Gaming briefs for August 30, 2004

Monday, Aug. 30, 2004 | 10:39 a.m.

Gaming Board head resigns

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois Gaming Board Chairman Elzie Higginbottom, who has been crticized over the board's decision to grant an unused casino license to Rosemont, resigned his post Friday, saying it was time to turn his attention back to his family and business.

The 62-year-old Higginbottom's term expired June 30, as did that of another board member, Violet Clark. Higginbottom said he stayed on to give Gov. Rod Blagojevich time to find a replacement, but with four small children at home, two of whom he takes to school each morning, he bowed out.

Higginbottom, who was named to the board in July 2001 and has served as chairman since September 2002, said he never intended to seek reappointment. He said criticism of the board over its Rosemont decision didn't faze him, either.

His resignation came a day after the governor said he would consider expanding gambling to balance the state budget.

Owens to testify against casino

DENVER -- Gov. Bill Owens will testify before the U.S. Senate on Sept. 8 in opposition to plans for an American Indian casino planned for the outskirts of Denver.

"I am going to explain why Colorado doesn't want the federal government to place a casino in Colorado. I want to make it very clear to the senators that this is important," Owens said.

He said was personally attending a hearing to show that he strongly opposes the casino plan.

A claim filed by the Cheyenne-Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma asserts ownership of 27 million acres in Colorado. The claim covers all of the city of Denver and Colorado Springs.

MACAU:

Macau's incumbent leader easily won a second and final five-year term on Sunday, after running unopposed in this gambling enclave. Unlike his widely despised Hong Kong counterpart Tung Chee-hwa, Chief Executive Edmund Ho is popular in Macau after guiding an economic boom in this former Portuguese colony by opening its key gambling industry to competition and allowing Las Vegas casino operators to move in. On Sunday, Ho won 296 votes from an elite 300-member committee comprising business leaders and other top local figures.