Gaming briefs for March 24, 2004

Wednesday, March 24, 2004 | 10:56 a.m.

Venetian operator plans London development

The developer of The Venetian hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip has signed an agreement to build a hotel-casino adjacent to a London soccer stadium, according to British media accounts.

The AFX UK Focus of London reported today that Las Vegas Sands Inc. has signed a deal with Sheffield United PLC and is developing a casino and entertainment complex with the Glasgow Rangers soccer club.

A spokesman for The Venetian today confirmed the reports.

The Scottish Daily Record said the deal was valued at $219.8 million and that the project would create 2,000 jobs.

The Record report said Venetian owner Sheldon Adelson would put $146.5 million into the venture, which would be completed in 2007. The Rangers soccer club is $124.5 million in debt, according to the report, and would provide the land and lease it to Las Vegas Sands, which would construct and operate the complex.

The 15-acre development would be built near the stadium's main entrance in an area known as Ibrox.

Proposal's name rejected

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Attorney General Mike Beebe rejected the popular name and ballot title for a November ballot proposal on gambling, lotteries, bingo and raffles because of "sweeping language" and "ambiguities" in it.

Harold Glen Martin of Hot Springs, a recurring gambling proponent, submitted the proposal. It would authorize him or "subcontractors" to operate gambling in 11 counties, would allow bingo and raffles by nonprofit organizations, and would authorize the Legislature to operate lotteries.

Beebe said the wording was too confusing. He said Martin could revise the wording and resubmit it.

Martin would have to get the attorney general's approval of the ballot title and popular name, then collect voter signatures on the petition before the measure could get on the general election ballot. Also, the secretary of state's office would have to certify the signatures.

Arkansas has legalized gambling only at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs and Southland Park in West Memphis.

Gambling parlor opens

CLARKSVILLE, Ind. -- An off-track betting parlor some Kentucky horse racing officials fear could cut into their state's racing business opened Monday in an old drugstore in southeastern Indiana.

Indiana Downs' Clarksville off-track betting parlor is now competing head-to-head with Churchill Downs Trackside, a similar operation just across the Ohio River in Louisville, Ky.

The Clarksville parlor was packed with customers wearing "OTB Clarksville" hats shortly after it opened, said Joe Thompson, an Indiana Downs official.

"We're very pleased by the turnout. You could open these things any weekend and they go well, but to open on a Monday with a good response is really nice," he said.

While Kentucky racing officials fear the Clarksville parlor's impact on their state's racing business, Indiana officials see economic-development benefits and a tax windfall of about $100,000 a year for financially troubled Clark County.

Cherokees OK track purchase

MUSKOGEE, Okla. -- The Cherokee Nation approved buying Will Rogers Downs horse racing track this week.

"(Gaming) is the trend of the world," Cherokee Councilman Johnny Keener said. "Everyone in the state of Oklahoma would have it if they could have the (sovereign) land."

The deal will make the Cherokees the second Oklahoma tribe to buy a horse racing track. The Choctaws bought Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw for $4.25 million in November.