FireKeepers Leads to Higher Traffic For Some Area Businesses

While no real solid numbers are available, many businesses located near the FireKeepers Casino have seen higher traffic. However, some area businesses located further away may have seen traffic declines.

Overall, studies have shown that counties with casinos (and surrounding counties) will experience meaningful economic growth within the first few years of a casino opening. Plans for a new hotel across the street and other area growth should help local businesses more in the future. Typically, new business growth will beget more new business.

As far as area nonprofit bingos are concerned, most seem to have suffered lowered attendance by the competition from the FireKeepers bingo hall. FireKeepers opened their bingo last fall, so the record is incomplete. Many feel that they are adjusting and this may only be a temporary setback.

For more information, please see Casino neighbors still await payoff.

WSOP Down to Nine

As those of us in the charity gaming business here in Michigan know, the popularity of poker has increased dramatically over the last decade. Charity poker halls have opened up throughout the state, and may one day equal or pass the number of charity bingo halls in operation.

With that said, this year's WSOP event is down to nine players, one of them Joe Cada, a 21 year old native of Michigan. Congratulation Joe, and good luck in November when final table action resumes.

Below are a couple of articles on the event, one a quick recap and the other a short profile on Joe after he reached the final 27.

November Nine set: Phil Ivey, Shelby Township's Joe Cada make WSOP main event final table

Shelby Township's Joseph Cada among final 27

California Charities Turn to Legislature for Relief After Electronic Bingo Loss

After mixed results in court battles to keep operating casino-style machines, California charitable bingo parlors are seeking financial relief in the Legislature and from tribal gambling funds.

But casino tribes protest reinstating a $5 million account originally created to compensate charities for the anticipated loss of bingo machines.

Charity groups argue that losing electronic bingo will cost them critical revenues for programs for schools, communities and the disabled.

Tribes argue the slot machine-style games violate their gambling exclusivity rights and thus threaten California's ability to collect millions of dollars in revenue-sharing payments from Indian casinos.

Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, drafted legislation to allow charities losing bingo machines to seek compensation until Oct. 31 from a fund tribes pay into to offset impacts of Indian gambling.

For the complete story, please see Peter Hecht, California charities seek relief for loss of electronic bingo, The Sacremento Bee, May 4, 2009.

Charity Bingos Continue Electronic Bingo Machine Battle

Charitable bingo parlours in California are preparing last gasp legal motions to stay in business after a federal appeals court threw out a lower court order barring the state from shutting them down.
The case of the small bingo operations, concentrated mostly near the capital city of Sacramento, has been a closely watched legal test.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a new law SB 1369 officially prohibiting charities from using casino-style electronic bingo machines. The charity groups continued operating under a court order after the law went into effect 1 January.

Meanwhile, some of California’s wealthiest Indian casino tribes threatened to withhold tens of millions of dollars of revenue sharing payment to California if the charity groups continued to operate the class II games. The tribes said the electronic machines violated exclusive casino gambling rights under tribal-state compacts.

For the complete story, please see Peter Hecht, Charities In Last Ditch Fight After California Appeal Court Decision, Gambling Compliance Ltd., April 6, 2009.