Gaming briefs for Oct. 7, 2003

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2003 | 11:24 a.m.

Vegas firm switches auditors

Station Casinos Inc. has dismissed its independent auditor Deloitte & Touche and hired Ernst & Young.

The dismissal, effective Sept. 29, is due to "client service issues" with respect to certain business deals, Station Chief Financial Officer Glenn Christenson said.

The dismissal isn't related to the discovery of cash reporting problems at the company's Santa Fe casino in April, Christenson said. Station discovered the problem and reported it to Nevada regulators. Deloitte & Touche was helpful in dealing with that issue, Christenson said.

Deloitte officials declined to comment on the dismissal.

Promotions battle grows among tribal casinos

ALBUQUERQUE -- There's a growing battle among the state's Indian casinos.

Some are gobbling up billboard space as fast as it becomes available. They're dreaming up more promotions, ranging from looser slot machines to "Big Bertha," a slot with a possible $1 million payout.

"I would say everyone is trying to create more of a competitive edge," said Isleta Casino and Resort marketing director Clyde Callicott, whose casino boosted this week the amount its slots pay out.

"In the long run, the customer wins, and that's the neat thing about it," he said.

Interstate drivers coming into the Albuquerque area are greeted by a slew of casino signs.

Sandia Casino and Laguna Pueblo's Route 66 Casino take up opposite sides of a billboard off north Interstate 25. Santa Ana Pueblo's "Set Your Sights Higher" billboard beckons to drivers near the interstate interchange and close by is Isleta's "Loosest Slots" ad.

Rick Shoudt, New Mexico sales manager for Lamar Outdoor Advertising, said competition for ad space along Interstate 40 has also become intense. He said Acoma Pueblo's casino off of I-40 west of Albuquerque has become his single largest advertiser this summer.

Renting a billboard costs from $500 to $2,500 a month, depending on the location, Shoudt said. Changing the ad costs another $1,000 and some casinos are swapping out their ads as often as once a month, he said.

Sandia Casino marketing director Steve Neely said his casino's promotion plans haven't changed much over the past year.

The casino is the busiest in the state. In the second quarter this year, it posted a $33 million slot machine net win.