigan - "Greektown Casino LLC's inability to reach revenue goals established in gaming control board documents could ultimately lead to its sale, casino regulators said Tuesday.

"Greektown officials told the gaming control board Tuesday that the casino would not be able to meet financial projections established in a November 2005 agreement with the board. According to those documents, the casino must maintain certain annual debt-to-earnings ratios.

"Greektown officials asked the board Tuesday for a 12-month extension to meet revenue goals. Board members reacted negatively to the request before voting to table the motion until its next meeting Dec. 12.

"In addition, Greektown officials said the casino was unable to meet construction deadlines on its new 20-story, 400-room hotel complex because of slow negotiations with the City of Detroit in purchasing a parking garage.

"Because of delays, the hotel will not open as projected in January 2008. It now is expected to open in September 2008.

"�The construction problems stem from a six-month delay in negotiations on the cost of a parking garage that Greektown eventually bought from the city for $32 million, Eggan said.

"�Regarding the request for a revenue goal extension, board member Barbara Rom told Greektown officials they should offer something in exchange for the proposal.

"Rom said the casino's owners -- the Sault Ste. Marie band of Chippewa Indians -- should come up with $23 million by April 2009, the amount specified in documents�" a

Smoking ban would affect
Atlantic City casinos
As reported by the Press of Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – "City Council introduced a measure to ban smoking in local workplaces at its Wednesday night meeting.

"It passed 9-0, sponsored by all council members.

"…The measure is designed to close a loophole in state anti-smoking legislation that took effect in April. The law banned smoking in most workplaces, but exemptions allowed smoking to continue in tobacconists, cigar bars and on the resort's casino floors.

"Legislation to close the casino exemption has lingered in committee since January.

"Casino workers, people from smokefreecasinos.com, health and anti-smoking groups and the American Heart Association supported the ban at the meeting. The people who waved banners and fans supporting council's move applauded Councilmen Bruce Ward and Gene Robinson, the ordinance's main proponents, as they spoke.

"…The law provides four exceptions:

"- Private homes, except when used as a daycare or other healthcare facility.

"- Designated hotel smoking rooms. But they cannot be more than 20 percent of the total rooms and must be contiguous.

"- Nursing home rooms where all residents are smokers and have made a written request to allow smoking. The smoke cannot contaminate other rooms.

"- Private clubs with no employees, except when used by the general public. The exemption does not apply to clubs that are created to get around this law.

"…Wednesday's ordinance was the latest move to close the casino floor loophole. At its Sept. 20 meeting, council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the bill proposed by Assemblyman Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic)…"